Programme Officer/ Supply Chain Officer (Value Chain Analysis and Local Procurement) CST 11 months

Akwajobs   (Saf, Nord-Ouest, Cameroon)

Posted : 11 October, 2021

Category : Program/Project Management   Location : Saf, Nord-Ouest, Cameroon

Job type : Full Time

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WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles.

Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance.

About Wfp

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to end global hunger. Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

In emergencies, WFP gets food to where it is needed, saving the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters. After an emergency, WFP uses food to help communities rebuild their shattered lives. Present in nearly 80 countries, the organization has the global footprint, deep field presence and local knowledge and relationships necessary to provide access to nutritious food and contribute to the lasting solutions, especially in many of the world’s most remote and fragile areas. We manage an operating budget of approximately $5.9 billion each year, distributing 12.6 billion rations to those most in need. We reach an average of 80 million people with food assistance in around 80 countries each year. The World Food Programme office in Johannesburg is a Regional Office coordinating and supporting the delivery of humanitarian assistance to 11 Southern Africa countries including, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Botswana, Malawi, Madagascar, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Brazaville.

For more on WFP and what we do, please go to http://www.wfp.org/videos/zero-hunger

Background And Purpose Of The Consultancy

WFP’s Strategic Plan (2017-2021) recognizes the pivotal role the organization can play in the global effort to strengthen food systems to ensure that healthy, adequate, and affordable diets are available to all. Many of those who are hungry are smallholder farmers (SHFs) who produce 70% of the global food supply yet remain amongst the livelihood groups most vulnerable to hunger and poverty. Smallholder farming and other rural households exhibit amongst the highest proportions of food insecurity of all livelihood groups.

WFP in the RBJ region is transitioning to a food systems approach in the fight for zero hunger. Part of this shift comprises adopting more of a value chain approach to our procurement and deliberately supporting smallholder farmers, especially women. WFP recognizes local and regional procurement as a potentially powerful tool and key entry point to promote sustainable food systems.

This approach is reflected in countries where there is significant local purchasing, as well in activities that target smallholder farmers vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Programme and Supply Chain units collaborate closely in this sphere of work. WFP is also supporting partnerships and platforms that offering opportunities for collaboration and partnerships and that considers how best to support national sub-national and local actors as key drivers for improving smallholder livelihoods .

RBJ Requires The Support Of a Value Chain And Traceability Specialist To Provide Strategic And Technical Support To The Implementation Of Smallholder Friendly Local And Regional Procurement

WFP’s demand for food and food system services can be a direct and indirect driving force towards the achievement of zero hunger, contributing to inclusive agricultural growth and sustainable social and economic transformation. Over the years, WFP has steadily increased the share of food procurement that it carries out locally; half of WFP food commodities are now purchased locally. By injecting cash into local economies, local and regional food procurement, including pro- smallholder procurement, can significantly strengthen smallholders’ livelihoods and the sustainability of food systems, particularly when it is associated with activities that support value chain actors such as farmers, farmer organizations, processor groups, aggregators and traders where required.

JOB PURPOSE

WFP aims to boost and improve its local, regional, and pro-smallholder procurement to allow WFP to increasingly integrate new considerations and elements, such as value for smallholders, improved nutrition outcomes, increased resilience and smallholder incomes and the promotion of gender equality. Implementation of the policy will entail the development of additional systems and tools that support this approach, along with investments in innovative approaches to maximize the contribution that WFP’s local and regional food procurement can make to the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Indirect contract modalities (purchasing through aggregators instead of the smallholders themselves) include conditionalities and WFP COs will need a system to certify them. Experience has shown that when working with pro-SHF procurement, it is crucial to ensure that contracts are fulfilled, and that programme information and data are collected at the right junctures to enable the generation of evidence of impact. Partnerships with new entities will require dedicated attention to bear fruit, and it is recognized that along with the technology itself, the challenge with traceability activities includes the complexity of operationalization on the ground.

• Support for Value chain analysis

Given that WFP injects significant amounts of cash in the local economies within the region through its programming and procurement models, it is important to determine how this value is distributed along the value chain and how much local smallholder farmers benefit from it incliuding the traceability of commodities from smallholders. Hence, in the context of the development and implementation of the local regional procurement Policy and under the overall supervision of the regional head of SC and programme policy officer for food systems, the consultant will provide technical support (in coordination with staff from the regional offices) on smallholders, procurement and food systems work supporting the implementation of the methodology developed to analyze different value chains in the region and traceability of commodities purchased under the LRP pilot .This methodology seeks to determine how margins are distributed among value chain actors (particularly SHF); identify prevailing bottlenecks that may prevent actors from fully benefiting from local food procurement, and determine whether the inefficiencies identified can be addressed either through procurement (use of pro-SHF contract modalities) and/or programmatic chain interventions implemented by WFP and partners. After the value chain analysis are completed, the support of the consultant will be key during the development of intervention plans, as well as to foster partnership to execute these initiatives with specific focus on opportunities for enhanced institutional procurement (HGSF).

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not All-inclusive)

The expert will report to the programme policy officer (SAMS and food systems) in close collaboration with the regional supply chain officer. S/he and will coordinate/collaborate with HQ teams and with the national procurement officer, regional procurement teams, Heads of Programme/Procurement in target countries, and with other senior managers as relevant. The expert will also have discussions with country office staff themselves, to build a robust methodology for value chain analysis and smallholder traceability within the region linked to expanded local and regional purchasing opportunities.

The candidate will bring together the various initiatives and strands of work linked to SAMS into a cohesive programme of work that provides the needed support to CO teams in key areas. This support should be provided in ways that consider both WFPs strengths and capacities, but also its lessons learned, constraints and limitations in this area of work

DELIVERABLES

• Provide technical support to the implementation of the local and regional food procurement policy (LRFPP) according to WFP’s objectives and operational environment in RBJ region, with attention to issues of gender equality in value chains
• Contribute to the development and review of KM approaches, systems, tools, and methodologies to support the implementation of the LRFPP and the increase of local and regional procurement in RBJ countries through increased traceability and identification of sustainable value chains
• Identify and consult partners and research centers with expertise in food value chains, to consolidate existing knowledge and identify potential partnerships for the LRFPP implementation.
• Conduct VC assessments and produce related reports for selected countries. Reports should include (but not limited to) identifying gaps and risks, and develop recommendations for possible improvements.
• Support RBJ Units and country offices on activities related to the LRFPP implementation plan
• Support the CO multidisciplinary teams in the development and delivery of the policy implementation plan especially in areas related to value chain assessment.
• Advise and support the development of functional training in areas of expertise to enhance the capacity of WFP staff and relevant partners as needed in the areas of value chain analysis and traceability.
• In two countries implementing HGSF, conduct a mapping of two value chains where there is a deliberate decision to empower women in the value chains (cassava, maize, pulses, small grains etc.).

Minimum Qualifications

Post Graduate Degree in Value Chain Analysis, Supply Chain Management or Smallholder Market Development.

Essential Experience For The Role

• Minimum 6 years of post-graduate, progressively responsible experience in value chain, traceability market facilitation, and smallholder procurement,
• Demonstrated ability to provide advice and guidance related to value chain analysis
• Demonstrated change management skills and capacity to innovate
• Ability to hold fruitful consultations with a wide variety of stakeholders, initiate and develop strong partnerships
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities; the ability to bring together concepts into a coherent and compelling Theory of Change
• Proven experience working with a wide variety of development and humanitarian actors including governments, international development organizations, donors and other funding agencies, private sector entities, and/or civil society organizations including community groups, academia, and the media.
• Ability to initiate and develop strategic partnerships
• Strong interpersonal and coordination skills, ability to work in a team and to communicate clearly and diplomatically with a wide range of stakeholders from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to plan and organize his/her work independently, efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results.
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback.
• Ability to work under pressure and in stressful situations

Deadline For Applications

Closing date for applications is 19 October 2021 at 23:59

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Female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.

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