Programme Policy Officer (Early Warning Systems), NOC At World Food Programme

GENERAL INFORMATION

Position Title: Programme Policy Officer (Early Warning Systems), NOC

Supervisor: Programme Policy Officer – Anticipatory Action (Team Lead)

Unit: Programme, Emergency Preparedness & Response

Duration: 12 months (renewable, based on performance)

Expected Start Date: 1 June 2024

BACKGROUND & PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) unit and the Research Assessment and Monitoring Division (RAM), in World Food Programme’s Regional Bureau for Southern Africa (RBJ) in coordination with WFP HQ technical teams provide guidance and support to WFP Country Offices (COs) and governments on activities related to climate risk management, climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. These services can range from climate analyses to better understand climate change impacts on food security and nutrition, to supporting governments and WFP COs with technical advisory services as well as policy advice on risk reduction, financing, and transfer.

One of WFP’s flagship programmes for climate risk management is Anticipatory Action (AA), an innovative approach that enables the implementation of actions to prevent and mitigate, to the extent possible, the impact of extreme weather events on the food security and nutrition of the most vulnerable populations. Piloted in 2015 together with the German Red Cross, WFP’s AA portfolio now includes 7 countries in the southern Africa region (Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe). Together with national and local government partners, WFP is implementing projects to link early warning systems with anticipatory actions that are embedded in national disaster risk management plans for critical natural hazards such as droughts, floods, and cyclones. In addition to strengthening national capacities for developing and implementing AA initiatives, WFP is also working with partners to mainstream anticipatory action approaches in the humanitarian programme cycle and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).

To enhance this growing portfolio, technical support is needed to strengthen and link national early warning systems for short, medium, sub-seasonal and seasonal forecasts to AA. This will require the Programme Policy Officer to work closely with national meteorological services in the operational management of AA systems for drought, flood, and tropical storm hazards, as well as the development of portfolios of seasonal monitoring and early warning indicators, development of routine analytical and reporting products, supporting the preparation of robust climate databases and downstream value-added products.

The Programme Policy Officer will also be required to assess the skill of national/global early warning systems for predicting extreme events across various time horizons, geographies, develop hazard thresholds for severity, and skillful forecast probabilities that indicate the likeliness that a severe weather event will occur.

This work will be carried out in coordination with WFP Country Offices, and national authorities. WFP is also an Implementing Entity in World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Systematic Observation Financing Facility (SOFF), which requires technical oversight to COs and their government partners to design, budget, and implement Global Basic Observations Network (GBON) compliant project plans. Significant travel is expected from this post as projects are in their initial phases requiring baseline assessments, activity budgets, and the development / implementation of annual work plans.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The incumbent will work under the overall guidance of Anticipatory Action Team Lead, with technical supervision from Research, Assessment and Monitoring (RAM) Division Team Lead in coordination with CO focal points:
1. Support the strengthening of EW and AA Systems in focus countries:

Assessment/report on current skill, frequency, resolution, and other relevant indicators on the national weather service’s ability to provide timely forecasts and early warnings that capture extreme weather events such as droughts, tropical cyclones, heavy rain, and floods.
Support the development of workplans and budgets for technical service providers and consultants to capacitate national forecast systems in triggering AA for extreme weather events.
Jointly with RAM, provide technical support to national meteorological centres in downscaling and calibrating global forecasts and/or improvement of local area models where applicable.
Assess status of national meteorological observing network, collecting the number, status, coordinates, and transmission procedures of the meteorological stations, identifying operational, dormant, and inactive ones.
Support the assimilation and recovery of long-term data records from Meteorological Services databases and data-stores. Support the development of technical training, working groups, and oversight of project deliverables from technical partners.
Develop/maintain technical partnerships for seasonal, flood and cyclone forecasts, and/or identify appropriate national/regional/global forecasting and inundation models which can support AA interventions.
Support the development of impact-based thresholds from observational data and past extreme weather events

2. Support to regional initiatives and SADC Climate Services Centre Engagements

Provide support to the Joint ECHO Programme on Strengthened Early Warning and Anticipatory Action in Southern Africa, with a focus on Thematic Pillar 2 (Harmonization of AA trigger models) activities, such as hosting the Sub-Technical Working Group on AA Triggers and Climate Services and supporting the facilitation of regional impact-based forecasting trainings.
Support engagements with SADC Climate Services Centre, geared towards enhanced integration of AA triggers in the annual Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum (SARCOF) processes.
Lead on engagements with EWS experts from other agencies (e.g. FAO, OCHA Centre for Humanitarian Data, Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement) with the aim of harmonizing existing AA trigger models or conducting expert peer review processes of new AA trigger models being developed for SADC member states.
Support EWS components of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and Adaptation Fund (AF) projects in Lesotho and Zimbabwe, as well as regional climate finance projects currently in the pipeline.

3. Support the SOFF Readiness and Implementation Phases in focus countries.

Any other duties as required.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

Minimum of five years of professional experience in one or more of the technical areas of early warning, seasonal monitoring, flood analysis, numerical weather prediction, and weather forecasting in the southern Africa region.
Familiarity with downscaling, calibration, and bias correcting of global weather models for subnational forecasts.
Familiarity with hydrological models for flood forecasting including duration, and extent.
Familiarity in the usage and applications of remote sensing data such as rainfall estimates, NDVI, LST and related.
Experience working with national meteorological services in the region would be beneficial.
Experience with managing technical projects, budgets, workplans and with diverse technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Strong knowledge of analytical programming languages such as R and Python

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Advanced University Degree (Masters or equivalent) in one of the following areas: hydrology, meteorology, climate, or a related field;
Experience: At least five (5) years of post- graduate related working experience

Language: Excellent written and spoken English (level C) is a requirement; working knowledge of French or Portuguese is an advantage.

CONTRACTUAL INFORMATION

This is a 12-month Fixed Term Contract, (renewable based on performance).
Gross Monthly Salary Range: R113 170-134 605
Benefits: Annual Leave, Pension & Medical Insurance

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

The deadline for Applications is 07 April 2023

ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to end global hunger. 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. The World Food Programme office in Johannesburg is a Regional Office coordinating and supporting the delivery of humanitarian assistance to 12 Southern Africa countries including, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Botswana, Malawi, Madagascar, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Brazaville, Tanzania, Angola.

For more on WFP and what we do, please go to www.wfp.org