Regional Disability Inclusion Advisor - Asia & the Pacific - International Consultant (Level II)

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

JOB TITLE: Regional Disability Inclusion Advisor- Asia and the Pacific TYPE OF CONTRACT: Regular Consultancy Contract (International Consultant, Level II) UNIT: Programme Policy DUTY STATION: Bangkok, Thailand DURATION: 11 Months

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. Are you interested in supporting the implementation of the regional disability inclusion initiative and providing technical advice and support on disability inclusion? Are you ready to change and save the lives of the world's most vulnerable people? If yes, this opportunity is for you!

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The United Nations 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.

The 2020 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to WFP is recognition that ending hunger is a critical first step towards global peace. WFP recognizes that one of the greatest contributions it can make to humanity is to provide a voice to the 690 million hungry people in the world. The Nobel Peace Prize gives us a platform to make their needs heard and to mobilize support for the assistance they need.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

WFP is known for its ability to deliver food assistance rapidly to people in need, especially in humanitarian crises caused by conflict, violence and natural hazards. In the Asia-Pacific region. WFP is increasingly shifting its focus to better support host governments and strengthen their capacities to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, and Goal 2 (zero hunger) in particular. As it delivers on its humanitarian and development mandate, WFP is committed to advance the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities.

The WFP Disability Inclusion Road Map (2020-2021), approved in November 2020, outlines a plan for the organization to operationalize the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy over the next two years and its obligations to disability inclusion (DI), more broadly, through its operations and internal support functions. In turn, the WFP Regional Bureau for Asia-Pacific and the country offices it supports are taking the lead to roll out the Road Map and to demonstrate how disability considerations can be successfully integrated into all aspects of WFP’s work, including programmes and operations, access to WFP offices and facilities, procurement and partnerships, and recruitment and mind-set of staff. From an operational perspective, WFP will aim to ensure the meaningful participation and perspective of persons with disabilities in programmes its delivers and supports. This requires strong partnership with organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) and consultation with persons with disabilities in the populations that WFP aims to serve.

The WFP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific (RBB) provides strategic direction, technical support and oversight to WFP country offices in seventeen countries. Our twenty-member Programme team includes experts who cover these core themes: Food Security Research, Analysis, and Mapping; Social Protection; School-based Feeding; Health and Nutrition; Climate- and Disaster Risk Management; Emergency Preparedness and Response; and Gender, Protection and Accountability to Affected Populations.

The RBB is seeking a Disability Inclusion Advisor to help advance the implementation, the priorities and actions set out in RBB Regional Initiative on Disability Inclusion and support Country Offices to operationalize the plan as appropriate in their context. The Advisor will need to coordinate closely with technical experts in Headquarters and contribute to corporate learning and efforts under the Disability Road Map. The Advisor may be required to undertake field missions to emergency and hardship duty stations as part of this role, depending on travel and COVID conditions.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all inclusive)

Under the overall supervision of the Regional Head of Programme and under the technical supervision of the Regional Protection, AAP and Inclusion Advisor and guidance from the Global Disability Inclusion Advisor, the consultant will be responsible for supporting the implementation of the regional Disability Inclusion Initiative in line with an established workplan, as well as providing technical advice and support on disability inclusion to RBB units and country offices on areas of expertise covered in this TORs.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate the implementation of the activities under the regional Disability Inclusion Initiative; Provide secretarial support to the RBB Advisory Group and Implementation Team on Disability Inclusion and manage CBM (formerly Christian Blind Mission) engagement and support to WFP in Asia-Pacific;
• Provide technical advice and support to RBB heads of unit for programme, supply chain, administration and human resources and their teams to implement respective priorities and actions under the Regional initiative and country workplans;
• Provide technical advice and support to RBB technical teams and country offices to identify and gain a deeper understanding of barriers and challenges for disability inclusion and recommend ways to overcome those;
• Provide guidance on integration of disability considerations in tools, processes and plans across the programmes cycle from data collection for vulnerability analysis to programme design and implementation to monitoring and reporting as well as advocacy and translation of analysis into policy and technical recommendations to governments in countries where WFP operates;
• Lead the review of existing tools, approaches and guidance as they relate to disability inclusion between HQ, RBB and country offices;
• Produce and support the dissemination of knowledge management products and good practice on disability inclusion-related across the region that can contribute to corporate learning and vice versa;
• Support RBB and country offices to identify and build meaningful partnerships with Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and other UN agencies and organizations with expertise in disability-specific programming and mainstreaming; and
• Support RBB and country office advocacy and communication efforts on disability inclusion.

Additional responsibilities include:

• Support broader RBB efforts to sensitize and build awareness of staff on disability inclusion and its relevance to their work;
• Provide feedback from the regional Initiative to inform WFP Headquarters' implementation of the WFP Road Map on Disability Inclusion;
• Prepare briefing notes and proposals and inputs for advocacy materials on disability inclusion.

QUALIFICATIONS& EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Education:

• Advanced degree in one or more of the following disciplines: social sciences, development studies, international relations, sociology or other relevant field.

Experience:

• At least 6 (six) years of professional experience in relevant areas and at least 4 (four) years progressively responsible professional experience in disability inclusion for development projects and/or disability inclusion in a humanitarian assistance context;
• Experience in delivering training and conducting capacity-building for field operations and supporting senior managers in implementing new concepts;
• Experience in operational research and programme design in the areas covered under this TOR is preferable;
• Experience in Asia and the Pacific regions is preferable; and
• Flexibility to travel frequently and on short notice, when necessary.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Strong analytical, written and oral communication skills, as well as conceptual thinking are essential;
• Client orientation with excellent interpersonal skills;
• Proven ability to produce outputs independently, while at the same time seeking innovative ways; to integrate areas covered by this TOR in the work of other relevant units.

Language:

• Excellent command of English (written and spoken) is essential.

DEADLINE FOR THE APPLICATIONS

Wednesday 10 February 2021, Midnight, Bangkok Time.

For candidates who cannot access WFP E-recruitment platform due to visual impairments, or otherwise need assistance to apply, please send your CV to [email protected].

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Persons with a disability, female applicants and applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply.

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. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the selection & recruitment process, and for work-related needs upon joining the Programme. WFP has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, abuse of authority or discrimination. 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.