National Logistics Officer - Systems Strengthening & Sustainable Supply Chain,NOB, RBN. at World Food Programme (WFP)

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE/ACTIVITY:

• The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), as the world’s largest humanitarian agency, is well known for its ability to deliver food assistance rapidly to people in need. Historically, WFP has implemented this assistance directly. In some country contexts, this ‘doing for’ approach continues to remain relevant, and it is fundamental to perform it in the most sustainable way and by introduction medium- and long-term capacity strengthening components. In addition, increasingly, many national governments/partners are aware that strong and sustained national capacities are critical to addressing the multiple causes of hunger and are striving for self-sufficiency in delivering assistance to their population. Here, WFP’s ‘value-added’ is also in the ‘enabling of’ governments and partners through capacity strengthening, leveraging WFP’s extensive global operational and technical experience in food and supply chain systems, to support national actors in strengthening their national level food systems and supply chain systems.
• WFP’s framework for institutional capacity strengthening – called Country Capacity Strengthening, or CCS – recognizes that without supportive laws, policies, strategies, and procedures (enabling environment), well-functioning organizations (organizational domain), and educated, skilled people (individual domain), state and non-state duty bearers cannot effectively plan, implement, and review their efforts to deliver intended products and services to their target groups. Effective institutional capacity strengthening must therefore address all three domains, recognizing the interdependencies between them.
• To deliver on the above, the RBN Logistics Unit of WFP is recruiting a “Supply Chain Officer” (the incumbent) to support catalyzing and sustaining the paradigm shift from doing to enabling. WFP’s Supply Chain (SC) CCS efforts span ten areas of engagement: National safety net implementation (SC aspects); Increased access, availability and distribution of safe, nutritious, diverse, and more economically viable commodities; Small-holder farmer access to markets; Value chains analysis (SC perspective); Food safety and quality (FSQ) assurance systems; National production capacity of fortified and nutritious foods; and Private-sector supply chains for availability of essential commodities; National emergency preparedness and response (EPR) (from a SC perspective); National logistics clusters/working groups; and Improved health supply chain systems). In addition, supporting institutions and partners towards Supply Chain sustainability is a key area of engagement: the present and the future of Supply Chain will be significantly disrupted (due to climate change, biodiversity loss, rising inequality) and Supply Chain has the greatest opportunity to improve business performance, as well as it allows to improve the impact of business on society.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Collaborate with WFP RBN units, such as partnerships, emergency preparedness & response and food systems, environment unit to contribute to institutional capacity strengthening and sustainable SC strategy and cross-functional related initiatives.
• Lead knowledge exchange on Supply Chain systems strengthening and sustainability in the region, that highlights impactful best practices and lessons from Country Offices.
• Guide and advise the development of specific Supply Chain systems strengthening and sustainability projects, plans and processes, ensuring alignment with RBN Logistics Sustainable Supply Chain initiative.
• Provide project management support to specific and defined Supply Chain systems strengthening and sustainability programmes and projects of considerable size/complexity, ensuring a coordinated approach with wider programmes that complies with WFP standards and procedures.
• Develop and coordinate Supply Chain system strengthening and sustainability data gathering and monitoring systems ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained.
• Liaise with internal and external counterparts to ensure effective collaboration, monitor ongoing projects, and highlight potential risks to project delivery.
• Support the capacity strengthening of WFP staff in the region, partners and national government to recognise and address needs, e.g., by providing inputs into specific CCS and sustainability materials
• Contribute to resource mobilisation efforts for Supply Chain system strengthening and sustainability activities including clearly articulating the need for a systems approach to programme opportunities and follow up on the resource situation of projects. Contribute to establishing and sustaining partnerships.
• Other as required.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education:

•  Three of more years of relevant professional experience related to national development programmes, policies, strategies or plans and institutional structures, preferably in relation to supply chain and/or sustainability and revolving around national capacity strengthening and/or programme and knowledge management.
•  Strong understanding of ‘systems thinking’ concepts as applied to capacity strengthening approaches and contexts, and an ability to explain the concept and its relevance to others.
•  Strong understanding of sustainability concepts as applied to Supply Chain and contexts, and an ability to explain the concept and its relevance to others.
•  Excellent written and verbal communications skills; research, analytical and complex reports/articles writing experience.
•  Experience in leading or co-leading complex national capacity strengthening projects related to supply chain capacity strengthening in emergency preparedness and response, supply chain optimization, supply chain sustainability, strategic grain reserve, food processing or related work 
•  Has deepened technical knowledge of CCS in different domains through exposure to technical teams.
•  Has provided input into policy discussions and decisions, on or related to CCS.
•  Has experience carrying out methodical thematic research and analytical work.
•  Has experience in establishing contacts and liaising with partner organisations/companies.
•  Previous experience working in an International Organisation and/or UN organisation desirable.

Knowledge & Skills:

•  Solid understanding of Agenda 2030 and of SDG2 and SDG17 and respective targets and how the work of WFP can contribute to achieving them.
•  Knowledge of current thinking and development in country capacity development and effective knowledge transfer models, concepts and principles relevant to humanitarian/emergency contexts.
•  Knowledge of current thinking and development in sustainability, especially related to Supply Chain
•  Knowledge of/ ability to familiarize quickly with key national and regional contexts and issues in the region.
•  Demonstrated data collection and analytical writing skills, including ability to analyse and consolidate quantitative and qualitative information to understand national capacities across a wide range of policy and programme areas and identify gap and needs, as well as WFP’s entry points.
•  Solid knowledge of key national and regional contexts and issues.
•  Good operational, analytical and problem-solving skills; Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality written outputs and ability to present in English; moderate to proficient computer literacy.

Project management & Communication

• Project portfolio management skills to manage and report on project development progress: pro-active prioritizing, planning, organizing, coordinating, monitoring, reporting, following up projects and activities.
• Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure as part of a team.
• Excellent Analytical, communication, and writing skills.
• Please note that a strong cover letter will be used as part of the assessment

Learning & Proactiveness

• Good research and learning capacity.
• Capacity to act upon problems (problem solving and judgement skills).
• Ability to master and apply new methods, to carry out research and learn on own initiative.

Languages:

• Fluency (level C) in English language.