Targeting Analyst Consultant

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.

To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok.

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).

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

Assisting over 100 million people in more than 80 countries each year, the World Food Programme (WFP) is the leading humanitarian organization saving lives and changing lives, delivering food assistance in emergencies, working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience, and partnering with governments to strengthen social protection systems. To be effective in this 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. 

As a result of conflict, climate change and the impact of COVID-19, hunger has been on the rise globally over the past years. While WFP thanks to increasing donor contributions has been able to significantly scale up its response, the gap between needs and resources available to address those needs is growing. This stresses further the importance of robust targeting and prioritization processes, ensuring that the most destitute and vulnerable people are assisted timely. 

With more pressure on country offices to conduct sophisticated targeting and prioritization exercises, there is rapidly growing demand for support from Regional Bureaux (RBx) on targeting-related issues. Moreover, within the framework of the Global Assurance Project (GAP), country offices are required to strengthen targeting processes in order to meet predefined, time-bound benchmarks for which the support of the Regional Bureaux is necessary.

To better meet demand HQ is now recruiting a Targeting officer who will be responsible for technical support in design and implementation of targeting and prioritization as well as providing oversight in the implementation of GAP-Targeting measures to strengthen in country processes.  Reporting to the Head of Targeting within the Needs Assessment and Targeting Unit, and under overall guidance of the Director Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Service (APP Division), the targeting officer will support country offices to better implement, monitor and document targeting decision-making across WFP operations. The Analyst will also establish strategic points of contact with other units, to explore potential links with targeting across WFP’s programmatic areas, such as social protection. The Targeting officer will also play a key role in the development, testing and evaluation of targeting methodologies, and translation of research findings and operational lessons learned into guidance, tools and learning materials for practitioners in the field.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Targeting officer will work in close collaboration with Programme and other units at regional‐ and country office levels, the Joint UNHCR/WFP Programme Excellence and Targeting hub and other external stakeholders, and be responsible for the following activities:

• Coordinate and support drafting of key policy and technical documents, including but not limited to operational targeting guidance, policy briefs, and technical notes.

• Provide strategic and operational targeting support to priority operations as per principles of engagement, including but not limited to:

  • establishing targeting strategies on basis of e.g. the operational and political context, programme objectives, data availability, humanitarian access, etc.

  • conducting advanced statistical, geospatial and other relevant forms of analysis to enhance geographic and household level targeting, including the validation of different targeting methods and approaches.

  • developing methodologies for high quality and people‐centered targeting approaches, including participatory qualitative data collection across WFP’s portfolio; and

  • establishing systems for regular monitoring of processes and outcomes for assisted and non‐assisted populations to refine targeting and prioritization decisions.

• Lead/support targeting‐related research and innovation efforts for the advancement of targeting processes and methods.

• Ensure that research findings, operational best practices and lessons learned are documented in a manner that allows for translation into strategic and policy recommendations, operational guidance and tools, and learning materials.

• Advise and support RAM efforts for data standardization as relevant to targeting.

• Produce learning materials and facilitate of targeting‐related capacity strengthening workshops, webinars and other means of learning.

• Continuously review and monitor new and existing corporate strategic and policy frameworks, with the view to ensure alignment with targeting policies and operational guidance.

• Through desk reviews, remote and on-site missions, support the generation and compilation of operational lessons learned and policy-level recommendations.

• Support the roll-out and continuous refinement of corporate targeting guidance, providing actionable technical advice on targeting covering the broad range of WFP programmatic areas.

• Provide direct support to the Global Assurance Project, working flexibly with teams in HQ, Regional Bureaux and Country offices in the focus area of targeting, to advance the development of benchmarks, indicators, and enhance tracking of country office progress towards key standards.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

• Strategic and technical advice, support and guidance provided to COs and priority country operations as per principles of engagement.

• Targeting capacity across functions at country‐, and regional‐ levels enhanced.

• Lessons learned and best practices are documented and inform improved Targeting and Prioritization guidance and related learning materials; and

• Priority areas of targeting research are advanced towards a clear set of deliverables.

• Progress is made towards the attainment of global GAP-targeting benchmarks in each of the high-risk country offices in the region; and

• Operational guidance and other materials reflecting the evolving policy environment are known to practitioners in the field, through knowledge management and capacity strengthening efforts.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education:

• Advanced University degree in social science, public health, statistics, geography, economics or related field.

Experience:

• At least 5 years mixed experience in conducting assessments, analysis, targeting, monitoring as well as programme implementation in humanitarian and development contexts.                                                                                                                          

Knowledge & Skills:

• Experience from policymaking processes in targeting-related areas of the humanitarian/development sector

• Background in technical targeting advisory role for humanitarian/development programme design

• Strong skills in one or more statistical software (SPSS, Stata, R, etc.) required and background in advanced statistical analysis for targeting is desired

• Experience in planning, conducting and overseeing participatory qualitative data collection methods, including through Focus Group Discussions, key Informant Interviews etc.

• Experience working in dynamic and innovative environments

• Ability to work independently, interacting with a diverse set of internal and external stakeholders;  

• Willingness to travel to hardship duty stations as allowed and required; and

• Competencies: Cognitive Capacity, Teamwork, Action Management, Innovation, Partnerships, Client Orientation

Languages:

• Strong written and oral English skills (proficiency/level C), working knowledge in a second UN language is an advantage.

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 dedicated to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our recruitment process is inclusively crafted to welcome candidates of all backgrounds, celebrating diversity and ensuring a respectful environment for all. We aim for an accessible and fair recruitment journey. Should you need any reasonable accommodations or have accessibility concerns, please reach out to us confidentially at global.inclusion@wfp.org. Our DEI team is here to ensure your full participation in our recruitment process.

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

• 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.

• Please make sure you upload your professional CV in the English language

• 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

• Please contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org in case you face any challenges with submitting your application

• 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.