Senior Information Systems Advisor – Consultancy
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WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.
ABOUT WFP
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes. Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
Latin America and the Caribbean, WFP supports national efforts to improve food and nutrition security and reduce the impact of emerging crises, natural disasters, and climate change among vulnerable populations.
WFP opened a Caribbean office in 2018. The WFP Caribbean Multi-Country Office covers 22 countries and territories in the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean, and the primary work is on capacity-strengthening for emergency preparedness. On the programme side, the focus is on strengthening shock-responsive social protection, vulnerability analysis, and risk financing, with the main stakeholders being governments and also CDEMA. In the future, greater focus will also be placed on food security and food systems. This portfolio of work spans technical assistance in multiple countries and is also linked to WFP’s supply chain capacity building for emergency preparedness. The office also responds to emergencies in support of governments and CDEMA as needed, including previous responses in the Bahamas (2019) and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (2021), which both included cash-based transfer responses. This role will be key for WFP’s operational engagement in one or more countries, working closely with government counterparts on capacity strengthening and responding to emergencies as needed.
JOB PURPOSE
In its efforts to combat acute and chronic food insecurity and malnutrition in the LAC and Caribbean regions, the World Food Programme manage a vast portfolio of programs and activities. The programs range from top-level policy advising to strengthening livelihoods during normal situations and safeguarding lives during emergencies. In the delivery of these programs, WFP collects, stores, and manages vast amount of data and information on beneficiary households and individuals. The data need to be properly collected, stored, and secure against unwarranted access. The data are then analysed and turned into actionable information for situation analysis or programmatic use.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)
1. Analyse project or country needs with regards to information systems for social protection, food security, project-based or other. Provide written recommendations and strategies.
2. Advise, design, and if required, oversee development and modification to various information systems.
3. Advise and define new automation and analytical tools for WFP supported partners (government ministries, others).
4. Advise and define protocols for the data exchange (from field, from partner) to ensure update of database application on a routine basis.
5. Review and, with partners, define data update protocols, tools, methods and procedures for updating the database with field data.
6. Advise and support data collection component, including formats, tools, procedures, quality control, and data management.
7. Advise on data privacy, confidentiality, security, and safety in following with WFP standards and protocols, and consistent with country strategy and protocols, where applicable.
8. Advise on the analysis needs and outputs (reports, dashboards, data viz, etc.)
9. Advise and define knowledge and technology exchange for government partners.
10. Support and train (on-the-job) the different information system staff (team leaders, data management officers, coordinators, others) in WFP and/or government offices, exchanging knowledge.
CONTINUATION OF KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)
11. Identify and advise on capacity development opportunities for government partners and support country exchanges, trainings, and other capacity development activities.
12. Update operational documentation as required.
13. Maintain the project management system for daily work tasking and project planning.
14. Provide feedback in emails and written for program report documentation (donor reports, others).
15. Attend meetings, create and deliver presentations, and support the WFP regional information management system related activities.
16. In consultation with the teams, advise on server setup and hosting requirements
17. Periodically review infrastructure needs (hardware, software, databases, hosting) and advise on upgrades, updates, and optimizations necessary to maintain a secure, and reliable infrastructure.
18. Advise WFP and partners on data security, safety, and confidentiality to ensure appropriate protocols and processes are in place to safeguard beneficiary and programmatic data.
19. Represent WFP at meetings, events in support of WFP regional and national mandate.
20. Support government ministries in high-level management on strategic planning and decisions with regards to government-based data and information systems.
STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
University degree in information systems or related field or compensated by sufficient practical and operational experience.
Experience:
– 15+ years’ experience managing national-level information systems implementation (food insecurity, poverty reduction, social protection or similar) with government agencies, UN, NGOs, other development and humanitarian sectors
– Advanced knowledge and understanding (12 yrs +) of theories, concepts and approaches as well as web-based technologies (intranet, web-based database applications, analytical tools) relevant to the management of information systems in developing country context
– Proven experience in conceptual, analytical, and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources and analytical methods.
Knowledge & Skills:
-Has experience in workshop facilitation.
-Has experience in managing virtual events and strategic planning.
-Has a good understanding of project cycle management withing WFP.
-Has proven capability to work independently.
DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT
BVI & Dominica
1. Advise on development of MIS and/or other information systems with changes/updates (with government counterpart)
2. Support Social Protection teams in protocol and process definition and implementation.
3. Assist in operational documentation (business process, SoP, technical guides, others).
4. Support knowledge and technology exchange with project staff.
5. Provide strategic input at management-level with WFP project managers and government partners.
6. Attend meetings, give presentations, provide feedback during the project activities.
7. Updated project management system with tasks and work plan.
The consultant will be responsible for the delivery of the following products (based upon the work of the responsible individuals or teams):
- If software is defined – support the design and development of secure, user-friendly and bug-free application (based upon work of programmers).
- Provide strategic inputs to form creation, indexes, data management and quality control, infrastructure setup in the form of documents, presentations, notes, and discussions.
- Up-to-date work plan with detailed task listing and responsibilities.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The World Food Programme Caribbean Multi-Country Office (CMCO) is seeking a Senior Information Systems Advisor for 11 months with possibility of extension.
All applications received will be reviewed and go through a selection process to assess relevant experience and qualifications. Applicants who meet the selection criteria may be contacted for further interviews or assessments and to confirm their continued interest and availability. WFP offers a competitive compensation package determined on the basis of the Terms of Reference and the selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
The deadline to apply for this position is 2 September, 2022 ( Atlantic Standard Time).
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All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.
