The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

TYPE OF CONTRACT: International Consultant, Level 1

UNIT/DIVISION: Supply Chain Unit

DUTY STATION (City, Country): Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

DURATION: 11 months

REPORTING LINE: Under the Supervision of Head of Capacity Strengthening and Service Provision

BACKGROUND OF THE ASSIGNMENT

WFP recognizes strong and sustained national capacities are critical to addressing the multiple causes of hunger and responding to the food security and nutrition needs of vulnerable populations over the long-term. Through its extensive and deep field presence, WFP brings a solid understanding of context, beneficiary needs and local conditions, and regular contact with a wide range of actors who are key in the design and implementation of anti-hunger initiatives. Agenda 2030 provides WFP with an opportunity to leverage this knowledge and expand its role from one of operational partner of choice to one of strategic capacity enabling partner. WFP embraces a Whole of Society approach to zero hunger which means it engages with – and supports capacity strengthening of – a range of state and non-state actors, as relevant to context to support the country capacities required to achieve national SDG2 food security and nutrition objectives and targets, as well as relevant SDG17 objectives.

The achievement of international and national development targets hinges on capacities of individuals, organizations and societies to transform in order to reach development objectives. The WFP framework for capacity strengthening recognises 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 CCS support must therefore address all three domains, recognising the interdependencies between them. Single interventions (e.g., trainings) are not likely to make a significant difference unless they represent a key leverage point that can shift an entire system’s behaviour.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Applying this holistic and systems-strengthening approach to its interventions, WFP supports stakeholder capacities along five critical pathways: (i) Policies and legislation; (ii) Institutional effectiveness and accountability; (iii) Strategic planning and financing; (iv) Stakeholder programme design and delivery; and (v) Engagement and participation of communities, civil society and private sector.

In Ethiopia, there has been an increasing demand from national stakeholders for supply chain capacity strengthening support from WFP. As a result, there is a need for greater coordination in and across various components in supply chain including upstream logistics and downstream implementation. To deliver against the above, the Country Office is seeking a Country Capacity Strengthening Supply Chain to provide support to its CCS policy and activities. The incumbent will operate under the direct supervision of the Head of Capacity Strengthening and Service Provision but will operate with a high degree of independence, manage more junior staff to ensure that CCS objectives are achieved in full. He/she will likely be involved in a wide variety of CCS activities and analytical work, some of which may be of a considerable complexity. The incumbent will be expected to contribute to performance improvement.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not All-inclusive)

• Contribute towards the development of a wide variety of country capacity strengthening projects, plans and processes, ensuring alignment with wider country capacity strengthening policies, initiatives, guidance, etc.
• Provide project management support to the country capacity strengthening strategy and supply chain activities ranging in size/complexity and ensuring a coordinated approach that complies with WFP standards and procedures.
• Research and analyse a range of policy and operational issues to inform the development of country capacity strengthening interventions.
• Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on CCS supply chain interventions and activities that enable informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.
• Liaise with internal and external counterparts to ensure effective collaboration, monitor ongoing CCS projects and highlight potential risks to project delivery.
• Liaise with funds management, finance, and the CCS team on management of funds including budget requirements, expenditures, etc.
• Support the identification, development and management of potential partnerships to collaborative working leading to improved CCS packages.
• Support the capacity strengthening of WFP staff, partners and national government to recognise and address CCS needs, e.g., by providing inputs into specific CCS materials.
• Guide and supervise more junior staff, acting as a point of referral and supporting them with analysis and queries related to CCS.
• Other as required.

Standard Minimum Qualifications

Education: Advanced University degree in International Development, International Relations, Supply Chain, or other field relevant to international development or humanitarian assistance, or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.

Experience: Three to five years of relevant professional experience related to national development programmes, policies, strategies or plans and institutional structures, preferably in relation to food security and/or supply chain and revolving around national capacity strengthening and/or supply chain and knowledge management.

Languages: Fluency in oral and written communication in English. Knowledge of a second language is beneficial