Director, Research & Development - Disaster Risk Management Solutions & Innovation P5, ARC, Abidjan

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WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees. We encourage 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 or disability.

Are you a seasoned Research and Development professional interested in further developing your professional experience while contributing to ending global hunger? Are you passionate about helping those in need? Would you like to join a global organisation investing in its people?

If so, a fulfilling career awaits you. Join our diverse and passionate team that works on varied and international projects directly contributing to saving & changing millions of lives around the globe.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Applications must be submitted by Sunday**, 12th November, 2023 (11:59 PM CET).**

WHO WE ARE

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), a highly prestigious, reputable & world’s largest humanitarian organization, operating in more than 120 countries and territories, bringing life-saving assistance in emergencies, building pathways to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change and supporting sustainable and resilient livelihoods for a world with zero hunger.

At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org/ and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter.

WHY JOIN US?

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse and multicultural working environment.
• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of trainings, accreditation, coaching, mentorship and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.
• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.
• We offer attractive compensation package (please refer to Terms and Conditions section).

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The African Risk Capacity (ARC), is Africa’s sovereign insurance pool and early disaster response mechanism. Owned and governed by its countries, ARC empowers its member states to be in the driving seat of response by reinforcing national systems and providing governments with access to immediate funds for early and planned responses to populations affected by natural disasters. Merging traditional approaches of disaster relief and risk quantification with the concepts of risk pooling and transfer, ARC has created a unique pan-African disaster response system providing a sustainable African-led strategy for managing extreme weather risks. By anticipating and not reacting to disasters, ARC countries are developing the capacity to protect development gains and build a more resilient Africa.

A Specialised Agency of the African Union, ARC counts 32 AU countries as members to date. In 2014, it launched its initial risk insurance product for its member states through its financial affiliate the ARC Insurance Company Limited (ARC Ltd). ARC Ltd is a specialist hybrid mutual insurance company, aggregating risk by issuing insurance policies to participating governments and transferring it to the international market. ARC Ltd uses the satellite weather surveillance software Africa RiskView, developed by ARC Agency, to estimate the impact of drought on vulnerable populations – and the response costs required to assist them – before a season begins, and as it progresses, so that index-based insurance payouts, based on Africa RiskView, are triggered at or before harvest time if the rains are poor. To date, Africa RiskView has been customised by 11 ARC Member States, and reviewed by 23 international reinsurers and top-three global reinsurance broker. It has been used to transfer over $500 million of drought risk from ARC Member States since 2014 and has triggered over $34 million in payouts to four countries.

With plans to add flood and tropical cyclone insurance products, ARC aims to expand the reach and coverage it provides and to contribute significantly to the G7’s goal of insuring 200 million vulnerable people in Africa by 2020. In addition, following the Ebola crisis, ARC was requested by its Member States to explore outbreak and epidemic risk coverage and is also working on a new climate adaption financing mechanism, called the Extreme Climate Facility, for eligible countries already managing their weather risk through ARC. All of these product and programme initiatives are managed by ARC Agency’s Research & Development Department.

THE ROLE

ARC is now looking for a new Director to lead the Research & Development Department. The Director will be responsible for leading and executing the ARC Agency’s research and development strategy and work programme, ensuring ARC remains on the cutting edge of global parametric risk management and modelling technology innovation. This programme includes the design and launch of new insurance products and associated country work programmes (including flood, cyclone and outbreak and epidemic (O&E) risk), the further refinement and development of Africa RiskView for drought and on-going technical ARC Agency activities, the design and deployment of new financing initiatives, such as the Extreme Climate Facility (XCF), and the development of other special projects of the Director General.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

Strategy and Management

1. Under the overall supervision of the Director General and the direct supervision of the Chief Operating Officer, and in collaboration with other departments of the institution and staff, spearhead the research and development (R&D) strategy of the African Risk Capacity, ensuring it is aligned with ARC’s growth goals and Member State demand and is a solid and integral part of ARC operations and services.
2. Manage and further develop ARC’s innovative, multiple project, multiple partner and multi-disciplinary R&D work programme with a focus on long-term sustainability for ARC and knowledge transfer for the continent.
3. Lead, manage and further develop ARC’s R&D programme to ensure a strong, cohesive Department with a high-performing team that delivers on ARC’s R&D objectives and provides effective support to other ARC operating units.
4. Develop the Africa RiskView software and risk models to improve existing ARC insurance products, and ensure ARC remains at the cutting-edge of global risk management and modelling technology.
5. Work with ARC Ltd. to design, develop and successfully deploy new ARC insurance products and programmes, including flood, tropical cyclone, O&E and XCF, and the specialist service providers working on these initiatives, to meet Member States demand while meeting the highest standards of risk transfer best practice.
6. Identify and develop new initiatives, and supervise the R&D of other special projects with technical and strategic importance to the Agency.
7. Ensure that evaluation, audit, intellectual property, quality control and assurance, sustainability and compliance recommendations are efficiently implemented within the R&D work processes, teams and outputs.
8. Organise and staff expert advisory panels to the Director General, for all R&D projects and ARC products.
9. Hold accountability for the standards, processes and outputs of the ARC’s R&D work programme and team members, defining and enabling best practice, efficiency, transparency, innovation and high performance and criteria, while ensuring the optimal use of financial resources for the achievement of ARC’s growth and continental risk management objectives.
10. Conceptualise and implement cutting-edge research, analysis and publications in order to generate greater and always current evidence for ARC’s value proposition to Member States.
11. Identify, build and lead productive relationships with a broad range of partners on the continent, including regional technical institutions, and at the global level to promote ARC’s risk management activities, standards and products, transfer of knowledge and expertise, technological advancement and attract technical, operational and financial support for ARC activities.
12. Contribute to the consistent improvement in the quality, use and customisation of products, developed by the R&D department, by Member States, ARC Ltd, or under license from specialised software and model providers.
13. Implement any other assignment as requested by the Director General or the COO.

QUALIFICATIONS & KEY REQUIREMENTS

Education:

• Advanced university degree in Natural Sciences, Mathematics, Computer Science, Engineering, Finance, Risk Management or similar relevant quantitative discipline.

Experience:

• At least 11 years of postgraduate progressively responsible experience in: weather, commodity or financial risk management; insurance products; and programme development.
• Expert knowledge of risk modelling, risk financing and/or insurance, particularly for natural disasters, sovereigns and parametric insurance applications.
• Seasoned management and leadership skills and demonstrated ability to steer multidisciplinary, diverse, geographically disparate teams working on multiple projects in the same direction to effectively achieve ARC strategic goals.

Language:

• Full proficiency in writing and verbal communication in English and French is required.

MORE ABOUT YOU

• Ability to take a strategic view across a large complex, multi-disciplinary programme.
• Self-starter, with track record of successfully managing and launching new, innovative and complex technical projects, developed in-house and with technical partners.
• Quantitative and technical, with solid knowledge of and ability in statistics, risk modelling and data analysis.
• Understanding of the (re)insurance and risk transfer markets, particularly with respect to the design of insurance products for agriculture, climate and/or weather related risks and parametric applications.
• Experience in managing software development.
• Expertise and experience in designing and deploying programmes for developing countries an advantage.
• Understanding of the international humanitarian aid, food security, donor and development communities in Africa an advantage.
• A working knowledge of disaster risk management and climate change adaptation and the international dialogues and debates on climate change and DRR a plus.
• Excellent writer, communicator and team-worker.
• Excellent skills in stakeholder management and negotiation.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

These are the common standards of behaviour that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

Leads by Example with Integrity Drives Results and Delivers on Commitments Fosters Inclusive and Collaborative Teamwork Applies Strategic Thinking Builds and Maintains Sustainable Partnerships Lives the WFP values and shows humanity and integrity by role modelling care for others

Delivers on commitments and adapts readily to change

Is inclusive and collaborative, and contributes to a culture of learning and personal growth

Demonstrates commitment to gather perspectives, analyse options and risks, and propose new ways of doing things

Builds and nurtures external partnerships and collaborates with partners to deliver common objectives

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The selected candidate will be employed on a fixed term 2 years (renewable) non-rotational contract.

WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package in line with ICSC standards (http://icsc.un.org) including basic salary, post adjustment, relocation entitlement, visa, travel and shipment allowances, 30 days’ annual leave, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, a pension plan, and medical insurance.

This assignment will be based in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. Currently, the ARC Headquarters is in Johannesburg, South Africa and will be relocating to Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire within 2024. It is expected that the selected candidate will work remotely with duty travels to Johannesburg, until the relocation is finalized.

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, language skills and UN Grade (if applicable)
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Please make sure you upload your professional CV in the English language
• Kindly note the only documents you will need to submit at this time are your CV and Cover Letter
• Additional documents such as passport, recommendation letters, academic certificates, etc. may potentially be requested at a future time
• Please contact us at [email protected] in case you face any challenges with submitting your application
• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified

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WFP has a zero-tolerance approach to conduct such as fraud, sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to WFP’s standards of conduct and will therefore undergo rigorous background verification internally or through third parties. Selected candidates will also be required to provide additional information as part of the verification exercise. Misrepresentation of information provided during the recruitment process may lead to disqualification or termination of employment

WFP will not request payment at any stage of the recruitment process including at the offer stage. Any requests for payment should be refused and reported to local law enforcement authorities for appropriate action.