Head of Field Office NOB

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.
WPF celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principles 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.
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
WFP Laos consists of the Vientiane Country Office and three Field Offices in the northern and the southern Provinces. We are now looking for a qualified suitable candidate for the Head of Field Office (NOB level) to be based in Pakse, Champasack Province. The position will work under director supervision of the Deputy Country Director and will overall manage the teams and programme operation in Attapeu, Saravan, Sekong, and Champasack Province.
JOB PURPOSE
To plan and manage field operations to ensure the effective and efficient deployment of food assistance programmes and use of allocated resources.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)
1. Effectively manage the Field Office to ensure the continued development of a cohesive and high performing team.
2. Plan and manage WFP field operations within the area of assignment to ensure effective and efficient delivery of food assistance and that daily operational issues are timely resolved to prevent losses or delays.
3. Ensure that allocated resources are used efficiently and are in line with agreed plans, and any deviations are reported to the Area/Country Office.
4. Hold accountability for the security of WFP staff, operations, premises and assets in the Field Office to ensure that WFP security and safety standards are locally set and followed. Actively participate and contribute to the Area Security Management Team (ASMT).
5. Conduct timely monitoring and evaluation of activities and prepare accurate and comprehensive reports on WFP’s operations and performance with regular and timely submission for Area/Country Office review to inform efficient operational planning and decisions.
6. Build effective and collaborative relations with the local authorities and contribute to the expertise sharing and capacity building for effective preparedness and response to food assistance needs.
7. Build partnerships to improve assistance packages, develop and sustain liaison with local government authorities, international and local NGOs, UN agencies, civil societies, beneficiaries and other partners and media engaged in the field of food security.
8. Ensure extensive and frequent presence at project areas, distribution sites and centres.
9. Other as required
4Ps CORE ORGANISATIONAL CAPABILITIES
Purpose
- Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Understands WFP’s Strategic Objectives and the link to own work objectives.
- Be a force for positive change: Flexibly adapts individual contributions to accommodate changes in direction from supervisors and internal/external changes (such as evolving needs of beneficiaries, new requirements of partners).
- Make the mission inspiring to our team: Recognizes and shares with team members the ways in which individual contributions relate to WFP’s mission.
- Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Sets own goals in alignment with WFP’s overall operations, and is able to communicate this link to others.
People
- Look for ways to strengthen people's skills: Assesses own strengths and weaknesses to increase self-awareness, and includes these in conversations on own developmental needs.
- Create an inclusive culture: Participates in open dialogue, and values the diverse opinion of others, regardless of background, culture, experience, or country assignment.
- Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Proactively seeks feedback and coaching to build confidence, and develop and improve individual skills.
- Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Participates in accomplishing team activities and goals in the face of challenging circumstances.
Performance
- Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Shows willingness to explore and experiment with new ideas and approaches in own work.
- Focus on getting results: Consistently delivers results within individual scope of work on time, on budget and without errors.
- Make commitments and make good on commitments: Commits to upholding individual accountabilities and responsibilities in the face of ever-changing country or functional priorities.
- Be Decisive: Makes rational decisions about individual activities when faced with uncertain circumstances, including in times of ambiguity regarding information or manager direction.
Partnership
- Connect and share across WFP units: Seeks to understand and adapt to internal or cross-unit teams’ priorities and preferred working styles.
- Build strong external partnerships: Demonstrates ability to understand and appropriately respond to and/or escalate needs of external partners.
- Be politically agile & adaptable: Portrays an informed and professional demeanor toward internal and external partners and stakeholders.
- Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Provides operational support on analyses and assessments that quantifies and demonstrates WFP’s unique value as a partner.
STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education: Advanced University degree in Economics, International Development, Social Sciences or other related field, or First University degree with additional 6 years of related work experience and/or training/courses.
Language:
National Professional: Fluency (level C) in English language and the duty station’s language, if different.
FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES
Capability Name | Description of the behaviour expected for the proficiency level |
Strategy & Planning | Applies strong understanding of key national and international socio-political issues and the complexity and range of WFP programmes to plan and oversee implementation of programmes in area of responsibility, coordinating and monitoring to ensure effective fulfilment of the area’s needs. |
Operations | Applies understanding of WFP’s operations within the area of assignment to ensure optimal deployment of food aid and food assistance programmes and the resolution of high impact operational issues that arise. Demonstrates an in-depth understanding of WFP programmes, supply chain and budgeting principles. |
Resource | Proactively builds profile of WFP within area of responsibility, effectively leveraging this to lead fundraising initiatives. Utilises understanding of WFP structure and delivery model and strong commercial knowledge to effectively develop, manage and control budgets, with frequently limited funding. |
Diplomacy | Applies negotiation, networking and diplomacy skills to develop, nurture and sustain mutually beneficial external partnerships with local government authorities, international and local NGOs, civil societies, UN agencies, donors, beneficiaries and other partners/ media engaged in the field of food security, to improve assistance packages. Collaborates with governments and other partners to identify opportunities for food assistance programmes in-line with WFP’s strategic aims locally, and negotiates the optimal approach to delivery against these. |
DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE
- Typically three years or more of postgraduate progressively responsible professional experience implementing programme strategies in humanitarian, transition, development contexts, and translating them into implementation modalities and operations.
- Good understanding of project lifecycle, humanitarian principles and tools, programmes and transfer modalities.
- Ability to explain strategies and projects to field counterparts and communicate with local governments and partners clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing.
- Ability to provide technical advice, or mobilise technical expertise, on a range of programmatic, operational and support areas.
- Ability to lead, coach and motivate staff for efficient and effective delivery of results.
- Has experience leading a small to mid-size team to ensure the effective delivery of objectives.
- Good understanding of business principles and processes and the ability to quickly assimilate UN/WFP specific processes and systems.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Contract Type: Fixed Term Appointment
Position title: Head of Field Office
Garde: NOB
Duration: one year contract with renewal
Duty Station: Pakse,Champasack Province
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
Posting Date: 7July 2023
Closing Date: 20 July 2023