Vacancies at World Food Programme (WFP)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT
 
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the United Nations frontline humanitarian agency addressing hunger and malnutrition worldwide. WFP tackles poverty and hunger through a range of interventions: saving lives and protecting livelihoods in emergencies; investing in the prevention and mitigation of disasters; restoring and rebuilding lives and livelihoods in post-conflict or post-disaster situation; and other interventions to tackle hunger. Each year, on average, WFP feeds more than 90 million people in over 80 countries.

The Supply Chain (SC) Planning Service was conceptualized to maximize and mainstream best practices developed across WFP in SC Planning. The Service supports cross-functional collaboration, promotes end-to-end SC visibility, and leverages advanced analytics and optimization tools. Planning equips WFP’s SC to better achieve its strategic goals of being agile, being reliable & cost efficient, supporting quality & safety, and strengthening national capacities & markets.
 
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)
 
Supply Chain Management is at the core of WFP’s humanitarian response and therefore an area of strategic focus. WFP aims to better integrate and continuously improve its Supply Chain by identifying, designing and implementing initiatives on four levels: strategy, structure, processes & tools, and staff development. In line with this overarching goal, the consultant will: 

Strategic Planning:

• Be a proactive listener with the different business units at RB and CO levels to understand their challenges and propose relevant analytical support,
• Leverage network, knowledge, and experience to seek opportunities to enhance effectiveness and efficiency of the operations,
• Gather relevant information and data to provide guiding insights to decision makers, cross functionally, at RB and CO levels, 
• Support Country Offices in strategizing their operation with a data-driven approach, 
• Support Country Offices in visualizing their concept of operation for a fluid understanding and dissemination to internal and external stakeholders (e.g. staff, donors, etc.),

Operational Tools Development and Roll Out:

• Support development, testing, and implementation of Supply Chain Planning tools in the region, including the Prepo Tracking tool (South Sudan), the PRISMA initiative (Sudan), and Optimus (RBN)
• Assist in providing SC Planning guidance and tools to the Country Offices in the region.

Analytics and Optimization:

• Apply innovative thinking, leverage analytics and optimization methods to address inefficiencies or operational issues,
• Work with country operations on developing a set of tracking and analytical tools to monitor the health of their operation, with alerts to    foresee and flag issues,
• Provide inputs to weekly prepositioning coordination calls for South Sudan

Capacity building:

• Build local capacity at CO and RB levels in data management, advanced analytics, operational visibility, and in the provision of supply chain related insights to decision makers, in particular through the use of DOTS.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

• Supply Chain Planning support to complex operations to ensure an optimal allocation of resources within operational constraints.
• Identification of supply chain cost inefficiencies in RBN operations and proposition of models to achieve cost savings.
• Co-development of the tools to support supply chain decision making.
• Provision of informed coordination backed by supply chain analytics as required in operations with a regional scope. (objective: weekly/bi-weekly analytical review and supporting coordination call with regional stakeholders. eg. South Sudan).
• Support COs in the design of their concept of operation as required.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
 
Education:

• University degree in Engineering or equivalent
• Specialization in Logistics and/or Supply Chain Management

Experience:

• At least half a year of working experience in the area of humanitarian logistics
• One to two  of working experience in the area of analytics development

OTHER SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS
 
Knowledge & Skills:

• Advanced use of Excel, DOTS, and Tableau
• Highly numerate with an innate ability to analyse and interpret data quickly, and recommend improvements
• Effective organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills
• Flexibility and ability to work with deadlines under sometimes stressful conditions
• Ability to work both individually and in a team as appropriate
• Pragmatic problem-solving skills

Languages:

• ​​​​​Verbal and written fluency in English

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Job Purpose:

Within the food system types  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 and trade facilitation, aligned with the Regional Food System Strategy and Local and Regional Procurement policy (LRFPP). Pursue regional opportunities for SC contributions to FS transformation and trade and support CO SC teams in the same, ensuring evidence generation and partnership engagement.

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:

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:

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Analyze food system contexts with focus on SC/logistics 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 and LRFPP, 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 jointly undertake impactful interventions.
• Develop content for and facilitate trainings/workshops for COs (internal) and other partners as required4, on SC in food systems. Input into HQ SCO evolving guidance.
• 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 priority food systems, trade corridors and food value chains. Pursue innovative approaches to address important supply chain constraints in food systems.

Areas of focus will include:

• Improved availability of quality nutritious foods and linkage to demand
• Competitive supply chains for increased regional trade and procurement, and reduced reliance on import
• Loss/Waste reduction
• Increased SC 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.

ADDITIONAL KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Support Country Office Supply Chain 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 priority food systems, trade corridors 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
• Develop a metric that focuses on measuring the impact of Food Systems Supply Chain 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 Supply Chain impact on strengthening food systems (along the 4 areas of focus listed above) and implementation of recommendations
• Strengthen linkages between stakeholders so that they can independently connect supply to markets, manage food systems and deliver food assistance to those in need
• Any other related duties as requested by the Supervisor. Considerable travel throughout the wider region is expected.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Education: Post-graduate university degree in supply chain management, (Transport) Economics, Logistics, food systems, agriculture, environmental sciences or related fields, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and or training courses.

Experience:

• Minimum of 10 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.