Emergency Simulations Specialist – WFP Asia & the Pacific

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).

JOB TITLE: CALL FOR ROSTER: Emergency Simulations Specialist – WFP Asia & the Pacific
TYPE OF CONTRACT: International Consultant (Level II) - include When Actually Employed contract model
UNIT: Programme 
DUTY STATION: Roster – open for any duty station
DURATION: Any

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Emergency Simulations Specialist will be responsible for providing technical guidance and support to WFP teams, partners and government stakeholders. Depending on the theme of the simulation (eg: logistics, cash-based assistance, anticipatory action, etc), the Specialist will need to work closely with subject matter experts in the Country Office and Regional Bureau. 

While exact tasks will be determined by the requesting partner / office, responsibilities could entail: 

1.    Planning and Development:

• Support WFP regional / country office and the requesting party (eg regional body, government agency, other) to define the intended outcome(s) and objective(s). Advise accordingly on the most appropriate format of the exercise, estimate budget and lead time. 
• Lead (or support) the planning, development, and coordination of the exercise. Ensure that scenarios and materials are tailored to reflect the relevant emergency response context, national emergency mechanisms and protocols, and latest guidance and best practices. 
• Identify, organise, and oversee the preparation of necessary equipment and materials. Coordinate with relevant teams for administrative and logistical arrangements to ensure seamless preparation and execution of activities.
• Liaise with government representatives, disaster management actors, UN agencies, NGOs, and other partners to integrate relevant stakeholders into simulations, fostering a collaborative approach to emergency preparedness. Conduct pre-briefings with facilitators, observers, and participants to ensure role clarity and alignment on objectives.

2.    Management, Facilitation and Troubleshooting:

• Lead (or co-lead) the implementation of the exercise. 
• Facilitate and provide real-time support and troubleshooting during simulations, adapting scenarios as needed and addressing emerging challenges. Maintain clear communication throughout the exercise.
• Conduct post-exercise debrief to collect learnings and outcomes.

3.    Documentation and Capacity Building:

• Provide the repository of documentation and materials (TTX/SIMEX design, budget, and timeline of project; all materials and injects; etc) to the country office and regional bureau prior to the end of assignment, for knowledge management. 
• In the end of project report or related deliverable, capture lessons learned and identify areas for improvement to refine scenarios, processes, and deliverables for future exercises. 
• Train/mentor WFP staff and partners involved in the process to strengthen their capacities and confidence in development/facilitation of TTX/SIMEX.
• Depending on the skillset of the Specialist, through the SIMEX engagement work with WFP (and requesting partner) to identify opportunities to strengthen the relevant emergency response systems, policies, and plans tested as part of the exercise.

4.    Other Duties:

• Upon request, support emergency preparedness and response activities as needed and undertake additional tasks as assigned by tasking entity (Regional Bureau or Country Office), such as developing training of trainers or simulation guidance materials and manuals. 

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
Education    

• Minimum of bachelor's degree in one or more of the following disciplines: social sciences, development studies, public policy / administration, international relations, or another relevant field.

Experience:    

• ONLY CANDIDATES WHO HAVE DIRECT EXPERIENCE IN LEADING THE DESIGN AND FACILITATION OF SIMULATIONS / TRAINING EXERCISES SHOULD APPLY. 
• Minimum of 6-10 years of professional experience in disaster management / emergency preparedness with the UN, government, NGO, Red Cross, and/or private sector. Including as mandatory, at least 2 years of diverse (multi country/theme) experiences in leading the design and facilitation of emergency related simulations, training exercises, or disaster response scenarios.
• Experience coordinating joint pieces of work (training, simulation, response plan, other) across a diverse set of actors including government, UN, NGO, Red Cross Societies, defence actors, civil society, private sector, development actors and donors.
• Experience working with government systems to strengthen emergency response capacities, including collaboration on contingency planning, preparedness activities, or reviewing/testing national emergency protocols and shock responsive systems.

Knowledge & Skills:    

• Proven ability to work independently, manage and progress projects; 
• Client orientation with excellent interpersonal skills, demonstrated ability to build partnerships with people from diverse professional backgrounds (development and humanitarian sectors, defense, government, etc); 
• Experience in training and building capacity and skills of others;
• Strong written and oral communication skills;
• Demonstrated ability to work in a diverse multicultural environment;
• Flexibility to travel when necessary, including hardship duty stations.
• Experience working in Asia and the Pacific an added asset. 

Languages:  

• Excellent command of English (written and spoken) essential; 
• Knowledge of additional language/s relevant to Asia and the Pacific beneficial. 

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

• 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.