Vulnerability Analysis & Mapping Officer (Analytics) at World Food Programme

Job Purpose:

• To contribute to the VAM evidence base that supports food security and nutrition policies and programmes (e.g. needs assessment and situation analyses, programme design, targeting, cost effectiveness, and operational efficiency).
• The Vulnerability Analysis & Mapping Officer (Analytics, Research and Innovation) is an integral part of the RBJ VAM team. The primary mandate of the VAM Department 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 Vulnerability Analysis & Mapping Officer will be responsible for innovative analysis that will inform WFP programmes and drive the research agenda for defining sustainable and transformative Zero Hunger solutions in WFP Southern Africa Region.

Key Accountabilites

Under the direct supervision of the Senior Regional VAM Officer, the VAM Officer will:

• Manage the implementation of Pillar 1 of the Regional VAM strategy on advanced analytics and evidence generation.
• Conduct advanced analysis of food security, poverty, agriculture and climate data to understand the structural causes of hunger and undernutrition in the region and develop knowledgebase of the drivers at household, community, national and regional level.
• Conduct thematic analysis using secondary data sources among others, national statistics to contribute to understanding food and nutrition security dynamics in the region.
• Collate and analyse data needed for risk modelling for vulnerability/resilience research.
• Design and develop innovative data visualization tools demonstrate complex interlinkages between chronic and acute food security and macro-economic context and climate change in southern Africa region.
• Develop comprehensive country profiles on vulnerability drivers for food and nutrition security and HIV
• Provide technical support in analytics, data innovation and international best practices and data standards both for VAM at the Country Office and Regional Bureau.
• Liaise with other regional partners, including but not limited to FAO, UNICEF, OCHA to ensure that data is effectively used for decision-making.
• Perform any other duties as determined by the supervisor.

Education:

• An advanced University degree in statistics, applied statistics, applied mathematics, computer science, data science, quantitative economics, food security, public health or nutrition, geography or other related quantitative field OR a first University degree with additional years of relevant work experience and/or training courses.

Experience:

• A minimum of 3 years role related post-graduate experience which includes quantitative and qualitative data analytics and data visualization in a busy environment
• Demonstrated experience in the use of any of the following data science techniques such as text mining, sentiment analysis, predictive analysis, trend analysis event detection, modelling of complex systems is required.
• Competencies in programming in R, SQL or Python programming and use of statistical software such SPSS, STATA.
• Knowledge of data visualization products such as Tableau or PowerBI etc.
• Experience with Remote Sensing data and GIS skills (ARCGIS or QGIS) is an asset

Language: 

• Fluency (level C) in written and oral English. Spoken and written French and/or Portuguese will be advantageous.

Desired Experiences for Entry Into The Role:

• Demonstrated proficiency in the use of several statistical tools and methods for food security analysis.
• Developed practical expertise in food security analysis and mapping by participating in multiple assessments in countries, including the design, data collection and analysis.
• Demonstrated technical knowledge and understanding of WFP vulnerability mapping systems and emergency assessment standards.

Functional Capabilities:

• Food Security Analysis: Demonstrates ability to conduct structured food security analysis—Identify underlying macro and micro factors impacting food security of communities and countries. Provides findings and recommendations for the programmatic response.
• Food Security Monitoring: Manages the implementation of food security monitoring systems. Investigates any observed anomalies in the datasets and informs program management for operational response.
• Technical Specialized Knowledge (e.g., Economics, Statistics, Public Health, Remote Sensing, GIS, etc.): Provides managerial and technical guidance for designing and conducting analyses, including computation, interpretation, and presentation of results for food security surveys and key indicators (comprehensive food security and vulnerability surveys, food security monitoring, implementing mobile surveys, market analysis, food consumption scores, coping strategies indices. data disaggregation, etc.)
• Food Security Assessment: Leads all aspects of surveys including design, implementation, analysis, findings and reporting. Ensures that assessment findings are easily translated into operational programmatic response.
• Strategic Operational Understanding:Demonstrates strong understanding of country operations to participate in response analysis exercises to improve the cohesion between analytical findings and programmatic response. Constructs evidence base underlying technical and policy advice given to stakeholders.

This vacancy announcement will close on Thursday, 9 April 2020 at 11:59pm 

This position is only open to South African Nationals OR candidates with a valid South African Residence Permit

Female applicants are especially encouraged to apply