Programme Assistant – UNV jobs in Liberia
- Location: Monrovia, Liberia
- Vacancy No: N/A
- Salary: N/A
- Organization: UNV
- Gender: Both
- Deadline: 2024-03-15
Details
Mission and objectives
In Liberia, the World Food Programme (WFP) aims to provide safety nets to strengthen food and nutrition security through school feeding and social protection measures, and to strengthen Liberia’s capacity to own and implement hunger solutions.
Liberia, on the Atlantic coast of Africa, is classified as a least developed, low-income, food-deficit country. It ranks 176 out of 189 countries in the 2019 Human Development Index. Since the 2003 Comprehensive Peace Agreement it has been recovering from a 14-year civil war that destroyed national infrastructure and basic social services.
An outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease in March 2014 claimed 4,800 lives in just over a year and highlighted Liberia’s fragility. Although Liberia was declared Ebola-free in January 2016, the crisis had a severe impact on the country’s economy. Economic growth for 2014 fell from a projected 5.9 percent to between 0.7 and 0.9 percent and the cumulative loss of output was equivalent to 7.7 percent of the gross domestic product.
Poverty and food insecurity are high across the country and are particularly acute in Liberia’s rural areas where 51 percent of the population lives. Some 83.8 percent of the population live on less than US$1.25 a day.
A 2015 emergency food security assessment found that food insecurity affects 16 percent of households, including 2 percent that are severely food insecure. For one fourth of Liberian families, food accounts for more than 65 percent of their total expenditures. Some 18 percent of households were found to be using emergency coping strategies (mostly begging) to meet their food needs.
Among the major underlying causes of poverty and food insecurity in Liberia is the low level of access to education, with official statistics showing only 26.7 percent of children were enrolled in school in 2014. The 2014-15 Ebola outbreak had a devastating effect on Liberia’s children: schools had to stay closed for most of the year to curb the spread of the disease.
Context
Assisting almost 100 million people in 83 countries each year, WFP is the leading humanitarian organization saving lives and changing lives, delivering food assistance in emergencies, and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. WFP’s response to emergencies – saving lives and livelihoods either through direct assistance, or by strengthening country capacities – remains at the heart of its operations, especially as humanitarian needs become increasingly complex and protracted, such as those brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through its emergency and development activities, WFP has helped in Liberia since 1968 and, in 2013, shifted to a five-year development portfolio, including social and productive safety nets, capacity strengthening, and emergency preparedness and response. WFP aims to provide safety nets to strengthen food and nutrition security through school feeding and social protection measures and assists in strengthening the national capacity of Liberia to own and implement hunger solutions. To ensure effective planning and better-informed responses in supporting the implementation of Liberia’s Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development, WFP’s Country Strategic Plan (2019–2023) is designed to align with the government’s priorities alongside the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for 2020–2024 to create better synergy of actions with sister United Nations agencies.
Food security analysis is a core area of the WFP work and forms the basis for the design of all its operations. Prior to any intervention, WFP undertakes an analysis of the food security situation in the area. WFP provides geospatial and economic analysis, food security monitoring and assessments, post shock assessments and thematic analysis. The information allows WFP to perform effective targeting, determine the most appropriate type and scale of intervention, e.g. food distributions, nutrition assistance, school feedi
Task description
Under the supervision of the School Feeding Activity Manager, the UNV – Programme Assistant will undertake the following tasks:
1. Perform specialized and/or standardised processes and activities within the specific technical area of work supporting alignment with wider programme policies and guidelines.
2. Provide project management and/or general office support following established targets and WFP’s policies and procedures.
3. Compile data and support analysis and preparation of reports including COMET data entry in order to support operational decision-making.
4. Perform accurate, timely recording of data within the specific technical area of work (e.g. food security and vulnerability assessments) following corporate standards and guidelines.
5. Work and exchange information with internal counterparts to support effective collaboration, implementation and monitoring of ongoing project activities.
6. Support communication and activities with local partners, agencies, NGOs and government institutions.
7. Act as a point of contact for compiling take home ration beneficiaries’ data and ensuring its accuracy.
8. Follow standard emergency preparedness practices to ensure WFP is able to quickly respond and deploy needed resources to affected areas at the onset of the crisis.
9. Provide overall coordination support relating to all school garden activities across the Country Office.
10. Follow up and support distribution planning for all programme activities.
11. Track delivery and distribution of commodity liaising with MOE school feeding focal points and cooperatives.
12. Perform other related duties as required.
Eligibility criteria
Age
27 – 80
Nationality
Candidate must be a national or legal resident of the country of assignment.
Requirements
Required experience
3 years of experience in • Has facilitated communication with technical teams (i.e. nutrition, VAM, etc.).
• Has contributed to implementation of programmes.
• Has observed or assisted with policy discussions.
Area(s) of expertise
Development programmes, Health, Natural and life sciences
Driving license
–
Languages
English, Level: Fluent, Required
Required education level
Bachelor degree or equivalent in Food assistance programmes, programmme design, implementation and monitoring
Competencies and values
, Commitment and Motivation, Communication, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Working in Teams
Other information
Living conditions and remarks
Liberia, Africa's oldest Republic, is located at the western edge of the continent, on the Atlantic coast between Sierra Leone and Côte d'Ivoire. The population of Liberia is approximately 4.5 million and contains about 16 different ethnic groups. A large percentage of Liberia’s population lives in the capital.
The UNV will be based in Monrovia the capital city of Liberia.
The climate features a wet season and a dry season, but precipitation is seen even during the dry season. Temperatures remain constant throughout the year averaging around 26.4 °C (79.5 °F). Some visitors may feel cold during the day and evenings in the rainy season; also, most rooms are air-conditioned, so it is suggested that appropriate clothing (light sweater or jacket) be brought along.
The country is generally safer, except for petty crimes, especially in the cities. It is mandatory to complete the United Nations Security course BSAFE. The current UN security level for Liberia is level 2. Upon arrival in the country, all UN staff receive a security briefing from UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS). Security recommendations from UNDSS must be followed by all UN Staff and UN Volunteers during their assignments in Liberia.
There are hotels and guesthouses in various county capitals that are comfortable and have electricity and security. All UN Staff and UN Volunteers are to use only UN-approved guest houses and hotels.
A gym is also available at the One UN House for all categories of staff based on the presentation of the UN ID Card
Inclusivity statement
United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements
Selected candidates for certain occupational groups may be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) in line with the applicable host entity policy
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