Head of Field Office CST Level II, South Sudan, Multiple Duty Stations

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

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.

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WHY JOIN WFP? 

• 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 of this vacancy announcement).

JOB TITLE:    Head of Field Office
TYPE OF CONTRACT:    Regular International Consultant (CST level-2)
UNIT/DIVISION:    Field Office Management / Programme
DUTY STATION (City, Country):    Various duty stations (Aweil, Renk, or Rumbek)
(This vacancy announcement includes positions at three duty stations. A candidate to select the duty station(s) he/she wishes to apply for. A candidate may choose more than one duty station).
DURATION:    11 months (renewable subject to performance and funding availability)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

Country Context:    
South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, continues to struggle to overcome a multitude of challenges. Conflict, climate shocks, economic instability and the ongoing war in neighboring Sudan have created a perfect storm of suffering, leaving families unable to access enough food.

Since April 2023, over 1.1 million people fleeing the conflict in Sudan have crossed into South Sudan, placing additional pressure on overstretched communities and humanitarian systems. The World Food Programme (WFP) has supported more than 620,000 of them with fortified biscuits, food or cash assistance, and nutrition support for mothers and young children.

A total of 7.56 million people – over half the population – face Crisis or worse levels of food insecurity or worse, with hunger reaching near-record levels. approximately 28,000 people are classified in IPC AFI Phase 5 (Catastrophe), including 17,000 people in Luakpiny/Nasir (Upper Nile) and 11,000 people in Fangak (Jonglei). Luakpiny/Nasir County, particularly its southern parts along the Sobat corridor, remains a major concern, with populations facing a risk of famine during both projection periods under a plausible worst-case scenario. 

The situation is particularly dire for children, with over 2.1 million aged over 5 acutely malnourished. A total of 2.8 million children are out of school – more than half of them girls. Female literacy remains alarmingly low at just 29 percent, compared to 40 percent for men – among the lowest rates in the world. Food assistance remains essential to averting a humanitarian catastrophe. But it must also serve as a bridge to long-term recovery. WFP is working with local civil society and empowering communities – especially women and girls – to build resilience, support peacebuilding and foster self-reliance in the face of relentless adversity. 

Background and purpose of the assignment: 
Under the overall supervision of Country Director and the direct supervision of Deputy Country Director, the incumbent will lead and manage WFP South Sudab’s Field Office to ensure the effective and efficient management of human and financial resources and the delivery of WFP programme activities. A large emphasis is placed upon building and maintaining relationships with local authorities, UN agencies others partners in the area to reinforce WFP’s visibility.

RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE (but are not limited to)
1.    Manage and lead Field Office (FO) operations to ensure timely and effectively deployment of food assistance and any other programmes
2.    Contribute to the development of Country strategies, policies and programmes to ensure that local needs inform country-wide planning.
3.    Support promotion and deployment of WFP’s corporate/CO initiatives, strategies and directions. 
4.    Hold accountability for effective management of WFP operations within the area of assignment to ensure timely and effective deployment of food assistance programmes.
5.    Effectively manage the Field Office to ensure transparent and efficient people management and the continued development of a cohesive and high performing team.
6.    Ensure efficient use of financial resources for achievement of set objectives. 
7.    Hold accountability for 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).
8.    Hold accountability for close collaboration with governments and other partners in identifying where assistance can be usefully employed at the local level and ensure provision of 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).
9.    Hold accountability for timely monitoring and evaluation activities and for accurate and comprehensive analysis and reports on WFP operations and performance to inform operational planning and decisions. 
10.    Forge and nurture external partnerships to improve assistance packages, develop and sustain liaison with local government authorities, international and local NGOs, civil societies, UN agencies, donors, 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.    Take responsibility for an equitable and inclusive workplace which incorporates all 
 dimensions of the WFP diversity and inclusion framework. 
13.    Other as required

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education: Advanced University degree (mater’s or higher) in Economics, International Development, Social Sciences or other related field, or relevant First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or training/courses. 

Required Experience •    For candidate holding a master’s degree, a minimum of seven (7) years of postgraduate international professional experience in humanitarian operation leadership in complex emergency and broader programme operations, particularly in food assistant support is required. For candidates holding a bachelor’s degree, at least nine (9) years of the above-mentioned experience is required.
•    A minimum of five (5) years of experience managing a sub-office, a small country office, a field/area office, or a component of a country office programme portfolio in contexts characterized by severe access constraints and insecurity. Track record of building cohesive, high performing teams; performance management, coaching, and staff development. 
•    Progressive experience managing field operations for food assistance or cash-based transfer programmes in humanitarian or development contexts. 
•    Experienced in plan, launch, and manage assistance operations end to end (needs assessment, targeting, distribution, post distribution monitoring). 
•    Experienced troubleshooting operational constraints (access, logistics, market volatility, seasonal shocks, etc.).
•    Substantial experience in complex field operations, in a hardship duty station or emergency is essential.

Desired Experience
•    Experience in supporting the development of complex and multi-discipline work plans to support the achievement of organization strategic aims within a broad area
•    Experience in analysing complex political situations, assessing risk accurately and inputting assessments into Field , Area or Country Office risk assessments. 
•    Participated in a complex vendor/government/ partner negotiation in support of Country, Regional or Functional level strategic plans. 
•    Experience in managing mid-size financial budgets, balancing multiple complex priorities effectively.

Skills & Competencies:    

•    General knowledge of UN system policies, rules, regulations, procedures 
•    Leadership & people management: coaching, performance management, conflict resolution.
•    Operational planning & execution: prioritization under pressure, crisis decision‑making.
•    Partnership & negotiation: diplomacy with authorities and communities. Solid-interpersonal and communication skills and negotiation capacity.
•    Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel

Languages:           
Fluency (level C) in English language is required. 

REMARKS: This VA will also be utilized to generate a roster for the future potential consultancy assignments at the same or lower level, and for opportunities in other duty stations within in South Sudan.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behavior that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact:  global.inclusion@wfp.org

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruitment system. We do not accept CVs or spontaneous applications by email.

• If you experience challenges while submitting your online application, please contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org for technical support only.

• Please note that applications sent to this email address cannot be considered.

• We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete, and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, language skills and UN Grade (if applicable).

• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

• Kindly note the only documents you will need to submit at this time are your CV and Cover Letter

• Additional documents such as passport, recommendation letters, academic certificates, etc. may potentially be requested at a future time

• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

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.