Head of Hunger Monitoring Unit, P4

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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 or disability.

Are you a tech-savvy Food Security analyst 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 organization investing in its people?

If so, an exciting & 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, July 31, 2022 (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: UN World Food Programme (WFP) 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 training, 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 the 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 an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section)

THE ROLE AND ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The Hunger Monitoring Unit (HMU) in the Research Assessment and Monitoring (RAM) Division manages FP’s global hunger monitoring activities, including WFP’s real-time corporate monitoring system, HungerMap LIVE. The HMU is responsible for the integration and holistic analysis of RAM’s information systems, including economic, conflict and climate related data as well as assessment information. This requires the development of automated, analytical pipelines and the continued institutionalization of Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to continually improve hunger monitoring and predictive capacities.

The HMU also manages the mobile Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (mVAM) initiative which utilizes remote mobile data collection tools to monitor the food security situation of crisis-affected populations. Core to this is the oversight of WFP’s near real-time or continuous food security monitoring systems which, in partnership with multi-stakeholder food security platforms, have been established in dozens of crisis-affected countries. Collecting data every day, 365 days a year, these systems require full automation, from data collected in call centres to data cleaning and analysis and finally results displayed in WFP’s HungerMap LIVE. These near real time systems provide daily estimates of the food security situation over the past 30 or 60 days. Currently, these near real-time monitoring systems are in place in more than 30 countries but will be scaled up to include the 60+ food-crisis countries.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

RAM seeks a Professional Staff to lead the HMU under the supervision of the Director of the RAM Division and will be responsible for the following activities:

1) Manage and improve WFP’s corporate food security monitoring systems, streamlining automation pipelines and analytical processes as well as including additional data sources to continually improve predictive (‘nowcasting’ and ‘forecasting’) capacities 2) Further institutionalization of ML/AI capacities into WFP’s HungerMap LIVE and continue to position WFP as leaders in advanced analytics within the Humanitarian community 3) Manage and oversee expansion of WFP’s near real time monitoring systems, directly overseeing the technological and statistical processes. 4) Maintain and further partnerships with other UN Agencies and multi-stakeholder food security platforms, including the Food Security Information Network (FSIN), Global Network Against Food Crisis, the Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) and FEWSNET 5) Collaborate with other divisions to link needs with WFP’s operational information to better assess impacts 6) Manage resource mobilization and advocacy efforts to maintain WFP’s leading role as a provider of global food security information 7) Perform other required tasks.

QUALIFICATIONS AND KEY REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION:

• A graduate or post-graduate university degree in food security, economics, statistics, social science, geography, public health, demography or related field

Experience

• At least 8 years of experience in food security analysis.
• Extensive experience establishing and maintaining food security (or related sectors) analysis & monitoring in different contexts.
• Demonstrated experience managing large teams with diverse expertise, skillsets and backgrounds;
• Proven ability to direct strategy of large humanitarian or international organizations on the use and management of information including the mainstreaming of automation and real time systems as well the institutionalization of Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) into routine processes;
• Track record of innovative thinking that has resulted in tangible improvements to business processes;
• Experience overseeing software development teams, including experience taking prototypes to production and scale. This should include experience with agile project management (SCRUM preferred) including more linear processes of project management such as waterfall approaches.
• Demonstrated knowledge of survey design and implementation in constrained environments and proven understanding of the technical aspects of survey design, including complex sampling and weighting methodologies as well as debiasing techniques for mobile phone surveys.
• Experience establishing remote assessment/survey systems as well as significant experience in harnessing technology to create efficiencies in food security monitoring, early warning, emergency information systems and social protection systems.
• Track record as an effective advocate on smarter uses of technology to streamline processes, facilitate decision-making and ultimately improve people’s lives.
• Experience managing large data initiatives, including overseeing transitions from static analyses to fully automated systems and the introduction and appropriate use of ‘smarter’ analytics, including AI and predictive capacities;

Knowledge and skills

• Strong planning and organising skills; ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure, together with flexibility to respond to peaks in activity;
• Excellent communication and writing skills.
• Fluency (level C) in English language.
• Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and/or Portuguese (a WFP working language)

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

Different expectations of behaviour are defined depending on your grade and role/responsibilities within WFP.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Mobility is and continues to be a core contractual requirement in WFP. This position is however classified as “non-rotational” which means the incumbent shall not be subject to the regular reassignment process unless the position is reclassified as rotational. The selected candidate will be employed on a fixed-term contract with a probationary period of one year. This position is open to both internal and external candidates.

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.

The selected candidate will be required to relocate to Rome, Italy to take up this assignment.

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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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.