Simulation Officer
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, color, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status, physical or mental disability.
Job Title: Simulation Officer
Type of Contract: Consultancy
Division: Emergency Operations Division
Duty Station (City, Country): Rome HQ, Italy
Duration: 6 months
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the leading humanitarian organization saving lives and changing lives, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. The Emergency Operations Division (EME) supports WFP’s Regional Bureaus (RBs), Country Offices (COs) and partners to prepare and respond to current and future emergencies in a rapidly changing humanitarian environment. EME provides a field-focused, service oriented, steering and convening role focusing on forward-looking preparedness and support to emergencies to ensure a swift, coordinated, and integrated response. In particular, the ability to timely deploy surge staff with the required operational experience and technical skills remains a critical factor for effective emergency response. The Global Surge Coordination Unit (GSCU) within EME identifies, upskills and deploys emergency response staff in support of life-saving operations where required. It is responsible for managing the process of identifying and deploying personnel in response to staffing requests, leveraging a pool of qualified candidates. The GSCU also maintains Standby Partnerships with governments and NGOs to field technical experts when needed. It also holds the Surge Learning team which capacitates staff through a curated learning journey that ensures those deployed have the right skills to make an impact. One tool the GSCU uses to validate the technical and ‘soft’ skills of staff in an emergency response is through its Simulation Exercise (SIMEX). The SIMEX places participants from different duty stations, grades, functional areas, and experience into a simulated emergency. Knowledge of the complexities of humanitarian relief operations working in disaster zones – both natural and man-made – is key to the development of exercises that will increase the capacity of participants’ learning journey. Simulations will be delivered at the Emergency Training Academy in Brindisi, Italy as well as globally at Regional and Country Office levels. The GSCU is recruiting a Simulation Assistant based in Rome to support the core team during the implementation the SIMEX, including the preparatory phase and the closure/wrap up, adhering to the list of requirements and agenda accordingly, carrying out assigned roles, providing logistical and administrative support as requested and contribute to the lessons learnt exercise.
ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Actively participate in the planning, preparation, and implementation of WFP’s Simulation Exercise. This includes the revision of core documents and scripts, providing inputs accordingly to the revised agenda consistent with the New WFP Protocol of Emergency Activation and relevant mechanisms and modalities of response;
2. Coordinate logistical and administrative arrangements of the Simulation Exercise in cooperation with the administrative team and under the guidance of the core training team to ensure successful implementation of the exercise;
3. Assist with organizing and developing manuals, filing systems, testing and evaluation procedures, multimedia visual aids, and other informational materials;
4. Assist in the identification and verification of assets and equipment needed for the successful implementation of the exercise;
5. Actively participate in the briefing sessions of facilitators and observes and provide them the necessary support in in the preparation and delivery of the exercise;
6. Proactively contribute to the delivery and backstopping of the exercise, providing inputs as needed, addressing issues as they arise as necessary;
7. Apply strong interpersonal skills to liaise and engage with the external stakeholders and partners and keeping management informed about the Simulation Exercise;
8. Capture and identify lessons learnt, consider improvements where necessary to the agenda, scripts, activities and deliverables for a more efficient preparation and implementation of future exercise;
9. Perform other duties as needed supporting the simulation coordination team during all the phases of the simulation exercise.
10. Additional tasks as assigned by the supervisor.
DELIVERABLES:
- Continuous technical, logistical and administrative support towards the organization and implementation of simulation exercises with key stakeholders.
- Organized documentation of the processes involved in the organization of the simulation exercise and a lessons learned report following the exercise.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
Education:
Advanced university degree in Human Resource Management, Public or Business Administration, Education, Industrial Psychology or other relevant field, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience or trainings/courses.
Experience:
Three or more years of postgraduate professional experience in the design and facilitation of participatory training with an interest in international humanitarian development. Previous experience with simulation exercises in crisis management, disaster response, and other similar scenarios is desirable.
Knowledge and Skills:
- Broad or specialized knowledge of HR best practices, techniques and processes with some understanding of the basic theoretical background.
- Ability to supervise and support fellow members of the team, external vendors and contractors.
- Strong written and oral communication skills to effectively convey concise and clear information tailored to a variety of individuals.
- Excellent interpersonal skills to collaborate with subject matter experts across business functions, levels and geographical areas.
- Ability to analyze data, draw conclusions and recommend a course of action.
- Ability to work with minimal supervision.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with clients and provide client-oriented service and to identify clients’ needs and match them to appropriate solutions.
- Knowledge of, or the ability to quickly assimilate, UN/WFP specific processes and systems.
Languages:
International Professional: Fluency (level C) in English language. Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and/or WFP’s working language, Portuguese.
Terms and Conditions
WFP offers a competitive compensation package which will be determined by the contract type and selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.
Please visit the following websites for detailed information on working with WFP.
http://www.wfp.org Click on: “Our work” and “Countries” to learn more about WFP’s operations.
Deadline for applications: 12 September 2022
Ref.: VA No. 171639
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.
