Vulnerability, Analysis and Mapping Officer (VAM) NOB, Lebanon Country Office, Beirut

Assisting more than 90 million people in 83 countries each year, the World Food Programme (WFP) is the leading humanitarian organization saving lives and changing lives, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. As the international community has committed to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition by 2030, one in nine people worldwide still do not have enough to eat. Food and food-related assistance lie at the heart of the struggle to break the cycle of hunger and poverty.

In Lebanon, WFP works to support approximately 700,000 people with regular assistance using e-cards. WFP also supports Lebanese schools with school meals, and has run over 300 development activities which include supporting rural infrastructure, as well as education and training opportunities for vulnerable individuals in families. WFP also supports Lebanon’s National Poverty Targeting Programme. 

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT: The post is based in Beirut CO and the incumbent is to report to the Head of Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) and Vulnerability, Analysis & Mapping (VAM) Unit.

JOB PURPOSE: To contribute to the VAM evidence base that supports food security and nutrition policies and programmes in Lebanon (e.g. needs assessment and situation analyses, programme design, targeting, cost effectiveness,  operational efficiency and beneficiary management).      

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Under the supervision of Head of M&E and VAM, the incumbent will perform the following tasks:

1. Manage the development of VAM projects and activities, plans and processes, ensuring alignment with wider WFP policies and guidance and specifically with the WFP Lebanon operation.
2. Support the development of systems and tools for the monitoring, targeting and assessment of food and basic assistance needs in line with innovative methodologies and best practice.
3. Lead the development of food security and vulnerability analysis (such as the VASyR) and the preparation of timely reports on food and basic needs in line with wider VAM policies, processes and guidance to enable effective decision-making on the development of country strategy, policies and programmes in Lebanon.
4. Support and technically advise the Joint Targeting Working Group during the entire targeting cycle;  Coordinate data gathering and monitoring systems with other units and partners ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained.
5. Liaise with implementing partners (internal and external) to monitor ongoing projects, ensuring effective collaboration, timeliness and efficiency and highlight potential risks to project delivery.
6. Support the capacity building of WFP staff, partners and national government to conduct vulnerability analysis and targeting to effectively inform preparedness and response activities.
7. Provide support to relevant partners that are focusing on food security, basic needs, targeting and nutrition issues to enable sharing of experience, lessons learned and best practice.
8. Provide inputs to line manager regarding the development and implementation of national government and inter-agency assessments, including United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), National Poverty Targeting Programme (NPTP) or Lebanon Crisis Response Plan (LCRP) aligned with nationally owned sustainable development goals.
9. Take responsibility for integrating protection and gender perspectives in all areas of work, to ensure equal participation of women and men throughout the entire WFP program in Lebanon. 
10. Support the VAM Data Manager in the overall beneficiary selection management process. 
11. Guide and supervise more junior staff, acting as a point of referral and supporting them with analysis and queries.
12. Act in an assigned emergency response capacity as required to meet emergency food assistance needs.
13. Other as required.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 

Education: Advanced University degree in Economics, Food Security, Agriculture, Statistics, Data Science, Public Health/Nutrition, Geography or other related field, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or training/courses.

Experience: Five years of relevant professional work experience. Experience using a variety of quantitative and qualitative analytical tools and methods.

Language: Fluency in both oral and written communication in English and Arabic. Knowledge of French language is added advantage.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE:

• Previous experience in humanitarian or development contexts.
• Good knowledge of Gender and protection analysis.
• Very good experience utilizing statistical processing tools such as SPSS, “R” and/or STATA.
• Demonstrated proficiency in the use of several statistical tools and methods for vulnerability 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.