Project Coordinator (Activity Manager) SC7

The World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes. Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

JOB TITLE:

Project Coordinator (Activity Manager)

TYPE OF CONTRACT:

SC7 (6 months, renewable subject to availability of funds)

UNIT/DIVISION:

Programme SO3

(Climate Change Adaption, Disaster Risk Management & Emergency Preparedness)

DUTY STATION (City, Country):

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

BACKGROUND

WFP’s vision is that people in the Kyrgyz Republic will have substantially increased access to national social protection systems that safeguard and foster their ability to meet their food security, nutrition and associated essential needs, and to manage the risks and shocks they face, with ample opportunity to graduate from poverty and contribute to sustainable food systems, national disaster risk management efforts and social cohesion.

WFP, the second largest UN agency in the Kyrgyz Republic, will support and promote the inclusion of people with diverse and often intersecting vulnerabilities and inequalities, by supporting nationally led social and civil protection systems and programmes (strengthening the government’s ability for anticipatory action and ensuring that no one is left behind) and by modelling new approaches within complementary WFP interventions (which can be adopted or transitioned), leveraging WFP’s global expertise in promoting healthy diets and sustainable food systems, climate risk management, warehousing, food safety, smallholder market access and innovations such as private sector-oriented solutions, micro-insurance and digital public goods.

Under Strategic Outcome 3, WFP is currently working in numerous projects to achieve Climate Change Adaption, Disaster Risk Management & Emergency Preparedness objectives. One of them is a Green Climate Fund (GCF) supported 4-year project titled "Climate services and diversification of climate sensitive livelihoods to empower food insecure and vulnerable communities in the Kyrgyz Republic" which aims to reduce vulnerabilities to climate change and increase the adaptive capacity and resilience of rural communities. The second major project is funded by the Swiss Agency for Cooperation and Development (SDC), working in the same provinces as the GCF project, to support the current and next CSP to strengthen and upscale Disaster Risk Management activities of vulnerable communities by supporting informed, coherent, gender- and nutritious- sensitive local adaptation, enabling the environment for risk financing and build-back-better mechanisms to climate-proof the food systems and guarantee food security under the following components:

• Enhance the understanding of climate risks and vulnerabilities
• Strengthen the resilience and climate change adaptation at community level
• Elaboration and coordination of risk transfer mechanisms and regulatory and practical instruments for the introduction of private sector led disaster risk insurance programmes
• Enhance disaster preparedness and "Build Back Better" for effective DRM

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The above-described initiatives require enhanced capacity at the country office level and strong coordination with internal and external stakeholders, incl. in Batken, Osh and Naryn. The Project Coordinator (Activity Manager) will be responsible for the overall management and implementation of the Swiss-funded activities.

Supervision received: The Activity Manager is supervised by the Outcome Manager SO3 and will her-/himself supervise Programme Assistants. The Activity Manager will also work in close coordination with Specialists in Policy/Partnerships, in Research, Analysis and Monitoring, in Budget and Programming, in Supply Chain and in other support functions, based both in Bishkek and Osh offices as well as field locations, and will interact also with experts in WFP’s Reginal Bureau and HQ.

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KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive, nor exhaustive):

1. Contribute towards the development of a number of activities, plans and processes in Climate Change Adaption, Disaster Risk Management & Emergency Preparedness, ensuring alignment with wider programme policies and guidance.
2. Provide project management support to specific and defined programmes and projects, ensuring a coordinated approach with wider programmes, that complies with WFP standards and procedures and donor requirements.
3. Follow data gathering and monitoring systems ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained.
4. Research and analyse policy and operational issues to support the Programme management team in the development of coherent preventive, promotive and shock-responsive social protection policies, programmes and activities.
5. Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on programmes and activities that enable informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.
6. Ensure financial and narrative reports from cooperating partners follow WFP guidelines and transfers to beneficiaries are conducted in a timely manner.
7. Liaise with internal counterparts to ensure effective collaboration, monitor ongoing projects.
8. Support the identification, development and management of potential partnerships to collaborative working leading to improved food assistance, CCA/DRR packages.
9. Manage documentation of negotiations and agreements with cooperating partners and other stakeholders (inclusive of a potential partner roster, field level agreement development, and cooperating partner reporting and performance evaluations).
10. Support the capacity building of WFP country office and field staff, partners, and government counterparts as relates to CCA and resilience building, travelling to the field as necessary.
11. Provide guidance to support staff, acting as a point of referral and assisting them with analysis and queries and serve as direct liaison for external technical staff or outsourced service providers supporting the SDC project.
12. Other as required.

OTHER SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS

13. Develop an operational plan and standard operating procedures, monitoring and reporting formats, and other guidance documents for the SDC project, in particular for the development in the target communities of:
    1. Livelihood Zone Map and future climate analysis
    2. Integration climate risk financing (i.e. weather insurance) into national programmes
    3. Community Adaptation Plans
14. Research, develop, and diversify CCA programming through sourcing and obtaining alternative funding streams, including through initiation of concept notes and proposals.
15. With the SO3 Manager, support the overall management of the SDC-funded project, ensuring synergies are created between the GCF components activities, while serving as activity manager on implementation of the different components, including the management of technical support via institutions and/or individual consultants.
16. Produce general and technical reports related to SDC based on field missions, assessments, and desk reviews and support data collection efforts of WFP and/or joint initiatives, as required.
17. Contribute to the implementation of other projects in SO3 through feedback, advice, and review of climate products, reports, and other documents.
18. Support the implementation of the WFP Kyrgyzstan CSP through ensuring cross-cutting efforts such as nutrition-sensitivity, gender and diversity inclusion, protection and accountability, and capacity development, are integrated throughout the portfolio and to ensure equal participation and consideration of women and men, boys and girls, and people living with specific needs and/or disabilities.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE:

• Has gained experience in implementing technical programs (i.e. Climate Change Adaption and Disaster Risk Management, etc.).

• Has implemented programmes and provided input into designing operations.

• Has provided input into policy discussions and decisions.

• Has experience with community-based participatory planning approaches.

• Previous experience in climate risk finance (i.e., weather insurance) is an asset.

• Has experience working at strategic policy level, with public and private stakeholders.

• Behavioral competencies such as action management, client orientation, cognitive capacity, innovation, partnering and teamwork.

• Has excellent written and oral communication and drafting skills, incl. computer skills in Microsoft Package.

Functional Capabilities (Knowledge & Skills):

• Programme Lifecycle & Food Assistance: Demonstrates ability to identify key variables and contextual factors that affect food assistance problems and programmes throughout the lifecycle to inform quality programme design or re-design.

• Transfer Modalities (Food, Cash, Voucher, Knowledge): Demonstrates ability to analyse and consolidate quantitative and qualitative information from different sources (e.g., market studies) to inform transfer

modality selection and programme development.

• Broad Knowledge of Specialized Areas: Demonstrates the ability to interpret basic data in the context of WFP specialised fields to contribute to technical programme design, implementation, and monitoring.

• Emergency Programming: Displays capacity to provide inputs into the development, implementation and realignment of high-quality emergency programmes.

• Strategic Policy Engagement w/ Government: Develops thorough recommendations using multiple inputs (e.g., government counsel, research, own experience) to strengthen national or subnational entities and government owned food and nutrition security programmes.

Education: Advanced University degree in International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Sciences or other field relevant to international development assistance, or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.

Language: Fluency (level C) in both oral and written communication in English and in at least one of the duty station’s languages (Russian or Kyrgyz).

TALENTED WOMEN ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

We look for applicants with the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian values. We commit to promote diversity, gender parity and equality between men and women.

WFP is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all qualified candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organisation.

WFP strives to build a work environment that is safe and respectful, and free of sexual harassment and abuse of authority. We believe in open communication, and every individual at WFP is treated with respect regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, religious and political beliefs, etc.

Closing date: 5 July 2022

This position is open ONLY to Kyrgyz citizens or those authorized to live and work in the Kyrgyz Republic according to national regulations. Applicants who do not meet this criterion will not be considered for this position.

WFP does not charge any fees at any stage of its recruitment process.

Only candidates who are short-listed will be contacted.