Emergency Officer (Strategic Planning Advisor and Liaison Officer) P4_ Open for Internationals only

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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.

JOB DETAILS

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The World Food Programme’s engagement in the Philippines is constantly evolving. Initially begun in the 1960s, WFP officially re-established its presence in 2006 to support the peace process in Mindanao, providing life-saving food assistance in emergencies and disasters, and to develop programs that seek to improve nutrition and the overall quality of life of the people we serve. Since 2018, WFP has been implementing a five-year Country Strategic Plan (CSP 2018-2023) to support the Government of the Philippines to address food insecurity, reduce malnutrition and build the resilience of vulnerable populations. The creation of this post times and supports with the current global food, fuel and fertilizer (FFF) crisis, with new government leadership priorities announced since the election in June 2022 on food security and support to agriculture, as well as climate action and disaster preparedness and response.

The FFF crisis is not sparing any countries from its ill effects. Headline inflation in the Philippines in August 2022 increased to 6.3 percent from 4.9 percent in April. This was reported by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) as the second-highest recorded inflation since December 2018. The local currency has also depreciated by 10 percent against the US dollar since the start of the year. As a result, WFP has launched national household phone surveys in the Philippines to inform necessary government policy and planning reforms through data collection and analysis.

In his inaugural speech, President Marcos Jr said that improving food sufficiency is one of his top priorities, along the need to lessen the harmful impacts of climate change. He has assumed the responsibility to personally head the country's agriculture department as Secretary as he seeks to revamp the sector amid surging food prices and possible shortages. More recently, he agreed to the need to reshape the disaster management architecture by creating a separate department.

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The impact of Typhoon Odette has once again evidenced that both climate change and food security remain intrinsically linked and remain at the core of WFP’s contribution to development in the Philippines. Climate induced disasters remain a leading cause of hunger in country, affecting all aspects of food security: economic and physical access to food, availability and stability of supplies, and nutrition. Delays in response to and recovery from disasters can quickly turn into a food and nutrition crisis, which can take several years for people to recover from, trapping them in a cycle of hunger and poverty, and hampering sustainable development and prosperity. With the articulation of the WFP next generation Country Strategic Plan (CSP 2024 to 2028) in 2022 and its approval by WFP’s Executive Board in 2023, it is imperative for WFP to respond to the adverse impact of the FFF crisis which combines with increasing frequency and intensity of climate shocks. Accordingly there is a continued need for increased readiness to augment emergency preparedness, response and recovery activities across supply chain/logistics, emergency telecommunications and programme interventions. The CSP will be developed in parallel with the articulation of the inter-agency UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). As per the UN reform process, close alignment of strategic concepts and integration with the Humanitarian Country Team’s work plan will be critical.

BACKGROUND & PURPOSE OF ASSIGNMENT

The last quarter of 2022 marks a pivotal period in which major, concurrent strategic planning processes by WFP, government and other partners will intensify, while humanitarian actions and responses will continue to be in demand. This proposed post of Emergency Officer (Strategic Planning Advisor and Liaison Officer_ Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery) will spearhead efforts and bolster WFP Philippines management team to ensure WFP is positioned and able to deliver on its mandate as the country faces the adverse effects of the FFF crisis and the trend of more severe and more frequent climate shocks. [1]

[1] The Philippines ranks highest on INFORM’s 2022 natural hazard and exposure risk index. European Union, INFORM 2022, file:///C:/Users/hannes.goegele/Downloads/INFORM%20Annual%20Report%202022.pdf

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

The Strategic Planning Advisor and Liaison Officer (Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery (EPRR)) – Emergency Officer – will work under the supervision of the Country Director. He/She will lead emergency preparedness, response and recovery activities, with the goal to strengthen the EPR capacity of the Country Office and to reposition WFP as a strategic partner of the Philippines’ new administration. In the case of a sudden onset emergency, the Strategic Planning Advisor and Liaison Officer will act as the Emergency Coordinator. He/She will perform the following:

Response preparedness and capacity building

• Enhance advocacy to the new Philippine administration for the prioritization of response preparedness, climate adaptation and DRR at local and central level, particularly in view of the FFF crisis and recurrent climate shocks.
• Provide both strategic advice and operational support to key government counterparts, in particular as the Government’s disaster management architecture evolves.
• Lead After Action Reviews (AAR) of significant disaster responses.
• Lead the dissemination of the Typhoon Odette AAR results to ensure lessons learned on WFP’s emergency response and recovery are shared and acted upon across WFP functional units, together with strategic partners in government, civil society and private sector.
• Lead assessment of EPRR capacity gaps in the government at various levels, with major focus at the local level.
• Build disaster management capacity of regional authorities and local government units prioritized through WFP’s 2022 study on climate change and food security analysis, increasing local ability to anticipate threats and identify opportunities to improve food security and nutrition.
• Augment systems and staff capacity, as well as conduct simulation exercises for WFP to prepare for as well as to respond timely and at scale to future multi-hazard shocks, including sudden and slow onset natural or climate-induced disasters and the impending food-fuel-fertilizer crisis in the Philippines.

Response Management

• Act as the Emergency Coordinator in the context of new major disasters in consultation with and to augment Government-led efforts and other key stakeholders. This includes leading and supporting the Country Director with the strategic visioning, development and execution of WFP’s emergency response strategy (programming, emergency telecommunications, logistics/supply chain, operations, funding, staffing gaps, security, partnership, etc.).
• Coordinate the preparation and updating of ConOps.
• Anchored in WFP’s belief that we deliver better together, strengthen the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) in ensuring close coordination with relevant government counterparts and creating an enabling environment for working with local organizations.
• Represent WFP in all humanitarian and recovery fora at the strategic level.

Strategic Planning and Engagement

• Contribute to the strategic articulation of the next generation CSP, as well as ensure that priorities on food security and nutrition, also linked to climate change and disaster management, are core and articulated to the development of the next UNSDCF and HCT work plan.
• Strengthen WFP leadership on response preparedness, climate adaptation and DRR in inter-agency platforms, including those of the UNCT, HCT and related working groups, and strengthen strategic engagement with the government and partners.

FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Education:

Advanced University degree in Economics, International Relations, Development or Social Sciences or other relevant field, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or training/courses.

Experience:

• 8 years or more of postgraduate professional experience in emergency preparedness, response or recovery at strategic and operational level is required, preferably in an NGO or other UN agency/organization.
• Professional familiarity with the Cluster Approach and the international humanitarian response structure and infrastructure, including coordination mechanisms, humanitarian principles, and funding mechanisms.
• Experienced working in collaboration with a diverse range of humanitarian actors, including governments, NGOs, UN agencies, civil society, etc.
• Experience in small- and large-scale humanitarian operations is an advantage. Previous experience in the context of natural disasters in the Philippines is desirable.

Knowledge:

• Strong management skills and ability to lead cross-functional teams.
• Strong analytical and writing skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including strong professional communication skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and within tight deadlines.
• Proven ability to conceptualize, develop, plan and manage programs, leadership and teamwork skills, good analytical, communication, negotiation and advocacy skills.
• Ability to both lead and work in a team and establish effective working relationships with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Significant knowledge of global policies pertinent to disaster preparedness, response and recovery, and familiarity with the Philippine Government’s disaster management system.

Language:

Fluency in spoken and written English is required.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• This position is required for 2 years with a possibility of extension subject to the operational needs and availability of funding.
• A limited Fixed-Term Appointment (LFT) position is a non-mobile staff appointment in the international professional category for a limited period, to a maximum of 4 years.
• WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package in line with ICSC standards (https://icsc.un.org) including basic salary, post adjustment, relocation entitlement, visa, travel and shipment allowances, 30 days’ annual leave, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, a pension plan, and medical insurance.
• The position is based in WFP Country Office in Manila, Philippine and the selected candidate will be expected to relocate.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

The deadline for applications is on Thursday, 24 November 2022 at 11:59 pm (Manila time). Qualified candidates are required to complete an online candidate profile on UN WFP Careers Website ( https://www.wfp.org/careers ). Only applications received on this website are considered valid and will be processed and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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WFP has a zero-tolerance approach to conduct such as fraud, sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to WFP’s standards of conduct and will therefore undergo rigorous background verification internally or through third parties. Selected candidates will also be required to provide additional information as part of the verification exercise. Misrepresentation of information provided during the recruitment process may lead to disqualification or termination of employment

WFP will not request payment at any stage of the recruitment process including at the offer stage. Any requests for payment should be refused and reported to local law enforcement authorities for appropriate action.

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