Operational Access Support Officer P3, EME, Rome, Italy At World Food Programme

Are you an Operational Officer interested in further developing your professional experience while contributing to ending global hunger? Are you passionate about helping those in need? Would you like to join a global organisation investing in its people?

If so, an exciting & fulfilling career awaits you!!! Join our diverse and passionate team that works on varied and international projects directly contributing to saving & changing millions of lives around the globe.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Applications must be submitted by Sunday, January 15th, 2023 (11:59 PM CET)

WHO WE ARE

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) , a highly prestigious, reputable & world’s largest humanitarian organization, operating in more than 120 countries and territories, bringing life-saving assistance in emergencies, building pathways to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change and supporting sustainable and resilient livelihoods for a world with zero hunger.

At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP’s values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org/ and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter.

THE ROLE

The Operational Access Support Officer will assist Regional Bureaux (RBx) and Country Offices (COs) to integrate and implement a multi-dimensional approach to humanitarian access. The Officer will also manage the analysis of the prevailing humanitarian situation with a view to alerting and anticipating their implications on WFP operations. The effectiveness of humanitarian action hinges on access – access by humanitarians to people in need, and by people in need to essential goods and services.

The position is based in Rome, Italy and reports to the Head, Operational Access Support.

While the position is based in HQ- Rome, the Operational Access Officer will deploy to support WFP COs across the regions when needed.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

Humanitarian access is critical to enable effective response to food security and nutrition crises in complex and conflict affected environments. Due to its mandate, operational presence, and size, WFP increasingly operates in complex contexts where humanitarian access constraints pose challenges to effective and efficient operations. Thus, the demand on WFP to strengthen its corporate and field level capacities to negotiate, maintain and improve access is increasing.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

• Support work with functional Units in HQ, RBs and COs to develop long-term institutional arrangements necessary to implement access strategies.
• Support and advise WFP Country Offices on components, good practices, key actors, and concerns etc to be considered in the formulation of strategies to reach beneficiaries and facilitate their access to essential goods and services.
• Provide guidance and assistance on considerations pertaining to engaging with non-state armed groups and other civil entities for the development of implementation plans to assist WFP in conflict and post-conflict settings.
• Support in the identification of programmatic and operational access-related risks and propose mitigation measures, as well as opportunities to adjust and design WFP’s interventions to efficiently deliver WFP programmes in a timely manner.
• Assist the development of context-specific analysis and guidance on administrative and legal regulations
• Facilitate the development of country-specific guidelines on frontline negotiations and engagement with non-state armed groups, criminal gangs, and other civilian entities.
• Support strengthening and establishing sustainable operational access capacities in key countries.
• Initiate and support efforts to build the capacity of WFP staff to undertake operational access and negotiation work, building a cadre of expertise across the region by assisting the training of WFP staff on humanitarian access, engagement and negotiation with non-state armed groups and civilian entities.
• Support COs to undertake contextual analysis and assess access related risks to alert and anticipate their implications on operations and propose mitigation measures as well as opportunities to adjust and design WFP’s programmes.
• Support RBs and COs to develop and maintain an overview of the state-of-play of conflicts and insecurity, including WFP’s efforts to engage with communities and conflict actors with a view to supporting operational decision-making. This includes the implementation of access monitoring and mapping tools to understand where and why WFP may be unable to reach beneficiaries.
• Document good practices and learning from across WFP’s operations and ensure that it is systematically disseminated to feed the corporate development of guidance and tools and among countries offices. Ensure that Country Offices aware in a timely manner of any new opportunities to enhance their engagement on access and negotiation issues (including emerging funding windows).
• Participate in learning events and activities to build the knowledge across the emergent peacebuilding and conflict sensitivity network across WFP.
• Ensure that WFP is actively participating in relevant inter-agency discussions concerning access. This includes forging partnerships with traditional and non-traditional partners and other experts to improve performance in this area.
• Establish and maintain dialogue with parties to the conflict and other civilian entities through coordinated and principled engagement, negotiation of access coordination, mainstream of access and establishment and maintenance of partnership and collaboration.

QUALIFICATIONS & KEY REQUIREMENTS

Education:

• Advanced academic degree in International Relations, International Law, Development Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies, or another relevant discipline

Experience:

• At least five (05) years of relevant postgraduate professional experience
• Substantial exposure & experience in programme and operation management
• Proven field references of facilitating and negotiating humanitarian access. Experience in developing monitoring mechanisms
• Solid knowledge of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and its application.
• Experience in legal protection and conflict sensitivity programme design
• Widespread experience in integrating conflict sensitivity into both humanitarian and development programming

Language:

• Fluency (level C) in English language. Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and/or Portuguese (a WFP working language)

MORE ABOUT YOU

• Commitment to WFP’s mission and values
• Strong analytical skills
• Strong communication skills
• Strong influencing and networking skills
• Ability to work independently under minimal supervision
• Proficiency in Window MS office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook)
• Experience in supporting strategic planning processes
• Experience in conflict analysis
• Experience in capacity building (training, accompaniment
• Functional knowledge of logistics, security, and programming

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This is an International Professional position and is open to all nationalities.

Limited Fixed-Term Appointment (LFT) position is a non-mobile staff appointment in the international professional category for a limited period for up to 2 years. Incumbents of LFT positions are not eligible to apply for other mobile positions advertised internally through the Reassignment.

WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package in line with ICSC standards (http://icsc.un.org) including basic salary, post adjustment, relocation entitlement, visa, travel and shipment allowances, 30 days’ annual leave, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, a pension plan, and medical insurance.

The selected candidate will be required to relocate to Rome, Italy to take up this assignment.

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, language skills and UN Grade (if applicable)
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Please make sure you upload your professional CV in the English language
• Kindly note the only documents you will need to submit at this time are your CV and Cover Letter
• Additional documents such as passport, recommendation letters, academic certificates, etc. may potentially be requested at a future time
• Please contact us at wfprecruitment@wfp.org in case you face any challenges with submitting your application
• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified