Job Opening: Assistant to the resilience program GS-6 At World Food Programme

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TITLE OF POSITION : Assistant to the resilience program

TYPE OF CONTRACT : Contract with a fixed term

GRADE : GS6

LIEU D’AFFECTATION (City, Country) : Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (with field trips)

DURATION : 12 Months renewable

NUMBER OF POSTS : 1

ABOUT THE WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme is the largest humanitarian agency dedicated to fighting hunger worldwide. Our mission is to work towards achieving the goal of Zero Hunger for everyone. Every day, we strive to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the most vulnerable, particularly women and children, have access to the nutritious food they need.

BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION OF THE POSITION:

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) heavily relies on agricultural activities, with 80 million hectares of arable land and 50% of the continent’s water resources. The agricultural sector provides employment for over 60% of the population, with women occupying 70% of these positions. Unfortunately, the DRC ranks 179th out of 191 countries on the gender inequality index, indicating a significant gender gap that limits the rights of women and girls in terms of property ownership, active participation in decision-making processes, protection against shocks, and prevention of gender-based violence.

Various factors contribute to the economic vulnerability of the population, particularly women, including poverty, limited access to land and property, lack of access to new technologies and funding, social stigma, heavy family responsibilities, and low levels of education. Additionally, rural areas in the DRC continue to face insecurity following armed conflicts. In such circumstances, vulnerable populations, especially female-headed households, may resort to harmful strategies, such as selling productive assets and livestock, to cope with food shortages, ultimately impacting their food and nutritional status.

Given the ongoing protracted crises in the region, with multiple challenges and complexities, the WFP remains committed to addressing these issues and providing support to the most vulnerable populations.

1. The World Food Programme in the DRC is currently carrying out initiatives to enhance the livelihoods of vulnerable households and communities in various provinces such as South Kivu, North Kivu, Tanganyika, Kasai, Kasai Central, Kasai Oriental, around Kinshasa, and in the Ubangui region.

2. To reinforce the Resilience Unit at the Country Office level, the World Food Programme is seeking an Assistant to the Resilience Programme to oversee agreement aspects in collaboration with the partnership team and field offices. Reporting to the Resilience Programme Officer and under the overall supervision of the Head of the Resilience Section, the staff will manage the contracting process with implementing partners, handle payments, monitor activities, and report on program resilience activities in coordination with the partnership team and Sub Offices.

1. Key Responsibilities (illustrative and not exhaustive) :

Reporting directly to the Resilience Programme Officer, the Resilience Programme Assistant is responsible for the following duties:

In a specific manner:

– Work closely with the Partnership Unit and assist sub-offices in the selection process of implementing partners for resilience projects and livelihoods, from the initiation of Calls for Proposals (CFPs) to the publication of results on the Partnership portal.
– Aid sub-offices in creating operational plans, timelines, and budgets to be included in Field Level Agreements (FLAs) with cooperating partners, ensuring adherence to standards.
– Facilitate project-specific meetings, technical consultations, and workshops, and submit FLA drafts to the Partnership Unit for signing.
– Coordinate with sub-offices to enhance collaboration, implementation, and monitoring of project activities.
– Assist in the invoicing and payment procedures for WFP cooperating partners, verifying and processing invoices, supporting documents, and monthly reports in line with WFP financial and programmatic guidelines.
– Support the monitoring of resilience project implementation, verify entries in various PAM systems (COMET, SharePoint, etc.), participate in WINGS software actions (Service Entry Sheet, Advance Payment Request), and initiate alarm protocols for timely actions.
– Identify performance-related issues with Cooperating Partners through capacity assessments, report to management, and propose corrective actions.

Generate reports and conduct data analyses in the technical areas of resilience and food systems, focusing on identifying trends and problems. Ensure that the reports and analyses meet WFP standards and quality control requirements.

Keep superiors informed about the progress of interventions by highlighting successes, technical issues, and other problems. Provide recommendations for improvement.

Assist in preparing contributions to annual reports, background documents, and gathering information from various sub-offices. Also, contribute to the development of draft periodic updates.

Archive data from the unit’s resilience initiatives and partnerships using the SharePoint software. Maintain a system for tracking related information. Update the Tracking Sheet and ensure the performance evaluations and evaluation reports are properly archived.

Manage any other assigned files from the supervisor.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: Assistant to the resilience program

Education:

The candidate must have a degree in agriculture, environment, economics, information/computer technology, business, commerce, public administration, communication, statistics, or a related field.

Desired experience:

Have a minimum of six (06) years of experience in administrative support and progressively responsible programs at the national or international level. This should include at least 2 years of experience in UN organizations, international multilateral organizations, or multinational organizations.

Have experience working with technical teams in areas such as resilience, agriculture, nutrition, partnerships, monitoring and evaluation, etc.

Contributed to the execution of programs, their supervision, and their record-keeping.

Demonstrated expertise in creating concise summaries, updates, and initial reports.

Qualifications & abilities:

Demonstrated capability to effectively present the discoveries of analysis, evaluation, and monitoring reports.

Exceptional interpersonal abilities, a strong focus on customer service, receptiveness to feedback and novel concepts, and a willingness to accept feedback/advice.

Capability to travel and offer on-site assistance in challenging circumstances.

Proficient in computer applications, particularly Microsoft software (Word, Excel…).

Language knowledge:

Mastery (Level C) of French at’oral as at’
Knowledge of’English (Level B).
OUR VALUES AT WFP :

Integrity
Collaboration
Engagement
Humanity
Inclusion

Application Process: Assistant to the resilience program

To apply for the position, interested individuals who meet the requirements are kindly asked to submit their applications by clicking on the provided link below.

Click here to proceed with your application.

The deadline for submitting applications is set for 26th March 2024.

Please note that, at this stage, the only documents required are your CV and cover letter. Additional documents such as passports, letters of recommendation, and university certificates may be requested in the future.

If you encounter any difficulties accessing the WFP e-Recruitment platform and need assistance with your application, please contact us at [email protected]. Kindly mention the vacancy reference number in your email subject.

All employment decisions are made based on organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment that is free from sexual exploitation, abuse, discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of power. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo a thorough verification of references and background checks.

Please note that individuals serving or having served in certain United Nations bodies with WFP supervisory responsibilities, such as ACABQ, ICSC, FAO Finance Committee, WFP external auditor, WFP Audit Committee, JIU, and similar bodies, are not eligible for appointment during their service and for three years after its termination.