WFP seeks to recruit a head of field office, cst level II (multiple locations in Chad : Mongo, Gore, Goz Beida) (104256)
About WFP :
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian agency aiming to bring food assistance to more than 80 million people in 75 countries. WFP aims to reach the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal number 2: to “end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.”
We are looking to fill three Head of Field Office, (International consultant – Level II) in Chad. The three locations are in Gore, Goz Beida and Mongo.
Organizational context in chad :
Chad is an arid, low-income and land-locked country in Central Africa, suffering from high levels of poverty, chronic food insecurity and malnutrition. In 2018, 66.2 percent of the Chadian population were estimated to be severely poor and 38.4 percent had less than USD 1.90 a day. Chad ranks in the bottom ten of the Global Hunger Index (118 of 119), the Fragile State Index (171 of 178) and the Gender Inequality Index (186 of 189). The country is also among the world’s most vulnerable to climate change and suffers from rapid desertification and environmental degradation.
The fragility of the country is aggravated by insecurity in the Lake region and conflicts particularly in neighbouring countries, leading to population displacements. Chad hosts over six hundred thousand displaced persons in need of assistance: refugees from Sudan, C.A.R. and Nigeria, Chadian returnees from C.A.R. and people displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency in the Lake region.
WFP is responding to this situation through its Country Strategic Plan 2019-2023 which went live on 1 January. Addressing short-term food and nutrition needs remains a priority, however, WFP will contribute to reinforce the Humanitarian-Development-Peacebuilding nexus. WFP’s value proposition for the upcoming years includes (i) increased support to national priorities and development of structural capacities, (ii) innovative partnerships and new ways of working, (iii) reaching the right people with the right solutions, by reducing caseloads and needs and (iv) a transition from purely humanitarian responses to resilience-building for development.
More information available at: here
Organizational context in gore :
Gore : Goré is a town and the capital of the La Nya Pendé in Chad ‘s Logone Oriental Region. It is accessible by road and WFP/UNHAS flights arrive to the nearest Airport in Moundou twice a week from/to the Capital city N’Djamena. The WFP Field Office in Goré oversees all WFP operations in southern Chad affected by the humanitarian crisis in the Central African Republic (C.A.R.). Each month, food and nutrition assistance is being provided to 44,000 most vulnerable C.A.R. refugees and 55,000 returnees from C.A.R settled in this area. Since January 2018, the sub-office is addressing the new arrivals of over 20,000 C.A.R. refugees. All general distributions are conducted using the cash-based (CBT) modality while treatment of moderate acute malnutrition involve distribution of specialized products. Depending on market conditions, GFD is sometimes used as an alternative to CBT. The area is favourable to local purchases and displays a great potential to implement food assistance for assets for both displaced and host communities through (i) lowlands development for offseason crops (market gardening, rice cultivation); (ii) defence and soil restoration; (iii) protection of crop areas; and (iv) light rehabilitation of feeder roads to open production sites and promote markets.
Organizational context in goz beida :
Goz Beida : Goz Beida is the main town of the Sila region in South-Eastern Chad. Goz Beïda is 70 kilometres (43 mi) from Chad’s eastern border with Sudan’s western Darfur Region. It is served by WFP/UNHAS flights on a regular basis to the Capital city N’Djamena. Eastern Chad is affected by a multi-dimensional crisis where the food and nutrition crisis and population movements from Sudan add to a context of low development and limited access to basic social services. The area is characterized by the prolonged presence of Sudanese refugees (66,011 people or 15% of the total refugee population in Chad) who arrived in 2003 and 2004 and live in 4 camps in the region of Sila. Following the signature of tripartite agreement between the governments of Chad and Sudan and UNHCR on the voluntary repatriation of refugees, the return of former Chadian refugees living in Darfur began in late December 2017. Some 1,000 people have already arrived in Sila region. According to return intention surveys, in 2018, 20,000 Sudanese refugees and 5,000 Chadian refugees are expected to receive assistance with their voluntary return. After more than a decade of assistance (14 years for some), projects fostering self-sufficiency have been developed including food assistance for assets since 2017. In this context, the implementation of durable solutions for Sudanese refugees is essential to strengthen their livelihoods and facilitate their integration into local communities, their voluntary repatriation or their resettlement in a third country. At the Forum on the Sustainable Socio-Economic Integration of Refugees in Chad (N’Djamena, 25-27 July 2017), organized by the Ministry of Territorial Administration with the support of UNHCR, some recommendations were made to achieve this objective, in particular: (a) access to land; (b) free movement and documentation; (c) access to employment. Local integration efforts include identifying opportunity villages, naturalization, and livelihood strengthening. On a monthly basis, WFP provides food and nutrition assistance to vulnerable Sudanese refugees using the cash-based modality.
Organizational context in mongo :
Mongo : Located in the Sahelian belt, Mongo is the main city of the Guéra region spread over an area of 58,950 square kilometers with four departments: Abtouyour, Barh Signaka, Guéra and Mangalmé. It lies 406 km by road east of the capital N’Djamena and is also served by WFP/UNHAS flights on a regular basis to the Capital city N’Djamena. The WFP Field Office in Mongo also covers two of the three departments of the region of Salamat (Aboudeia and Barh Azoum). According to the numerous nutritional and food security surveys, the situation in the country is worrying all along the Sahelian belt. The 2015-2017 economic and fiscal crisis and a poor agricultural campaign in 2017/2018 exacerbated the situation in the Sahel. In 2018, the Guéra region faced a serious situation nearing the WHO malnutrition emergency thresholds with a prevalence of global acute malnutrition of 14.5%, a prevalence of severe acute malnutrition of 2.7% and a prevalence of chronic malnutrition at 30.5%. In response to the situation, WFP deployed an L3 Sahel Shock Response, including the Guéra region, providing a seasonal assistance to local communities through an integrated food security and nutrition package. On top of general distributions to vulnerable Chadians, children aged 6-23 months and pregnant and lactating women received nutritional supplements to prevent the deterioration of their nutritional status during the most difficult period for vulnerable households. Moreover, the sub-office implements treatment of moderate acute malnutrition through nutritional supplement distributions in 72 Nutritional Supplementation Units (UNS) for pregnant and lactating women as well as for children aged 6 to 59 months suffering from moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). In partnership with the National Agency for Rural Development (ANADER), WFP promotes food assistance for assets to develop a food self-sufficiency using fresh products that meet nutritional needs and ensure food security.
Job purpose :
To plan and manage field operations to ensure the effective and efficient deployment of food assistance programmes and use of allocated resources.
Standard minimum qualifications :
Education : Advanced University degree in Economics, International Development, Social Sciences or other related field, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or training/courses.
Language : Fluency (level C) in English and French language. Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish, and/or WFP’s working language, Portuguese desireable.
Key accountabilities (not all-inclusive) :
- Effectively manage the Field Office to ensure the continued development of a cohesive and high performing team;
- Plan and manage WFP field operations within the area of assignment to ensure effective and efficient delivery of food assistance and that daily operational issues are timely resolved to prevent losses or delays ;
- Ensure that allocated resources are used efficiently and are in line with agreed plans, and any deviations are reported to the Area/Country Office;
- Hold accountability for the security of WFP staff, operations, premises and assets in the Field Office to ensure that WFP security and safety standards are locally set and followed. Actively participate and contribute to the Area Security Management Team (ASMT);
- Conduct timely monitoring and evaluation of activities and prepare accurate and comprehensive reports on WFP’s operations and performance with regular and timely submission for Area/Country Office review to inform efficient operational planning and decisions;
- Build effective and collaborative relations with the local authorities and contribute to the expertise sharing and capacity building for effective preparedness and response to food assistance needs;
- Build partnerships to improve assistance packages, develop and sustain liaison with local government authorities, international and local NGOs, UN agencies, civil societies, beneficiaries and other partners and media engaged in the field of food security ;
- Ensure extensive and frequent presence at project areas, distribution sites and centres;
- Other as required.
Desired experiences for entry into the role :
- Minimum of five years of relavant experience ;
- Has developed, or supported in the development of, single discipline work plans to support the achievement of WFP strategic aims within a defined area ;
- Has gained some exposure in field operations, preferably in a hardship duty station or emergency situation ;
- Has field experience via field rotations or working in a sub-office, and through field postings ;
- Gained experience of analysing local political situations and assessing risk accurately ;
- Gained broader exposure across areas within a function (i.e. policy, programme etc.) ;
- Has gained experience managing small to mid-size financial budgets, balancing priorities effectively ;
- Has experience leading a small to mid-size team to ensure the effective delivery of objectives ;
- Participated in a vendor/government/ partner negotiation within area of focus ;
- Participated in a small emergency operation/ development programme ;
- Has experience with security co-ordination and compound management within a smaller area.
Terms and conditions :
Type of contract : Consultant
Level : II
Duration : 11 months
Deadline for applications : 25 March 2019