Business Support Assistant (Analytics & GIS Mapping) Sunninghill, JHB at World Food Programme

WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles.

Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance.

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.

In emergencies, WFP gets food to where it is needed, saving the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters. After an emergency, WFP uses food to help communities rebuild their shattered lives. Present in nearly 80 countries, the organization has the global footprint, deep field presence and local knowledge and relationships necessary to provide access to nutritious food and contribute to the lasting solutions, especially in many of the world’s most remote and fragile areas. We manage an operating budget of approximately $5.9 billion each year, distributing 12.6 billion rations to those most in need. We reach an average of 80 million people with food assistance in around 80 countries each year.

For more on WFP and what we do, please go to http://www.wfp.org/videos/zero-hunger

JOB PURPOSE

The Business Support Assistant is an integral part of the RBJ VAM team. The primary mandate of VAM is to identify food insecure populations and their needs, provide early warning and generate information/knowledge to guide in formulating durable and better targeted food security and livelihood solutions at the regional level. The Assistant will be responsible for collating and organizing datasets; producing high quality maps and infographics used for regional analysis and understanding the regional socio-economic context and design of the Zero Hunger programmes for Southern Africa.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

• Support the implementation of Pillar 1 of the Regional VAM strategy on advanced analytics and evidence generation.
• Conduct in-depth analysis of data derived from remotely sensed images and mobile-based food and nutrition security monitoring systems and prepare relevant visualization.
• Assemble and maintain appropriate food and nutrition security indicators used internationally from different regional and global data services.
• Provide assistance in ensuring that rigorous quality data standards are maintained by VAM RB and COs.
• Maintain and manage the Geographic Information System (GIS) datasets for RBJ VAM Spatial Data Infrastructure.
• Produce high quality mapping products and infographics to support the RB functions and decision makers including the periodical EB meetings.
• Act as the VAM focal point for the roll out of drone mapping in the region.
• Provide technical support, including capacity building to Country Offices as required.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Education: Completed Secondary School Education. A relevant qualification in GIS, Statistics, Data Science, Geography, Economics and Food security related social sciences is desirable.

Completion of specialised training in quantitative analysis and data management is an added advantage.

Experience, Knowledge & Skills: A minimum of 4 years' role related experience is required.

Skills required are SQL, GIS Mapping software (ArcGIS or QGIS) and statistical analysis software (SPSS or R or Python etc.) and desktop publishing software (Illustrator or MS Publisher) and report writing skills.

Language:  Fluency (level C) in English language

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

This vacancy announcement will close on Wednesday, 4 March 2020 at 11:59pm Johannesburg time

This position is only open to South African Citizens OR candidates with a South African Permanent Residence Permit

Qualified female applicants are especially encouraged to apply

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

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.