Head of Faizabad Field Office

Job Summary:

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT:

With a committed government, rich natural resources, and a young and diverse population, Afghanistan has the potential to make significant progress on the 2030 Agenda. However, a complex and protracted conflict, combined with challenges related to climate change, demographics, gender inequalities, underemployment, and transparency issues, has dramatically impeded its efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 2 on Zero Hunger. The 2017 Afghanistan Zero Hunger Strategic Review (ZHSR) found that the country suffers from high, and in some cases rapidly rising, levels of food insecurity and undernutrition, and outlines a series of recommendations to address the problem.

WFP is well placed to help Afghanistan implement several of the key recommendations through their new Country Strategic Plan (2018-2022). The overarching goal of the WFP Afghanistan Country Strategic Plan (CSP) is to support the country to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030 in a manner that also contributes, wherever possible, to the broader, longer-term transition to peace and development. Through the CSP, WFP will move toward a more comprehensive, national-led framing of all strategic result areas. Mainstreaming the crosscutting issues of gender equality and women’s empowerment, protection, and accountability to affected populations, the CSP focuses on six, highly interrelated outcomes that span both SDG 2 and 17 (partnering for the goals).

JOB PURPOSE:

This position is being recruited to lead and manage a WFP Faizabad Field Office and to ensure the effective and efficient management of human and financial resources and delivery of WFP programmes and activities. A large emphasis is placed upon building and maintaining relationships with local governments, UN agencies and other partners in the area to reinforce WFP’s visibility.

Skills Required:

Requires travel to provinces:

Skills Description:

• Has developed, or supported the development of multi-discipline work plans for the achievement of strategic aims within a defined area.

• Has gained experience in field operations, preferably in a hardship duty station or emergency situation.

• Experience analysing political situations, assessing risk and supporting managers and leaders in decision making that is sensitive to this.

• Has gained experience managing mid-size financial budgets, balancing multiple priorities effectively.

• Has experience leading a mid-size to large team to ensure the effective delivery of objectives.

• Participated in a government/ partner negotiation.

• Participated in a moderately complex emergency operation or development programme.

Duties & Responsibilities:

1. Manage and lead WFP field operations within the area of assignment to ensure timely and effective deployment of food assistance programmes.
2. Hold accountability for the deployment of CO initiatives, policies and strategies.
3. Effectively manage the Field Office to ensure transparent and efficient people management and the continued development of a cohesive and high performing team.
4. Ensure efficient use of financial resources for achievement of set objectives.
5. 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).
6. Collaborate with governments and other partners in identifying where food assistance can be usefully deployed at the local level and provide support and technical expertise for the planning, formulation and implementation of food assistance programmes, including advice on the context-specific transfer modalities (food, cash or vouchers).
7. Develop and coordinate data gathering and monitoring systems and conduct timely monitoring and evaluation activities.
8. Hold accountability and/or prepare accurate and comprehensive analysis and reports on WFP operations and performance with regular and timely submission for Area/Country Office review to identify programme support requirements and inform operational planning and decisions.
9. Forge and nurture external partnerships to improve assistance packages and support complementary strategies; identify potential areas for collaborative approaches and initiatives.
10. Develop and sustain liaison with local government authorities, international and local NGOs, UN agencies, donors, civil society, beneficiaries and other partners and media engaged in the field of food security.
11. Engage with beneficiaries, inspect storage places and points where WFP commodities are received, in order to ensure compliance with WFP policies and that progress is made in the achievement of project objectives.
12. Other as required.

Job Location:

Qualifications:

Education: Advanced University degree in International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Agriculture, Environmental Sciences, Social Sciences, Social Policy, or other field relevant to international and national development assistance.

Experience: A minimum of 5 years of Country-Level experience in programme/Operations/Project Management and Coordination, including experience in working in emergency response.

Language: Fluency (level C) in English language. Fluency in Pashto or Dari, preferably both.

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