Logistics Officer (Food Systems Coordinator), NOC Regional Bureau of Nairobi (RBN)
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The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) seeks individuals of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles.
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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.
The WFP Regional Bureau for Eastern Africa (RBN) is based in Nairobi and provides strategic direction, technical guidance, resource mobilization, and management support to WFP operations and activities in ten countries: Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Uganda.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF ASSISGNMENT
WFP’s Strategic Plan (2022-2027) recognizes the pivotal role the organization can and should play in the global discussion on food systems to ensure that healthy diets are available to all, and that the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals can be achieved. Food systems influence diets and are complex webs of interconnected activities and actors involving food production, processing, marketing, demand, and consumption. Food systems in the East Africa/Horn of Africa region are stretched and have shown themselves to be highly vulnerable to shocks. Typically, due the fragility and vulnerabilities, many food systems are predominantly traditional and informal, and associated with high levels of all forms of malnutrition (stunting, wasting, and micronutrient deficiencies), reflecting low diversity of the food supply, limited access by consumers and high non-affordability of nutritious foods.
The projected increases in climactic shock events make the traditional rain-fed dependent agriculture an increasingly precarious food security strategy, whilst the conventional intensification of agriculture is neither feasible nor desirable, due to the resulting environmental degradation. The COVID pandemic and the related response and recovery measures have highlighted the importance and fragility of food systems in the region. WFP East Africa regional office (RBN) is currently defining its food systems domains for policy and programmatic priorities, partnership engagement strategies, and related activities and interventions. The Supply Chain function is a key player in this.
RBN Supply Chain requires additional support and expertise to align and oversee this effort, both in preparation for the Summit and beyond the event as part of its support and guidance to Country Offices in the region.
JOB PURPOSE
Within the food system types (traditional, mixed and modern) and food supply chains, articulate a regional SC food system framework of interventions, identifying strategic priorities and actions/entry points for SC/Logistics impact in FS transformation, aligned with the Regional Food System Strategy (and Local and Regional Procurement policy). Pursue regional opportunities for SC contributions to FS transformation, TMEA partnership and support CO SC teams in the same, ensuring evidence generation and partnership engagement.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Reporting to the Regional Head of Logistics and working in close collaboration with RBN Procurement, Programme, Innovations and Country Office focal points, the profile will be responsible for the following:
Food System (FS)
- Analyze food system contexts with focus on SC/logistics costs and performance and in consultation with relevant stakeholders, propose a supply chain food system plan or framework for interventions, aligned with the overall Regional Food Systems Strategy, identifying key challenges, opportunities, and core themes, and developing and maintaining a dynamic portfolio of interventions.
- Foster productive regional partnerships with key stakeholders including private sector, academia and EAC to share knowledge and undertake impactful interventions.
- Develop training contents and ensure all Country Offices and other external partners (if required) are trained.
- Prepare and facilitate consultations with internal and external partners and stakeholders to collect information and identify potential needs to carry out supply chain or value chain analysis/assessments.
- Conduct needs assessments and gap analysis exercises aimed at strengthening national supply chain systems, transport management and food value chains. Pursue innovative approaches to address important supply chain constraints in food systems. Areas of focus will include: (i) Improved availability of quality nutritious foods and linkage to demand; (ii) Competitive supply chains; (iii) Loss/Waste reduction; (iv) Increased resilience to shocks. Incorporate gender perspectives as appropriate and in consultation with Programme. Assist in resource mobilization and plan, manage and monitor resources to maximize effectiveness.
- Support CO SC in the implementation of food system and market development interventions as part of their Country Strategy Plans (CSPs), identifying solutions to food system constraints identified and facilitate initiatives that strengthen efficiency in food system supply chains.
- Conduct needs assessments and gap analysis exercises aimed at strengthening national supply chain systems, transport management and food value chains
- Contribute to the development and implementation of supply chain plans and procedures, in line with the global WFP supply chain strategy and regional/functional strategies, policies and plans, to achieve operational cost efficiency, agility, reliability, quality and to support countries’ capacity strengthening
- Ensure the development of a metric that focuses on measuring the impact of FS SC interventions as part of enhancing efficiency, effectiveness and resilience in food systems supply chains.
- Work with M&E and other units to facilitate the studies on evidence generation of WFP SC impact on strengthening food systems (along the 4 areas of focus listed above).
Cash Based Transfer (CBT)
- Identify and Strengthen linkages between cross functional stakeholders so that they can independently connect supply to markets, manage food systems and deliver food assistance to those in need
- Review and provide input into Country Strategic Plans (CSPs) on the positioning of SC leading role in market operations.
- Provide advice to Country Office (CO) Heads of Supply Chain on why and how to ensure an increasingly impactful role of SC in market development.
- Advise supply chain teams in the region, providing required expertise and ensuring cross functional coordination to facilitate quality market assessments.
- Identification of inefficiencies and opportunities for effective market strengthening, and operational plans and resourcing.
STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education: Post graduate university degree in supply chain management, Economics, Logistics, food systems, agriculture, environmental sciences or related fields, or First University degree with additional 7 years of related work experience.
Experience: Minimum of 7 years’ experience working in trade and or logistics (food related), development and /or humanitarian action.
Experience working in a multicultural and fast-paced environment is beneficial.
Knowledge & Skills:
- Excellent project management skills and experience.
- Good understanding of food systems and supply chains, and how climate risks and other shocks affect these.
- Strong network of relevant contacts (regional trade entities, private sector, academia, government authorities etc.)
- Understanding of WFP operations in the region is an advantage.
- Prior experience and expertise in any of the following areas is an advantage: value chain analysis and smallholder agriculture, business development services / SMSEs and SC financing, procurement & logistics, regional trade (food) and related private sector.
- Experience in overseeing studies, evaluations and assessments.
- Strong interpersonal and coordination skills, ability to work in a team and to communicate clearly and diplomatically with a wide range of stakeholders from diverse backgrounds.
- Ability to plan and organize his/her work independently, proactive and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results.
Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English required.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Type of Contract: Fixed Term Contract, NOC
Unit/Division : Logistics/Regional Bureau Nairobi (RBN)
Duty Station: Nairobi, Kenya
Contract Duration: 12 Months
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
Deadline: Thursday 15th December 2022
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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.
