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.

Are you a Research and Data Officer interested in further developing your professional experience while contributing to ending global hunger? Are you passionate about helping those in need? Would you like to join a global organization investing in its people?

If so, an exciting & fulfilling career awaits you! Join our diverse and passionate team that works on varied and international projects directly contributing to saving & changing millions of lives around the globe.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Applications must be submitted by Tuesday, January 30, 2024 (10:59 PM CET)

WHO WE ARE

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), a highly prestigious, reputable & world’s largest humanitarian organization, operating in more than 120 countries and territories, bringing life-saving assistance in emergencies, building pathways to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change and supporting sustainable and resilient livelihoods for a world with zero hunger.

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: UN World Food Programme (WFP) and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter.

WHY JOIN US?

• 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)

THE ROLE AND ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

This position is part of the restructuring plan for the School-Based Programmes (SBP) division. It corresponds to several critical tasks of the secretariat of the School Meals Coalition. As part of a special, self-contained and time-bound initiative (expected to go until 2030) in which WFP has taken on dedicated responsibilities on behalf of a member state-led initiative, this position has specialized responsibilities that are not required in WFP Regional, Country or Global Offices given the nature/scope of the work for the Coalition. Furthermore, continuity is essential to ensure continuous support for the success of the initiative. This position will establish partnerships with technical partners, and build lasting and trusting relationships with key stakeholders to continue the momentum and visibility of the Coalition over a mid and long-time horizon. This particular position is highly technical in nature and will be essential to ensure WFP’s credibility and standing on data management and monitoring.

The Research, Data and Analytics Officer will help to lead the Data and Monitoring Initiative, the fourth initiative under the School Meals Coalition. The initiative has the goal of improving the availability of quality data on national school meal programmes worldwide and institutionalizing current efforts. Better data on school meals and complimentary activities will serve as a measure of progress of the School Meals Coalition while enabling stakeholders to share and exchange information, identify knowledge gaps for research, identify best practices, guide policies, and improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of the programmes.

The Data and Monitoring Initiative has three workstreams:

1) establish agreed core set of indicators, with clear methodologies to calculate and report on them, so that governments will improve consistency and comparability of data;

2) establish agreed set of reporting processes that helps governments to systematically capture and report high-quality data and avoid duplication of demands. Establish a robust dissemination and communication strategy to allow practitioners to fully utilize/apply the information; and

3) create a database on school meals and complimentary activities, as a global public good, that systematically, collects, stores, curates and and makes accessible, timely national data on school meals, and school health and nutrition programmes.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

You will have the following responsibilities:

• Lead the work of the Data and Monitoring Initiative and its three workstreams: indicators, process and database. Ensure that work is progressing on these three fronts in a timely way, draft and prepare the inputs for these three workstreams, organize meetings with the right stakeholders for their input and ensure that the discussions on indicators and process are evidence-based and technically sound.
• In collaboration with stakeholders and partners, ensure that the global database is the trusted source of internationally comparable data on school health, nutrition and school feeding globally.
• Lead the coordination, design, development and roll-out of a platform (The Global Database on School Health and Nutrition) that electronically and systematically, collects, stores, curates and makes open and accessible in-time national school health and school feeding data globally.
• As member of a Data and Monitoring secretariat, this role will coordinate an Analytics and Metrics Community of Practice (advisory group of academic and research partners) and a Survey and Data Platform working group (includes WFP IT, and the Research Consortium).
• Support the mapping of existing data and establishing the criteria, standards, methodology and processes for collection, validating and reporting of school health and nutrition data globally.
• Lead the design of the survey to collect and feed the global database with school feeding and school health and nutrition data globally.
• In collaboration with the Research Consortium for School Health and Nutrition and the Data and Monitoring Steering Committee, identify focal persons from governments, partner agencies such as, African Union, AUDA-NEPAD, OECD, GCNF, UNESCO’s Institute of Statistics, WFP country offices, etc. who will be responsible for facilitating the data collection, survey completion and validation processes.
• In coordination with the SBP Monitoring and Evaluation unit, develop a Results Framework for the Global database.
• Develop a training module for global survey facilitators. Serve as product manager to WFP Information Technology team in the creation of business requirements for the Global database, includes review and coordination of specifications, project management, testing and roll-out.
• Using data collected through this global knowledge facility, lead the development of new analytics and reporting on school feeding programmes globally, including the scale, coverage, need, investment level, and policy frameworks.
• Provide and ensure quality control to the global database (back and front end) and provide guidance on the tool.
• Offer helpdesk support to the field, including one-on-one support to WFP regional bureaus and country offices as needed
• Serve as key contributor to the planning, drafting and coordination of the development of WFPs flagship State of School Feeding Worldwide publication series
• Serve as liaison between SBP and VAM unit in supporting Value for Money (CBAs) efforts in WFP Regional Bureaus and Country offices
• Other duties as required

QUALIFICATIONS AND KEY REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION:

You have:

• Advanced degree in epidemiology, public health, or statistics is required. Strong quantitative, research and publication background with advanced skills in data processing and analysis, and survey programming

EXPERIENCE:

You have:

• Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience in designing and managing national surveys, research, and large/complex data

LANGUAGE:

You have:

• Fluency (level C) in English language.
• Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and/or Portuguese (A WFP’s working language)

MORE ABOUT YOU

You have:

• Experience working with large scale surveys, indicator development, large data sets and summarizing data to advance development agenda.
• Proven analytical skills; Advanced skills using either Stata or R for data processing and analysis desired.
• Demonstrated ability and experience in designing and delivering training and capacity building activities or other teaching experience is a plus.
• Superior written and oral communications skills in English is essential. Excellent writer and able to draft high-quality documents in English quickly.
• Ability to work independently, with minimal supervision and has initiative to propose or initiate activities to the benefit of the team and of WFP
• Strong attention to detail.
• Good interpersonal skills and ability to work in multicultural settings
• Exposure to WFP systems and excellent information technology skills (Microsoft Office Package, SharePoint, Teams) desirable.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

These are the common standards of behaviour that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

Different expectations of behaviour are defined depending on your grade and role/responsibilities within WFP.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Mobility is and continues to be a core contractual requirement in WFP. This position is however classified as “non-rotational” which means the incumbent shall not be subject to the regular reassignment process unless the position is reclassified as rotational. The selected candidate will be employed on a fixed-term contract with a probationary period of one year. This position is open to both internal and external candidates.

WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package in line with ICSC standards (http://icsc.un.org) including basic salary, post adjustment, relocation entitlement, visa, travel and shipment allowances, 30 days’ annual leave, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, a pension plan, and medical insurance.

The selected candidate will be required to relocate to Rome, Italy to take up this assignment.

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 wfprecruitment@wfp.org in case you face any challenges with submitting your application
• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified

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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.