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Job Description
JOB PURPOSE
Over the last 5 years and because of the conflict and related break down of the economy in Yemen, the food security situation in Yemen has been worsening with an intermittent improvement in 2019. The December 2020 IPC results indicated that 16.2 million people would be food insecure (IPC 3+) in the first half of 2021, even when humanitarian food assistance is provided; this includes 47,000 people classified in IPC phase 5 (catastrophe). Thus, WFP plans to continue the reinforcement of the analytical capacities for improved food security and economic analysis services to be able to inform the programme.
The research, assessment and monitoring unit undertakes regular large-scale surveys, monitoring activities, rapid assessments and mapping services to inform the WFP country officed with updated food security information including economic and price data. These help both programmatic decisions and advocacy efforts. The current price monitoring system with weekly data collection has been expanded from a pure governorate level to district level in the southern governorates deploying a private third-party service provider, while similar efforts are being envisaged for the northern districts. In addition, WFP Yemen has piloted the market functionality index in 2020 assessing the feasibility to switch to market-based distribution modalities, in particular cash. Further market assessment and analyses are becoming crucial for WFP to support the scale-up of cash distributions but also to assess market impacts of humanitarian interventions. To manage the entire process from design of data collection to data analysis and reporting, the VAM unit in Sana’a is recruiting an economist/market analyst.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)
- Contribute towards the development of a limited number of projects, plans and processes, ensuring alignment with wider programme policies and guidance.
- Provide project management support to specific and defined programmes and projects of small to moderate size that are relatively straight forward in nature, ensuring a coordinated approach with wider programmes that complies with WFP standards and procedures.
- Follow data gathering and monitoring systems ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained.
- Research and analyse policy and operational issues to support senior colleagues in the development of policies, programmes and activities.
- Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on programmes and activities that enable informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.
- Liaise with internal counterparts to ensure effective collaboration, monitor ongoing projects.
- Support the identification, development and management of potential partnerships to collaborative working leading to improved food assistance packages.
- Support the capacity building of WFP staff, partners and national government to prepare for and respond to food assistance needs, e.g. through project management support of learning initiatives.
- Provide guidance to support staff, acting as a point of referral and assisting them with analysis and queries.
- Other as required.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)
- Conduct monthly and ad hoc data analyses by cleaning and analysing price data, preparing data visualisations and English narratives.
- Plan, design, coordinate and lead the implementation of market assessments and analyses.
- Design and manage a database for primary market data and economic data.
- Upload price data to the corporate systems in a timely manner.
- Establish a rapport with Central Bank of Yemen branches to be able to monitor contextual factors for the currency exchange rates and trends of the reserve.
- Represent the RAM unit in the inter-agency Cash Market Working Group.
- Collaborate with government/non-government counterparts to strengthen market and price information systems and promote the mainstreaming and harmonisation of such systems.
- Perform other duties as required.
Skills
STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education: Advanced University degree or University degree with experience and training/courses in one or more of the following disciplines: Economics, Development Economics, Agricultural Economics, Statistics, Mathematics or similar relevant discipline.
Experience:
- At least 1 year of post-graduate, progressively responsible, job-related experience in economic and/or food security analysis.
- Substantial experience in market monitoring and analysis, macroeconomic analysis/research, market research or similar areas areas that involve data processing and analysis.
- Solid experience in writing technical reports in English to high level stakeholders.
- Advanced knowledge of Excel, information management systems, databases or SAP systems for advanced data analysis.
- Experience with Excel/database.
- Experience working in a team involving people of different nationalities and cultures.
Language: Fluency in English (level C written and spoken). Fluency in Arabic (level C written and spoken).
Nationality: Yemeni.
OTHER SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS
- Strong skills in primary data collection, cleaning of raw data and data analysis.
- Experienced in macro and microeconomic analysis, preferably in relation to food security.
- Proficiency in Windows, MS Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook); basic knowledge in database management.
- Proficiency in a statistical package is desired (SPSS, Stata, R, Phyton).
- Competencies: Cognitive Capacity, Teamwork, Action Management, Innovation, Partnering, Client Orientation, Advisory Skills, Facilitation and Training.
4Ps CORE ORGANISATIONAL CAPABILITIES
Purpose
- Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Understands WFP’s Strategic Objectives and the link to own work objectives.
- Be a force for positive change: Flexibly adapts individual contributions to accommodate changes in direction from supervisors and internal/external changes (such as evolving needs of beneficiaries, new requirements of partners).
- Make the mission inspiring to our team: Recognizes and shares with team members the ways in which individual contributions relate to WFP’s mission.
- Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Sets own goals in alignment with WFP’s overall operations, and is able to communicate this link to others.
People
- Look for ways to strengthen people’s skills: Assesses own strengths and weaknesses to increase self-awareness, and includes these in conversations on own developmental needs.
- Create an inclusive culture: Participates in open dialogue, and values the diverse opinion of others, regardless of background, culture, experience, or country assignment.
- Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Proactively seeks feedback and coaching to build confidence, and develop and improve individual skills.
- Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Participates in accomplishing team activities and goals in the face of challenging circumstances.
Performance
- Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Shows willingness to explore and experiment with new ideas and approaches in own work.
- Focus on getting results: Consistently delivers results within individual scope of work on time, on budget and without errors.
- Make commitments and make good on commitments: Commits to upholding individual accountabilities and responsibilities in the face of ever-changing country or functional priorities.
- Be Decisive: Makes rational decisions about individual activities when faced with uncertain circumstances, including in times of ambiguity regarding information or manager direction.
Partnership
- Connect and share across WFP units: Seeks to understand and adapt to internal or cross-unit teams’ priorities and preferred working styles.
- Build strong external partnerships: Demonstrates ability to understand and appropriately respond to and/or escalate needs of external partners.
- Be politically agile & adaptable: Portrays an informed and professional demeanor toward internal and external partners and stakeholders.
- Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Provides operational support on analyses and assessments that quantifies and demonstrates WFP’s unique value as a partner.