Logistics Assistant SC5 (Customs and Q&Q)

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WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles.

Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance.

ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the leading humanitarian organization saving lives and changing lives, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. As the international community has committed to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition by 2030, one in nine people worldwide still do not have enough to eat. Food and food-related assistance lie at the heart of the struggle to break the cycle of hunger and poverty. For its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict, WFP was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020.

Malawi is a small landlocked country in Southern Africa. With a population expanding rapidly at 3 percent per year and the majority of livelihoods dependent on agriculture, the population is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate-related disasters. Poverty is experienced by most rural families, with those headed by women suffering the most. Relying on small parcels of densely cultivated land for their livelihoods, rural Malawians are highly affected by climate change. Episodes of drought as well as severe flooding are increasing in frequency, intensity and unpredictability, giving the most vulnerable households inadequate time to recover.

Malawi’s challenges are also compounded by high rates of HIV infection (at 9.6 percent), low primary school completion rate (at 51 percent) and chronic under-nutrition (at 37 percent for children under 5). WFP continues to partner with the government, other UN agencies, NGOs, civil society and the private sector to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, with a particular emphasis on reaching Zero Hunger (SDG 2), addressing structural drivers of hunger wherever possible.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Completion of secondary school education and advanced diploma in business administration, transport and logistics, computer science, statistics, transport economics, quality control/assurance or any related functional area is desirable. Those with a first degree have an added advantage.

Language: Fluency in both oral and written communication in English. Knowledge of the local language or another UN official language is an added advantage.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

This job is found in WFP Malawi Country office based in Blantyre. Job holders report to Logistics Officer, a Head of Unit, or the designate. At this level, job holders are expected to take responsibility for completion of a range of processes and activities requiring some interpretation of standard guidelines/practices for all assistance modalities for both WFP and logistics common services. Job holders are able to recommend a course of action to staff at various levels and may allocate tasks to other support staff.

JOB PURPOSE

To implement well-defined standard logistics/supply chain processes and activities to enable effective delivery of goods and services for all delivery modalities.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

1. Facilitate the customs clearance of WFP and partner shipments (Imports/Exports) in coordination with appointed agents, customs officials; ensuring that shipping/import documentation is current and complete so that no delays are experienced.
2. Establish contacts with shipping agents, customs clearing agents and cargo superintendents; building rapport that would facilitate customs processes and timely cargo movements.
3. Submit requests for duty tax exemptions on all WFP imports of food or non-food items to customs officials and actively follow up as required.
4. Coordinate (plan and execute) commodity delivery planning, uplifts, dispatches and receipts with transporters, suppliers, freight forwarders and WFP warehouses.
5. Monitor quality control/assurance for all WFP food commodity purchases through close collaboration with suppliers, traders, smallholder farmers through active engagement with appointed superintendent service providers.
6. Facilitate commodity inspection by superintendent service providers and follow up on the issuance of certificates of analysis (COA) prior to uplift (FCA contracts) or receipt (DAP contracts) in coordination with the procurement section.
7. Facilitate the inspection of suspect cargo by government health officials, follow up and compile appropriate documentation for the approval of management, and coordinate any sanctioned disposal of commodities certified unfit for consumption.
8. Lead and set up vibrant Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP), Prerequisite Programs (PRP) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) processes within WFP warehouses and suppliers, if required.
9. Preparation of cost estimates for all logistics services that may be required and create purchase orders in SAP for approval prior to related service requests to service providers.
10. Certify services rendered by contracted service providers and posting of service entry sheers (SES) in SAP as soon as the service is rendered in line with IPSAS requirements.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES - Continued

1. Issue weekly imports/local food purchases tracking reports, cross-checking with SAP, suppliers, customs agents, dispatching ports/origins and transporters to ensure accuracy.
2. Coordinate with the appointed clearing agent to ensure no delays are experienced at border crossing.
3. Producing monthly performance review reports of superintendents and customs clearing agents.
4. Issue pre-arrival notification to superintendents, warehouses and customs clearing agents for all cargo arriving from outside Malawi, in liaison with dispatching ports/origins.
5. Liaise with the regional bureau, headquarters and other WFP offices to ensure shipping documents are acquired and shared timely.
6. Prepare for and manage the deployment of mobile storage units (rub-halls/wiik-halls) in the field as required.
7. Carry out assigned logistics infrastructure (roads/bridges/warehouses) assessments and produce reports for contingency planning and logistics preparedness reviews.
8. Undertake assigned cash based transfers (CBT) activities within the supply chain setup.
9. Undertake any other relevant assignments as assigned from time to time.

4Ps CORE ORGANISATIONAL CAPABILITIES

Purpose

• Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Helps teammates articulate WFP’s Strategic Objectives.
• Be a force for positive change: Suggests potential improvements to team’s work processes to supervisor.
• Make the mission inspiring to our team: Explains the impact of WFP activities in beneficiary communities to teammates.
• Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Articulates how own unit’s responsibilities will serve WFP’s mission.

People

• Look for ways to strengthen people's skills: Trains junior teammates on new skills and capabilities.
• Create an inclusive culture: Seeks opportunities to work with people from different backgrounds.
• Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Serves as a peer coach for colleagues in same area of work.
• Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Tracks progress toward goals and shares this information on a regular basis with supervisor.

Performance

• Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Explores ways to consistently be more efficient and accurate in own areas of work and shares new methods of work with colleagues.
• Focus on getting results: Focuses on getting results and tracks trends in completion rates for own tasks to identify opportunities for efficiency.
• Make commitments and make good on commitments: Takes responsibility for own tasks and notifies supervisor as soon as possible of potential delays in meeting deadlines or commitments.
• Be Decisive: Independently decides what action to take when faced with critical choices in the workplace or in dangerous situations in the field.

Partnership

• Connect and share across WFP units: Suggests opportunities for partnering with other units to supervisor.
• Build strong external partnerships: Identifies opportunities to work with colleagues and partners in the field towards common goals.
• Be politically agile & adaptable: Develops an understanding of the value of WFP’s teams and external partners in fulfilling team’s goals and objectives.
• Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Aligns own activities with supervisor’s priorities to fulfill internal and external partner needs.

FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES

Capability Name Description of the behaviour expected for the proficiency level Supply Chain Management and Optimization Displays aptitude at monitoring and reporting on supply chain operations to enable teams to efficiently assess the performance and sustainability of current networks. Planning, Project & Resource Management Supports the planning, forecasting & resource management efforts of own team by collecting data from diverse sources. Information Management & Reporting

Collates accurate and timely information and data to enable informed decision making on reporting within individual unit and consequently the greater humanitarian community. Market Analysis, Contracting and Operational Execution Ability to collect and collate necessary information to enable WFP to make informed operational decisions. Warehouse and Inventory Management Demonstrates ability to implement operational warehouse procedures and normative guidance in order to manage WFP’s warehouse, handle inventory effectively through corporate systems, and ensure loss mitigation. Technical Assistance and Coordination Demonstrates awareness of the importance of technical assistance and coordination with key stakeholders and an ability to carry out logistics activities, respecting individual mandates and programme priorities.

OTHER SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Proficiency in Windows (MS Word, MS Excel, MS Outlook) and some transport tracking system experience.
• Solid understanding of SAP packages will be an added advantage

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

At least four years of progressive professional experience in one or more of the transportation and ancillary sectors: shipping, clearing and forwarding, road/rail transport and distribution management.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

26 April 2021

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Female applicants are especially encouraged to apply

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

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.