ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT:

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian agency, fighting hunger worldwide. WFP Malawi is undergoing a strategic repositioning aimed at strengthening its alignment with national priorities, enhancing inter-agency collaboration, and supporting the Government of Malawi in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, with a particular emphasis on reaching Zero Hunger (SDG 2), and aligning with Government strategies, particularly its Vision 2063.

JOB PURPOSE:

To advance this agenda, WFP Malawi seeks to recruit a Vulnerability Analysis & Mapping (VAM) Officer to deliver VAM services in line with WFP priorities.

THE ROLE:

Under the overall supervision of the Head of VAM and M&E, and in collaboration with WFP Malawi colleagues, the VAM Officer will:

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive, within delegated authority):

• Contribute to the development of VAM projects and activities, plans and processes, ensuring alignment with wider WFP policies and guidance.
• Support the development of systems and tools for the monitoring and assessment of food assistance needs in line with innovative methodologies and best practice.
• Support the development of food security and vulnerability analysis and the preparation of timely reports on food assessment needs in line with wider VAM policies, processes and guidance to enable effective decision-making on the development of country strategy, policies and programmes.
• Provide assistance on the coordination of data gathering and monitoring systems ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained.
• Liaise with implementing partners to monitor ongoing projects, ensuring effective collaboration, timeliness and efficiency and highlight potential risks to project delivery.
• Support the capacity building of WFP staff, partners and national government to conduct vulnerability analysis to effectively inform preparedness and response activities.
• Provide support to relevant partners that are focusing on food security and nutrition issues to enable sharing of experience, lessons learned and best practice.
• Guide and supervise more junior staff, acting as a point of referral and supporting them with analysis and queries.
• Act in an assigned emergency response capacity as required to meet emergency food assistance needs.
• Other as requested by the supervisor.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE:

• Demonstrated proficiency in the use of several statistical tools and methods for vulnerability and food security analysis.
• Developed practical expertise in food security analysis and mapping by participating in multiple assessments, including design, data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Demonstrated technical knowledge and understanding of vulnerability mapping systems and emergency assessment standards used by WFP.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education: Advanced University degree in Economics, Food Security, Statistics, Data Science, Public Health/Nutrition, Geography or other related field, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or training/courses.

Experience: At least three (3) or more years of relevant post-graduate professional experience with an interest in international humanitarian development.

Language: Fluency (level C) in English language and the duty station’s language, if different.

• Contribute to the development of VAM projects and activities, plans and processes, ensuring alignment with wider WFP policies and guidance.
• Support the development of systems and tools for the monitoring and assessment of food assistance needs in line with innovative methodologies and best practice.
• Support the development of food security and vulnerability analysis and the preparation of timely reports on food assessment needs in line with wider VAM policies, processes and guidance to enable effective decision-making on the development of country strategy, policies and programmes.
• Provide assistance on the coordination of data gathering and monitoring systems ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained.
• Liaise with implementing partners to monitor ongoing projects, ensuring effective collaboration, timeliness and efficiency and highlight potential risks to project delivery.
• Support the capacity building of WFP staff, partners and national government to conduct vulnerability analysis to effectively inform preparedness and response activities.
• Provide support to relevant partners that are focusing on food security and nutrition issues to enable sharing of experience, lessons learned and best practice.
• Guide and supervise more junior staff, acting as a point of referral and supporting them with analysis and queries.
• Act in an assigned emergency response capacity as required to meet emergency food assistance needs.
• Other as requested by the supervisor.

• Proficiency in statistical tools and methods for vulnerability and food security analysis.
• Expertise in food security analysis and mapping (design, data collection, analysis, reporting).
• Technical knowledge of vulnerability mapping systems and WFP emergency assessment standards.

• Advanced University degree in Economics, Food Security, Statistics, Data Science, Public Health/Nutrition, Geography or other related field, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or training/courses.
• At least three (3) or more years of relevant post-graduate professional experience with an interest in international humanitarian development.
• Fluency (level C) in English language and the duty station’s language, if different.