Job Description
| Organization | United Nations World Food Programme |
| Job Title | Technical CBT Expert – Consultancy Contract |
| Requisition ID | 154885 |
| Location | Khartoum Sudan |
| Posted Date | 16/12/2021 |
| Closing date | 03 January 2022 |
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, physical or mental disability.
ABOUT WFP
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes. Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
WFP is implementing multiple activities aimed at providing food assistance as well as improving the livelihood conditions of the beneficiaries. Food assistance is provided through Cash Based Transfers (CBT) and through in-kind. In 2021, CBT across Sudan doubled from approximately 700,000 recipients to more than 1.3 million recipients. In 2022, the country office will continue providing technical support to field offices to shift more locations from in-kind assistance to cash where appropriate.
To lead the operational expansion of CBT and enforce quality standards throughout the CBT process, CO CBT team in Khartoum is expanding with a Consultant Level 2 Technical CBT expert position. That person will lead on providing technical support to AO and FO teams to implement and scale-up CBT, ensuring that CBT guidelines are applied to all distribution sites, coordinating the ongoing procurement processes to diversify financial service providers and engaging with CP and partners at Khartoum level through the co-chairing of the national CWG.
The incumbent will be under the direct supervision of the CBT Coordinator and overall supervision of the Head of Programme.
ACCOUNTABILITIES / RESPONSIBILITIES
• Coordinate with the CBT Team to ensure timely liaison with all units and AOs for a smooth implementation of CBT process
• Ensure that consolidated national distribution plan is put together timely, reflecting AO DPs and shared with all units.
• Reflect adjustments in the Implementation Plan as scale-up plan and transfer values are reviewed.
• Contribute to or lead assessments as requested as preparation for shifting to CBT, in coordination with AO CBT and relevant units, avoiding duplication with partners’ efforts.
• Provide technical support on CBT scale-up plans and shift in new locations to AO and FO teams, identifying the most appropriate transfer modality based on assessment and operational context.
• Engage with CBT partners and conduct regular meetings, in addition to the chair of the inter-agency CWG meeting
• Ensure that CPs’ performance is evaluated based on WFP CBT standards and guidelines.
• Ensure the reconciliation of CBT expenses across AOs are submitted to the CO at the end of every month
• Ensure that all AOs enter CBT distribution data in COMET in a timely manner. Follow-up with Finance Unit to track reconciliation gaps and issues across AOs.
• Provide technical support and guidance to CFM and protection officer colleagues and ensure complaints related to CBT operations at dealt with in a timely manner, with a specific focus on the adequate capturing, management and resolution of complaints related to agents behaviour, including the efficient provision of feedback to beneficiaries;
• Provide technical support to CBT staff and operations at CO level and across AO/FOs
• Train national officers at CO level and field staff on relevant CBT issues and ensure adequate transfer of knowledge and skills.
• Support the development of new CBT SOPs and guidance as needed.
• In liaison with the digitization team and AOs, ensure coordination of CBT scale-up with SCOPE registration plans.
• Give direction on the selection of appropriate transfer modalities, encouraging the scale-up of mobile transfer and diversification of mechanisms.
• Train CBT staff and CP specifically on operational aspects of mobile transfer to ensure smooth preparation and implementation of transfers, particularly on agent network capacities and sensitization.
• Work closely with M&E team to ensure appropriate monitoring tools and processes are in place to capture learnings on mobile transfers processes, including adherence to contractual obligations on visibility and ensure the robust monitoring of FSP vendor performance, in particular in terms of the treatment by agents of WFP beneficiaries during their cash-out experience, including the charging of unauthorized fees or mandatory services and adherence to contractual obligations and overall positive and negative outcomes from a recipient’s perspective.
• Lead on the procurement processes to contract new financial service providers, liaising with HQ, RBN and all relevant units.
• Undertake a mapping of different regulations, including local-level regulations that have a direct bearing on the operations of FSP and their vendors, which could affect the WFP operations.
• Undertake regular monitoring of the statutory and regulatory instruments from the government, including Central bank, Telecommunication regulators and security services that have a direct bearing on the function of Mobile Network Operators and Mobile Money Transfer Operators.
• Develop SOPs/questionnaires relevant to the different contexts across the country to augment the capacity of WFP monitors to review agents’ performance and work to modify monitoring plans to ensure adequate coverage;
• Engage with Area Office and Field Office CBT officers and focal points for ongoing adaption of processes within the operational context, including consultations during the development of tools and mechanisms.
• Perform any other related duties as required.
DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT
- BT operations have expanded as per the implementation plan
- Support functions and processes for smooth and timely CBT implementation and reconciliation are implemented in line with corporate standards
- Relevant CBT assessments are conducted to ensure appropriate transfer mechanism is selected in each location and to inform CBT design
- Transfer mechanisms are diversified and selected to best fit the operational context of each location
- WFP M&E is supported to ensure processes are strengthened to reflect the changes needed to respond to the differing transfer mechanisms introduced
- CBT guidelines and protection standards are mainstreamed in all CBT operations
- CBT data validated and reconciliations conducted timely on a monthly and quarterly basis
- CBT capacity is strengthened at AO and FO levels
STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
Advanced University Degree in International Relations, Social and development Science or relevant areas or Bachelor’s Degree plus relevant professional experience.
Work Experience:
At least 5 years of experience in related fields, in project management and operational implementation. Experience with WFP is desirable.
Strong experience in formulating programme strategies and activities in humanitarian and transition contexts, drawing upon full range of food assistance tools, and translating them into implementation modalities and operations;
Experience in negotiating and engaging with vendors, preferably FSP for CBT activities, including contract negotiation, oversight and implementation and to augment the capacity to monitor vendor and contractors performance;
Proven experience in designing and managing CBT activities.
Knowledge and skills:
Ability to provide technical advice/support on related operational such as transfer modalities; appropriate food baskets; deployment and testing of innovative approaches; etc.
A demonstrated capacity in participatory approaches to design and implement related activities;
Good understanding of programme principles in conflict, transition and development situations with the ability to translate them into context-specific design and implementation approaches;
In-depth understanding and knowledge of different CBT transfer modalities, particularly mobile transfers
Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook);
General knowledge of UN system policies, rules, regulations and procedures governing administration is desirable.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
03 January 2022
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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.
