UN World Food Programme Policy Officer (Head of Access) Jobs in South Sudan
UN World Food Programme Policy Officer (Head of Access) Jobs in South Sudan
Who We Are The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), a highly prestigious, reputable & world’s largest humanitarian organization, operating in more than 120 countries and territories, bringing life-saving assistance in emergencies, building pathways to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change and supporting sustainable and resilient livelihoods for a world with zero hunger.
At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.
To learn more about WFP, visit our website: UN World Food Programme (WFP) and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter.
Why Join Us?
WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment
WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities
A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe
We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section)
The Role and Organizational Context
In September 2018, after more than five years of civil war, the Republic of South Sudan signed a peace agreement with several opposition parties, including the SPLA-IO. Yet since 2020, implementation of the peace agreement has stalled, and South Sudan continues to present a wide array of challenges to the secure, principled, and predictable delivery of humanitarian assistance. Armed conflict continues in several parts of the country, particularly in parts of Central and Western Equatoria.
Sub-national and local violence has increased in Jonglei and Unity states, resulting in the killing of civilians, large-scale population displacement, and contributing to widespread food insecurity and malnutrition. Civilian authorities and security forces also persistently compromise humanitarian space through illegal taxation, bureaucratic impediments, and interference in the implementation of humanitarian activities.
South Sudan also remains one of the most dangerous countries for humanitarian personnel to work, with consistent attacks on aid workers, humanitarian convoys, and the looting of relief supplies.
This position of the Head of Access Unit requires someone with in-depth knowledge of the political, ethnic, and security context in the country and an existing network of interlocutors at the national, state, and local levels.
You will need to be able to analyze regional, national, and sub-national geopolitics and conflict dynamics, with pre-existing skills and experience in negotiating access for humanitarian operations and advocate for principled and sustained humanitarian access.
Key Accountabilities
Under the supervision of the Country Director, you will be responsible for the following duties:
Lead, motivate and support staff of the Access Unit.
Ensure the timely, secure and principled movement of WFP staff and supplies, as well as those for the Logistics Cluster and UNHAS, including clearing movements, notifying authorities and other stakeholders of movements, and addressing any challenges through engagement and negotiations.
Support the Integrated Rapid Response Mechanism (IRRM) in the deployment of the teams in the field, in collaboration with the Heads of Field Offices
and the Emergency Section.
Patriciate in joint analysis and operational support to Field Offices and CO Units together with the Conflict, Security and Access Team (CSAT).
Assist in the development of conflict analysis and internal/external analytical reports, including quarterly conflict updates, 6-month risk overview and topical analysis on arising issues.
In conjunction with the CSAT, Operational Units and Field Offices, develop access and programme strategies to ensure consistent, secure and principled access to and for populations in priority areas for WFP.
Map and analyze, and build and maintain relationships with actors for access negotiations, including but not limited to, national, state and local authorities, military commanders, non-state armed actors, youth militias and traditional leaders.
Conduct access negotiations to ensure consistent, secure and principled access to and for populations in need, including through advise and support to Heads of Field Offices with their local access negotiations.
Ensure efficient and effective clearance procedures and systems are in place and provide advice to management for higher-level advocacy with authorities.
Advise and provide inputs to the Country Director on strategies and UN humanitarian advocacy efforts, and on matters regarding the safeguarding of humanitarian principles whilst ensuring the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance.
Ensure inter-agency coordination on access related issues, including through WFP’s role as a co-lead and member of the Steering Committee for the Access Working Group, as well as with the CMAG, JOC and other relevant coordination forums.
Provide training in basic negotiations and relevant do’s and don’ts to staff to ensure a principled response.
Support and enable the work of WFP partners as it pertains to access challenges, including through provision of trainings and daily problem solving.
Conduct ad-hoc negotiations or other duties as required.
Qualifications and Key Requirements
Education:
You have:
Advanced University degree in political science, law, history, international relations, anthropology or a related field or First University degree with additional years of experience.
Experience:
You have:
At least 8 years of postgraduate experience, with significant humanitarian programming with demonstrated experience in deep-field locations, including South Sudan.
Language:
You have:
Fluency (level C) in English language.
Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and/or Portuguese (A WFP’s working language)
Knowledge of spoken Arabic or a major indigenous language in South Sudan is advantageous.
More About You
You have:
Familiarity with humanitarian programee implementation ways of working, armed conflict and food security in South Sudan and/or demonstrated ability and willingness to rapidly acquire such in-depth knowledge.
Demonstrated experience in humanitarian access negotiations
Strong knowledge of civil war and organized violence, including state and non-state armed actors in South Sudan
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing
Ability to lead a team and build effective working relationships with persons of many national and cultural backgrounds
Ability and willingness to cope with situations which may threaten health or safety and to live in challenging environments
General knowledge of humanitarian principles, UN rules, regulations, and procedures.
How to Apply
For more information and job application details, see; UN World Food Programme Policy Officer (Head of Access) Jobs in South Sudan
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