Regional Emergency Preparedness and Response Officer

JOB TITLE: Regional Emergency Preparedness and Response Officer.

TYPE OF CONTRACT: CST

UNIT/DIVISION: RBD EPR Unit

DUTY STATION (City, Country): Dakar

DURATION: 11 months

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

The West and Central Africa region is facing multiple crisis with a number of hotspots where the deterioration is already causing significant humanitarian impact, and other where violence and fragility threatens to cause further displacements, human and livelihood losses and instability. This is against a well-known backdrop of chronic vulnerabilities, recurring shocks, state fragility and poverty, in particular in the central band of the region.

Notably, insecurity and armed attacks in the Central Sahel have reached unprecedented levels. Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger are facing a massive displacement of people due to conflicts. The number of violent incidents is spiralling and spreading quickly into new areas.

WFP continues to increase operations in the region and has launched emergency operations (L2) in Mali and CAR, North East Nigeria remains a Corporate L3 and more recently Central Sahel (September 2019) was also elevated to an L3 given the magnitude of the crisis for a more coordinated approach between the three involved countries (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger western borders). In 2020, according to the March 2020 updated analyses, the food security situation continues to deteriorate in most of the Sahelian countries. For the 7 sahelian countries levels are more than double the number food insecure the same time last year. The figure is projected to rise to 8M people next lean season (Jun-Aug 2020), 96% higher than this past lean season. The COVID-19 impact is set to further aggravate the situation in 2020 and beyond.

To meet these challenges, WFP Regional Bureau for West and Central Africa (RBD) is strengthening its Emergency Preparedness and Response team with field level support capacity, deployable from RBD.

This consultancy core purpose is to provide remote and hands-on in country support to integrated emergency preparedness and response scale up at Country Office (CO) level, plan and support field emergency response operations to ensure effective response in terms of food assistance.

Specifically, under supervision from the Senior Regional Emergency Adviser/Head of EPR, the Emergency Officer is required to support the implementation of regional preparedness and response plans, at RBD and CO level. The main part of the consultant’s assignment is the provision of technical and practical support to CO’s preparedness planning and response scale up, including in supporting implementation at CO level through regular field deployments.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Providing support and operational guidance to WFP emergencies in the region

1. Deployments to sub-office in crisis-affected areas;
2. Ensure effective design, development and/or revision of WFP's Concept of Operations and provide first-level clearance of project documents/revisions directly related to the emergency;
3. Ensure that emergency operation complies with WFP emergency rules, regulations and policies;
4. Coordinate as required with government counterparts, UN agencies, donors, Red Cross/Crescent Movement, NGOs and regional organizations;
5. Ensure corporate operational information management requirements, OTF, STF, etc.;
6. Ensure cross-functional alignment and integration in support of efficient emergency response and constant operational oversight.

2. Provide technical advice and support to RB/CO to ensure adequate levels of preparedness, quality early warning analysis, triggered early action, and effective emergency response.

1. 1. Through established systems/mechanisms (EPRP tracker, CAS, STF, OTF), identify and monitor implementation of minimum/enhanced preparedness, early action, and emergency response.
   2. Prepare or review of CSPs to ensure integration of minimum preparedness and capacity strengthening.
   3. Timely prepare emergency response plans, including concept of operations, budget revisions and requests for resources, staffing, GCMF, etc. (financial, other).
   4. Strengthen emergency preparedness and response capacity of WFP and its partners including through training, lessons learned and knowledge management.
   5. Manage accurate and timely emergency information and reporting to enable informed decision-making and consistency of information presented to a wide range of stakeholders.
   6. Develop, share and/or review timely and high-quality analytical reports, publications, information products, protocols, concept notes and proposals for internal and external use;

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

Field deployments to Country Offices for Preparedness or Surge (ToR developed and BTOR produced)

Contingency Plans or CONOPS for CO supported

OTF preparation for all CO supported

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

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.

Experience: 5 years or more of professional experience in humanitarian response, including relevant experience in humanitarian operations;

• Experience supporting emergency food assistance (in-kind and/or CBT) programming and distribution is an advantage;
• Experience working in collaboration with a diverse array of humanitarian actors, including governments, NGOs, U.N. agencies, civil society, etc.;
• Experience in country-level humanitarian operations in large-scale emergencies is an advantage;

Knowledge & Skills: Has experience working across the food aid Program portfolio including VAM, Nutrition, Beneficiaries targeting and AAP in humanitarian emergency settings;

• Has led a Sub Office or a small country/area office programme team or a component of a country office programme portfolio;
• Demonstrated skills in collaborative problem-solving, lateral thinking and systems development are an advantage;
• Experience working in the Sahel region is desirable, but not mandatory;
• Experience in drafting and developing humanitarian project proposals, donor proposals and drafting of donor/end of project reports.

Languages: Excellent French and English communications skills (written/speaking)