Chemonics seeks a senior markets and trade analyst to join the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), USA
Closing date : 16 sept 2021
Context :
Chemonics seeks a senior markets and trade analyst to join the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) – Early Warning Team (EWT) team. Food security analysis, early warning, and decision support for emergency food assistance rely on the monitoring and analysis of markets and prices associated with staple foods, cash crops, livestock, and labor. The senior markets and trade (M&T) analyst supports the Washington, D.C. and project office operations for the markets and trade sector. Key duties include preparing technical reports on market trends, contributing to the technical oversight of the project’s analytical approaches, and providing technical M&T support to FEWS NET EWT home, regional, and field offices and technical partners. In addition, senior M&T analysts will take on a leadership role in executing team deliverables. The senior M&T analyst is part of a close-knit team of food security-focused technicians based in Washington, D.C. We are looking for individuals who have a passion for making a difference in the lives of people around the world.
The senior M&T analyst works within an assigned geographic and/or thematic portfolio and in close collaboration with members of home, regional, and field office technical teams to :
- Prepare and/or provide technical oversight to M&T-focused reports and decision-support products ;
- Contribute to population and expansion of FEWS NET’s data sets used for markets and trade analysis, with a focus on domains including prices, cross-border trade, production, and balance sheet data ;
- Analyze primary and secondary market data as inputs to FEWS NET EWT integrated food security analysis ;
- Contribute to the development of sector-relevant analytical tools and train technical staff on the use of those tools ;
- With oversight from the M&T advisor, the senior M&T analyst will work with the rest of the M&T team to support quality control for the M&T deliverables of the project and will help ensure that M&T-related activities and products are delivered in a timely manner.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities :
- Liaise with M&T staff and other FEWS NET EWT members to assure the timely publication of the monthly deliverables reporting on trends in staple food markets in countries the FEWS NET EWT monitors including the Monthly Price Bulletins (national and regional) and Price Watch and Annex ;
- Provide technical oversight for the production of the FEWS NET EWT’ staple food supply and market outlook reports ;
- Liaise with FEWS NET EWT project staff and partners to facilitate timely data flows ;
- Liaise with country and regional office staff to plan monthly M&T work planning and coordination meetings that take place approximately one week prior to the Regional Office coordination call with the Home Office. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring calendar invitations are sent, agendas are circulated in advance of the meetings, and comprehensive notes and action items are documented and circulated ;
- Provide support to field teams, the FEWS NET EWT Database Manager, the broader M&T team, and Mobile Data Transmission System subcontractors to improve data quality and integrity ;
- Liaise with the FEWS NET M&T team and data team, and the FEWS NET Data, Knowledge, and Learning Hub to enhance the functionality of various data domains, including but not limited to online and offline analytical tools ;
- Provide technical assistance and guidance to home, regional, and field office teams on market and policy analysis relevant to food insecurity early warning and associated decision support. Technical assistance to the field may be done remotely or may require domestic and/or international travel, as security and public health considerations allow ;
- Participate in regular reviews of the consistency and accuracy of price projections and other M&T-related forecasting in FEWS NET EWT analyses and assist in incorporating associated learning into sector methods, processes, and products ;
- Conduct literature reviews, analyzing data, and drafting reports on market trends and policies in support of the early warning work and in close collaboration with other members of home, regional, and field office technical teams ;
- Liaise with relevant research institutions to support market-related research relevant to food insecurity early warning analysis in FEWS NET reporting and Market Watch countries
- Contribute sector-relevant content to monthly and ad-hoc decision-support products ;
- Assist the markets and trade advisor, as needed, in implementing other M&T activities.
In addition to the above, the senior M&T analyst will take on a leadership role and carry out the following additional illustrative tasks :
- Oversee the development of data collection tools ;
- Lead technical trainings or otherwise providing lead technical support of sectoral relevance ;
- Deliver briefings and other high-level, public-facing decision support of sectoral relevance ;
- Under the direction of the markets and trade advisor, and in collaboration with other members of the M&T team and field offices, liaising with external partners in designing and implementing joint activities of sectoral relevance ;
- Assist with the supervision of short-term consultants onboarded to support sectoral work.
Qualifications :
- Bachelor’s degree in a discipline relevant to the work of FEWS NET, such as economics, agricultural economics, agronomy, nutrition, climatology, anthropology, or social geography is required; an advanced university degree (Master’s degree or higher) in a discipline relevant to the work of FEWS NET, such as economics, agricultural economics, statistics, or social geography is preferred ;
- At least two years of relevant experience (with PhD), four years of relevant experience (with Master’s degree), or six years of relevant experience (with Bachelor’s degree) is required. Relevant experience includes working on food security information systems, food security analysis, early warning, or other related fields; experience working with UN agencies and/or NGOs is desirable ;
- At least two years of work experience that is directly relevant to the senior M&T analyst position (e.g.., developing market monitoring data collection tools as part of regular and ad hoc assessments, preparing and delivering in person and/or remote training materials, supervising staff responsible for primary data collection, drafting high level briefing materials for decision making) is required ;
- Previous experience working on donor-funded activities, preferably USAID-funded, is desirable ;
- Previous experience living and working in a region or country in which FEWS NET project staff work is desirable ;
- Previous experience supervising staff is desirable ;
- Previous experience using PowerQuery features of Excel and experience developing Excel-based analysis tools is required ;
- Experience developing dashboards and reports in Power BI and conducting time series analysis in STATA is desirable ;
- Experience building and using large databases to analyze market trends through a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods is required ;
- Substantive knowledge of the humanitarian landscape and policy trends as they relate to food security information systems, food security analysis, early warning and/or other areas relevant to the work of the EWT is required ;
- Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to work well with field-based, local staff via telephone, e-mail, and other remote means is required ;
- Excellent writing, editing, and presentation skills are required ;
- Excellent computer skills, including Microsoft office suite, are required; Adobe Creative suite and database management skills are desirable ;
- Familiarity with ESRI ArcGIS mapping and statistical software is desirable ;
- Demonstrated leadership, versatility, and integrity ;
- Fluency in English is required; French and/or Spanish language skills are desirable.
Physical Requirements :
- Regular attendance and availability during normal business hours are required ;
- Ability to work in a normal office environment ;
- Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
Work Conditions :
- Normal office environment; usually moderate noise level ;
- Occasional exposure to environmental conditions includes exposure to hot, cold, wet, humid, or windy conditions caused by the weather ;
- Ability to travel and work abroad in less developed countries for at least 4 to 8 weeks a year.
Application Instructions :
Interested candidates should apply by September 16, 2021. No telephone inquiries, please. Finalists will be contacted.
Chemonics is an equal opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, age, or other legally protected characteristics. Military veterans, AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service alumni are encouraged to apply.