Conflict Sensitivity Officer - Roster


Oct 27, 2023 | World Food Programme
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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide.  The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger i lifetimes.  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.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

Assisting more than 100 million people in over 80 countries each year, the World Food Programme (WFP) is the leading humanitarian food security organisation - saving and changing lives, delivering food assistance in emergencies, and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. To achieve its mandate, WFP must ensure that it reaches the right people and that it manages its relationship with those individuals and their communities in a responsible, accountable, and effective manner.

WFP's reputation for prompt and efficient food assistance delivery to people in crisis zones is well-established. However, as more operations take place in conflict-affected regions, there is a growing imperative to enhance conflict sensitivity. The 2013 Policy on WFP's Role in Peacebuilding in Transition Settings and the 2023 Conflict Sensitivity Mainstreaming Strategy demonstrate WFP's commitment to applying conflict sensitivity in all of its operations and working towards becoming truly conflict sensitive in the face of the intricate challenges posed by emergencies.

WFP is currently seeking to build a roster of highly skilled professionals who can be rapidly deployed at regional or country levels to offer technical expertise and take the lead in developing and implementing conflict sensitivity strategies. Multiple positions are expected to be available.

As part of this ongoing effort, the hiring team will regularly engage with selected candidates to update their availability and profiles, ensuring a roster of professionals ready to make a meaningful impact in conflict-affected areas while upholding the principles of peacebuilding and conflict sensitivity.

JOB PURPOSE

The selected candidates will be part of a dynamic pool, on standby for swift mobilization to any WFP operations as the need arises. Their roles will involve providing crucial guidance and support in ensuring conflict sensitivity throughout the organization's activities, striving to avoid inadvertently becoming caught up in conflicts while delivering food assistance to those in need.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

ANALYSIS: CONFLICT SENSITIVITY/PEACE CONTRIBUTION

Lead and undertake political and contextual analysis and analyse the context/conflict and assess the conflict sensitivity of WFP’s operations and partnerships across the entire portfolio, by identifying programmatic and operational conflict-related risks including choices of transfer modalities, and proposing mitigation measures, as well as opportunities to adjust and design WFP’s interventions to contribute to peace. In addition, support the incorporation of the conflict sensitivity lens in the participatory planning and response among refugees and host communities, internally displaced people etc and contributing to the broader protection efforts.

Capacity Building:

Initiate, plan and implement efforts that build the capacity of WFP staff including building systems and processes to undertake conflict sensitivity analysis and assessments. Providing capacity building trainings on Conflict Sensitivity, humanitarian access, develop contextualized training materials and guidance tools and supporting action plan developments.

Mainstreaming of Conflict Sensitivity:

Conduct a thorough review of regular planning/implementation processes and capacities/competencies for Conflict Sensitivity (and peace contributions, if relevant) within the CO, identifying where capacities need to be built, and where processes could be enhanced. Identify key blockages to the mainstreaming of Conflict Sensitivity. Propose revisions to processes, and articulate capacity needs for different role.

Monitor:

Conflict dynamics across the region and status of WFP’s access - Maintain an overview of the state-of-play of conflicts and insecurity across the region, 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.

Documentation and dissemination:

Documenting good practices and learning from across the CO and ensuring that it is systematically disseminated to feed the corporate development of guidance and tools and among other countries offices and regions. Ensure that Country Office is acting in a timely manner on any new opportunities to enhance their engagement on conflict-sensitivity, humanitarian access and contribution to peace opportunities (including emerging funding windows). Participate in learning events and activities to build the knowledge across the emergent peacebuilding and conflict sensitivity network across WFP

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Advanced university degree in international relations, development studies, conflict studies, or another relevant discipline

Experience:

  • At least 6 years of professional experience related to supporting and analysing governance structures and institutions.
  • Experience in undertaking conflict analysis and conflict sensitivity risks assessments
  • Widespread experience in integrating conflict sensitivity into both humanitarian and development programming
  • Proven experience in facilitating and leading capacity trainings and materials productions on Conflict sensitivity and peace building programming from the food security perspectives.
  • Experience in capacity building (training, accompaniment)

Competencies: Knowledge of WFP’s operation and previous experience with WFP is considered an asset

Language: Strong written and oral English skills (proficiency/level C), working knowledge in a second UN language (Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) or Portuguese (one of WFP’s working languages) is desirable.

Knowledge and Skills:

Essential

  • 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)

Desirable

  • Technical training in areas that are directly or indirectly relevant to peacebuilding and/or conflict-sensitivity

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

INCLUSION IN THE ROSTER DOES NOT GUARANTEE ANY FUTURE CONTRACTUAL RELATION WITH THE WFP.

All applications received will be reviewed and go through a selection process to assess relevant experience and qualifications. Applicants who meet the selection criteria may be contacted for further interviews or assessments and to confirm their continued interest and availability. 

Successful candidates will be placed on a roster for short-term opportunities. Rostered applicants may be contacted in the upcoming 24 months on an as-needed basis. 

WFP offers a competitive compensation package which will be determined by the contract type and selected candidate’s qualifications and experience. 

Please visit the following websites for detailed information on working with WFP. 

http://www.wfp.org . Click on: “Our work” and “Countries” to learn more about WFP’s operations. 

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Deadline for roster application: 05 November 2023

Ref.: VA no. 829592

Job Title: Conflict Sensitivity Officer (roster, multiple positions)

Type of Contract: Consultant (CST II)

Division: Emergencies and Transition (PRO-P) 

Duty Station (City, Country): Based on needs of specific assignment (HQ, Regional Bureau and/or country-specific support) 

Duration: 2 weeks to 11 months