Simulation Specialist
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, physical or mental disability.
Job Title: Simulation Specialist
Type of Contract: Consultancy
Division: Emergency Operations Division
Duty Station (City, Country): Remote (with travel)
Duration: 11 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) contributes to WFP’s strategic goal of achieving Zero Hunger by 2030 through the management of an emergency preparedness and response portfolio. EME provides a field-focused, service oriented, steering and convening role focusing on forward looking preparedness and support to ensure a swift, coordinated and integrated response.
The Surge & Emergency Workforce Unit (EMES) within EME identifies, upskills and deploys emergency response staff in support of life-saving operations. It is responsible for managing the process of identifying and deploying personnel in response to staffing requests, leveraging a pool of qualified candidates. The EMES 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.
The Surge Learning team is recruiting a Simulation Specialist to design and deliver world-class emergency response simulation exercises as part of our SURGE emergency responder learning path. The role will lead on the design and delivery of Excel, our full-scale simulation exercise in Brindisi, Italy, for advanced emergency responders, as well as strengthening capacity in Country Offices through table-top exercises. This will ensure the success of the team’s ability to deploy surge staff with the required operational and technical skills which remains a critical factor for effective emergency response.
ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Design and deliver all types of emergency response simulations including full scale exercises and table-top exercises (TTX).
- Design simulation activities that are linked to learning outcomes with clear deliverables.
- Collaborate with subject matter experts to ensure content reflects the most current processes, realities, and best practices in the field.
- Design and facilitate participatory briefings and debriefs for simulation exercises in collaboration with the Training Specialists in the team.
- Coordinate with the Training Specialists in the team to ensure the content of Excel is cohesive with other courses within the SURGE learning path.
- Design a robust validation mechanism to measure participants’ performance against clear criteria.
- Supervise high performing, geographically dispersed Simulation Specialists.
- Coordinate with venues and administrative staff on logistical arrangements.
- Liaise with external partners for role players e.g. UN agencies, NGOs, military.
- Contribute to selecting participants and functional area specialists for simulations
- Leverage latest trends in instructional technologies to provide staff with exceptional immersive emergency experiences.
- Implement evaluation processes (Kirkpatrick Levels 1-3) to measure the effectiveness of events in collaboration with Training Specialists.
- Facilitate and advise on simulations and table-top exercises for other divisions and partners as requested.
- Liaise with other WFP training units and partners for potential efficiencies in simulation delivery.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
Education:
University degree in any recognized subject area (e.g. International Relations, Development Studies, Political Science, Social Sciences). Qualifications in adult learning, simulations or training will be an asset.
Experience:
- Minimum of 7 years’ experience in design and implementation of emergency response simulations – full scale and table-top.
- Experience in working across all phases of simulation design and delivery.
- Experience of implementing validation mechanisms to measure participants’ performance in simulation exercises.
- Experience leading dynamic teams to deliver excellent simulations.
- Track record in leveraging technology in the design and delivery of simulation exercises.
- Experience in working with subject matter experts to build world class simulation exercises.
- Work experience in the UN System, NGOs is desirable.
Knowledge and Skills:
- In-depth expertise and application of simulation theory, design and implementation in line with adult learning theory; learning needs analysis and learning evaluation methods.
- Excellent facilitation skills to bring cross-cultural groups of technical specialists together through interactive learning experiences.
- Excellent interpersonal skills to collaborate with subject matter experts across business functions, levels and geographical areas.
- Able to quickly build knowledge and understanding of organizational needs and translate into learning solutions.
- Knowledgeable on recent trends in simulation design and delivery.
- Strong creative problems solving skills; agile, flexible and patient; ability to work with ambiguity, constructive approach to overcoming challenges and build consensus across diverse and global teams.
Languages:
Fluency in oral and written English is essential. Intermediate knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) or Portuguese (one of WFP’s working languages) is desirable.
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: 9 July 2023
Ref.: VA No. 827914
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.
