Project Preparation Specialist

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.

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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).

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
WFP Jordan's Country Strategic Plan (CSP) contains two interrelated activities that focus on climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction. Activity 5 seeks to provide tailored climate adaptive support to smallholder farmers, pastoral communities and institutions responsible for natural resource management, and Activity 7 supports the Jordanian government to shift from responsive to anticipatory disaster risk management, specifically provide technical expertise and capacity strengthening to national and local EPR/DRR institutions.

• As part of Activity 5, WFP's Jordan Country Office is strengthening its collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA); Ministry of Environment (MoEN); public and private financial institutions; private sector; research institutions/academia; and the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem. These organizations partner with WFP to develop a portfolio of climate focused projects that build climate resilience among agricultural producers in four Northern Governorates in Jordan (Ajloun, Irbid, Jerash, Mafraq). The projects being designed will all have a strong focus on helping the most vulnerable (i.e., refugees, women, and youth) further develop climate resilient agricultural livelihoods. WFP is developing a project targeted at the Green Climate Fund (GCF) that will serve as the flagship climate resilient livelihoods project under the CSP.
• As part of Activity 7, WFP works closely with Jordan's National Center for Security and Crisis Management, the national custodian and key governmental coordinating body for all disaster risk reduction efforts and emergency preparedness, to support the development of a drought early warning system; enhance climatological forecasting abilities; and improve utilization of risk monitoring and impact analysis tools. Further, WFP works with key Jordanian line ministries and agencies to establish coordination mechanisms and develop early action protocols required for anticipatory disaster risk management. WFP is developing a project that will partner with other actors who work in early warning systems and develop a concept note to establish a more unified multi-hazard early warning system for Jordan with a specific focus on last mile communication including emergency preparedness and response. Enhancing the system will build resilience among populations that are especially vulnerable to climate hazards. Recently, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and WFP have joined forces on this concept and will continue its advancement as a joint project.

To advance this important work, the Jordan country office is seeking the support of a short-term consultant to provide support to the country office in advancing both of these projects.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Keep updated on existing climate and disaster risk reduction literature to ensure the most up to date information and statistics are used in design.
2. Keep updated on existing GCF and donor requirements to ensure the designed concepts and projects adhere to the most recent donor guidance.
3. Review proposals and/or concept notes, with a particular focus on GCF or donor requirements and comments and provide drafting and development support for enhancement.
4. Review concept notes with a gender and social safeguards lens to ensure incorporation of these critical elements in alignment with GCF and or donor criteria.
5. Work with the constellation of project partners to support development and refinement of graphics and annexes for concept notes.
6. Support the country office to address comments that come from government, donors or other partners in the review process.
7. Provide both technical and logistical leadership during execution of consultations with key Jordanian stakeholders to gather and codify information that may be needed for inclusion in concept or project documentation.
8. Provide both technical and logistical support to execute presentations and meetings that are held regarding projects and concepts for government and other key stakeholders.
9. Support the Cities and Villages Development Bank to develop a capacity stocktaking exercise and identify gaps and match gaps with various development partner support initiatives that can close identified gaps.
10. Support the country office to draft and develop fact sheets, briefers and other communications materials that showcase its work in the climate and disaster risk reduction portfolio.
11. Other related tasks as assigned.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:
1. Technical inputs included into the FALAH project preparation facility application and related project design activities that result in the development of the full funding proposal.
2. Technical inputs included into a multi-hazard early warning system concept in partnership with the United Nation's Development Programme that advances it through government reviews and submission toward the selected funding agency.
3. Capacity building plan completed for CVDB that matches existing gaps with development partner support. This plan is critical to demonstrate to the GCF that CVDB has requisite capacity support to serve as the accredited entity for FALAH and execute the MSME lending component.
4. Ad hoc fact sheets, briefers, graphics and communications materials that demonstrate WFP's work on the climate and DRR portfolio.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
Education: University degree in Environmental Science; Agriculture; Economics; Public Planning; Social Science or another relevant field.
 

Experience:
1. At least, five years of prior relevant experience designing concepts and projects related to climate change and or disaster risk reduction.
2. Experience working with key government of Jordan counterparts.

3. Experience conducting consultations with a range of public and private actors.
4. Experience analysing literature, information, data etc. and summarizing into succinct and compelling written products.
5. Experience working with the entire project cycle from design to management to monitoring and evaluation.
6. Experience working on GCF funded projects.
 

Knowledge & Skills:
1. Expert writing skills including usage of internally accepted citation styles.
2. Demonstrated knowledge of international development partner funding process and procedures.
3. Demonstrated knowledge of Microsoft suite of software for development and editing of presentations and graphics
4. Ability to assume independent roles as well as work effectively within a team
5. Strong communication skills that enable establishment of working relationships with persons of different national and cultural backgrounds
6. Ability to work constructively under short deadlines.
 

Languages: Fluency in spoken and written English; Arabic language skills would be an asset

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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: 

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

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REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruitment system. We do not accept CVs or spontaneous applications by email.

• If you experience challenges while submitting your online application, please contact us at for technical support only.

• Please note that applications sent to this email address cannot be considered.

• 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

• 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.