Logistics Cluster Operations Officer

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JOB TITLE:
Logistics Cluster Operations Officer
TYPE OF CONTRACT:REG CST
UNIT/DIVISION:SCIC
DUTY STATION (City, Country):HQ Rome with field missions
DURATION: 6 months

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
The Global Logistics Cluster (GLC) is part of the humanitarian architecture of the Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC), together with other 10 global clusters. It is led by WFP and to fulfil its cluster lead mandate, WFP hosts standing Global Cluster Support Cells for the Logistics Cluster. The GLC was formally endorsed by the Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) on the 15 December 2010.
The Global Logistics Cluster Support Team (GLCST) contributes to the implementation of the IASC Reference Module for Cluster Coordination at country level in line with the WFP Executive Director Directive on "WFP Leadership in IASC Clusters". The Cluster approach is about enhancing cooperation and partnerships in the logistics sector.
The objective of the Global Logistics Cluster is to provide directed operational, technical, and policy support to country clusters, including that of maintaining active rosters of pre-qualified staff and other standing capabilities. This role includes promoting inter- agency preparedness for, and response to, humanitarian emergencies, guiding standards and policy formation and strengthening procedures and capacities for inter- agency planning and operational response. This involves systems and personnel development, support for planning and assessment, the development of normative guidance, contributing to and aligning activities with the Strategic Plan developed by the HCTs as well as sourcing and/or stockpiling of resources ready for rapid deployment. The Logistics Cluster partners and stakeholders include international NGOs, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, other UN organizations, Governments, academia, private sector and Donors.
As a member of the Global Logistics Cluster Support Team (and together with the Global Cluster Lead Agency), Field Support Desk Officers are assigned to regional desks or groups of countries where the humanitarian community, together with the local government, have requested some support to implement partially or fully the core functions of the cluster approach at country level. The Field Support Logistics Officers support, participate and in some instance may oversee global events.
The Field Support Desk Officer advises and provides guidance to the coordination cells, supports the Country Office reviewed strategy, and may provide surge capacity to on- set activities in-country.
The Field Support Desk Officer contributes to fostering, developing and maintaining partnerships, and therefore, strengthening the community of the Logistics Cluster partners
.
ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
Holding the Field Support Desk Officers' accountabilities and responsibilities requires advanced technical capacities in Project Management - including assessment, planning, implementation, project monitoring, strategy revision.
In specific, a Field Support Desk Officer has partnership skills to ensure the effective and efficient engagement of the key stakeholders, has negotiation skills to facilitate consensus in decision making, and finally, has public relations skills to manage perceptions and expectations.
Support at country level:

• Stands as main interlocutor (ie: channel) for WFP CO-led Logistics Coordinators and/or Partnership Managers (in the countries under his responsibility).

• Identifies, analyses and processes the information needs or receives support requests from WFP CO and Logistics Coordination or Partnership Managers.

• Builds (where and when needed), maintains and develops information channels and relations between the WFP CO-led Logistics Coordination cells, WFP Regional Bureaus or WFP HQ relevant functions, and GLC Support Team.

• Watches the humanitarian context and its development, the defined strategies (IASC, WFP, OCHA, UNDAC, GLC Strategy, humanitarian partners and donors) in the field of the supply chain (operational and technological developments included) and other changes in the socio-economic-political situation, in the countries under his/her responsibility, but also from other countries that could impact significantly the humanitarian situation in any country subject to coordination limitations or constraints.

• Drives the implementation of the Cluster coordination yearly based workplan, guides the process of gaps and needs analysis and strategy definition (or yearly revision), and advises on the architecture of the coordination mechanisms, based on the Cluster approach (IASC) guidance.

• Provides strategic and technical operational guidance in the conception, the implementation, or the revision of a sectorial coordination mechanism approach and on coordination management, in leadership approaches, in localization strategies, in the triple nexus approach, and in any relevant topics related or linked to supporting the humanitarian response (IASC, OCHA Humanitarian access, WFP, Civil-military coordination, Lead agency in Emergency Health Crisis and Refugee Response).

• Develops and designs, where and when needed, tools, methodologies, procedures, guidelines, guidance and best practices to strengthen the Logistics Cluster coordination in general, and support requesting logistics Clusters or working groups, in specific.

• Drives, reviews and develops or designs analysis tools to support (and when and where needed) cluster operations strategic-decision making, gaps and needs verifications, or Cluster approach and strategy revision.

• Provides (on-demand) technical and strategic advice (and/or references) to WFP Country Offices on Sectoral Assessment, on logistics Gaps and Needs Analysis exercises and tools, b) Humanitarian Needs Overview (WFP submitted) contribution, Humanitarian Response Planning (WFP submitted) contribution, Inter-Cluster Coordination (WFP submitted) contribution, and other strategic planning products.

• Supports in-country cluster coordination performance monitoring (CCPM).

• Advises the Country Strategic Plans review process (narrative and budget) and other internal (LEO) and external (Flash Appeal) documents needed to support implementation of the cluster activities (including Logistics Contingency Plans and Preparedness activities, in coordination with the heads of the relevant GLC ST workstreams).

• Conducts planned field support (yearly) visits (or on-set missions) to support Logistics Cluster operations, including scoping missions, Market Capacity Assessment, Gaps and Needs Analysis exercises, facilitation of trainings, participation to workshops.

• Supports the identification and mobilization of the necessary resources (assets, staff, funds) to implement the needed Cluster activities at country level.

• Monitors and supports the alignment of the in-country Logistics Cluster activities with the WFP Country Strategic Plan, and monitors country level funding situations.

• Provides guidance to WFP country offices (CO) on the different possible sources of fundings available (internal and external) and assists in submission of project proposal (Country based Pool Funds).

• Provides technical support and guidance to WFP CO regarding the use of Project Management corporate system and tools.

• Provides technical support and guidance to WFP CO regarding the use of GLC standards system and tools.

• Raises awareness on transversal (Response related) issues (such as Networking methodology, Trust building, Gender Equality advocacy, Protection, etc..).
Support to Global Cluster

• Drives the implementation of the GLC Operations Workplan at CO level, and is responsible for the communication of the GLC Strategy to country offices.

• Initiates and builds reliable and effective communication and coordination channels (regular or ad-hoc as and where needed) with all relevant stakeholders at global level to inform on country strategy definition/implementation/revision.

• Reviews cluster related strategic and technical issues, and collects relevant information within WFP HQ to support country level cluster activities implementation.

• Analyses, verifies and communicates any relevant country information to the GLC Support Team (ST), ensuring close coordination and collaboration with the relevant GLC ST workstreams.

• Contributes to developing and maintaining the GLC roster through identification, training, deployment and performance evaluation.

• Identifies human resources needs, proposes HR process initiations, guides the definition of Terms of References, advises on selection and staff onboarding.

• Deploys to support the implementation of new Logistics Cluster activities in the aftermath of a disaster or conflict. Acts as Logistics Coordination and Partnership Manager when and where needed as agreed with WFP country office, Government and GLC.

• The Field Support Desk Officer reports to the Global Logistics Cluster Head of Operations. Note: Where additional technical tasks are assigned a technical reporting line may be added.

• The Field Support Desk Officer must be proficient with all relevant WFP corporate tools developed to support project definition/implementation/monitoring and revision including but not limited to SPA plus, CPB Management Overview and Resourcing detail, Grant 360, Wings and PACE.

• The Field Support Desk Officer must be proficient with all GLC system and tools, required to implement the support expected at country level including but not limited to Service Provision and Service Management, Preparedness Capacity Building and Information Sharing system and tools.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

• Briefing/debriefing for deployed Logistics Coordination and Partnership Managers are provided in a systematic and standardized manner in line with GLC relevant standard tool.

• Country Cluster Approach workplan is shared and discussed with all countries of responsibility.

• Country Sectoral Capacity Assessment and Gaps and Needs Analysis tools have been shared and discussed with all countries of responsibility.

• Country Sectoral Strategy have been revised in all countries of responsibility.

• Cluster Coordination Performance Monitoring support was provided to all countries of responsibility.

• Technical guidance, guidelines and best practices are shared with Logistics Coordination and Partnership Managers when required.

• Produce and share reports on activities (Information Management, Capacity Building and Service Provision and Service Management) and provide guidance document for corrective measures and the future of the project with Logistics Coordination and Partnership Managers.

• Deploy to country of Operations as surge capacity.

• Written handover mission, end of mission report and country checklist are produced and shared in due time with relevant colleagues (with analysis of findings, achievements and recommendation for improvement) after each mission.

• A handover/debriefing report is prepared at the end of the contract (including challenges, issues and recommendations for improvement).

• Related tasks as may be requested by the supervisor are undertaken.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
Education:
A university degree in Supply Chain Management, International Business, International Relations, Humanitarian Project Management, Business Administration and related field or equivalent relevant experience.
Experience:
At least 8 years of professional experience in humanitarian and development assistance including field emergency response and/or preparedness projects, Logistics operations, supply chain, assessment/monitoring/evaluation, management of operations, project coordination.
Knowledge & Skills:
Understanding of humanitarian Logistics/Supply Chain.
Understanding of the international humanitarian response architecture, including co-ordination mechanisms, Humanitarian Reform and
humanitarian action, and international emergency response funding mechanisms.
Ability to analyze and evaluate data and translate into useful information management products to facilitate decision making
Partnership and service mindset, integrity, result oriented, proactive engagement, gender and culturally sensitive.
Experience of high-level coordination, ability to work within a diverse group, build/develop consensus and deliver on joint outputs.
Demonstrated ability to work productively in high-pressure environments, to motivate a team, maintain morale and deliver on objectives in difficult circumstances.
Promote climate of teamwork, encourage learning of colleagues and facilitate team approach.
Languages:
Fluency (level C) in English language. Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian,
Spanish, and/or WFP's working language.

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