Organizational Setting

The Agrifood Economics and Policy Division (ESA) conducts economic research and policy analysis to support the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems for better production, nutrition, environment and life, leaving no-one behind. ESA provides evidence-based support to national, regional and global policy processes and initiatives related to monitoring and analysing food and agricultural policies, agribusiness and value chain development, rural transformation and poverty, food security and nutrition information and analysis, resilience, bioeconomy, and climate-smart agriculture. The division also leads the production of two FAO flagship publications: The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) and The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI).

The Office of Emergencies and Resilience (OER) is responsible for ensuring FAO’s efforts to support countries and partners in preparing for and effectively responding to food and agricultural threats and crises. It is responsible for coordinating the development and maintenance of corporate tools and standards to enable Decentralized Offices to assist Members to prepare for, and respond to emergencies. OER ensures humanitarian policy coordination and knowledge, liaison with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee as well as with humanitarian resource partners, co-leadership with the World Food Programme of the global Food Security Cluster, organizational preparedness, surge capacity and response to large-scale emergencies. OER supports food and nutrition security assessments and early warning activities related to emergency and humanitarian analysis and responses. OER plays a major role in the development and leadership of the Organization’s programme to increase the resilience of livelihoods to food and agriculture threats and crises.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) is a global, multi-partner innovative initiative to facilitate decision-making with improved food security analysis. The IPC is a set of tools and protocols for classifying the severity and nature of food insecurity that integrates food security, nutrition, and livelihood information into a clear statement about the nature and severity of food insecurity and implications for response.

IPC incorporates a meta-analytical approach drawing on evidence-based analysis that includes a broad range of data sets and stakeholders. This global initiative is governed and strategically guided by an IPC Global Steering Committee (GSC), consisting of nineteen major UN agencies, international NGOs and regional intergovernmental bodies: Action Against Hunger, CARE International, Comité Permanent Inter-Etats de Lutte contre la Sécheresse dans le Sahel (CILSS), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), the Global Food Security Cluster, the Global Nutrition Cluster, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Union,  Oxford Committee for Famine Relief (Oxfam), Southern African Development Community (SADC), Save the Children, Sistema de la Integración Centroamericana (SICA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Bank, and the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The IPC Global Support Unit (GSU), hosted within FAO and co-managed by FAO’s Agri-food Economics Division (ESA) and the Office of Emergencies and Resilience (OER), is the operational arm of the IPC Steering Committee and is responsible for the coordination of IPC normative development, IPC global standards on quality and compliance, as well as the global coordination of capacity building support to IPC activities worldwide.
IPC Call for Expression of interest

As part of the implementation of the IPC Global Strategic Programme, the IPC engages experts to work on activities and projects as international consultants or under personal service agreements (PSA) at various levels of experience (see minimum requirements below). The assignment may involve full-time or part-time functions and have a duration of up to 11 months. The possibility of extension is subject to satisfactory performance and depending on the availability of resources and needs of the Organization.

Assignments can be home-based or in a specific duty station based on needs of the programme and may require travel.
Individuals meeting or exceeding the requirements of the Call will be included in the ESA Divisional Roster. Experts who are registered in the Roster are available for consideration whenever relevant opportunities arise matching the required profiles.

Reporting Lines

Selected applicants will work under the direct supervision of the IPC Quality Assurance Team Leader, and the overall guidance of the Global Lead Analysis, IPC Global Programme Manager and ESA-Deputy Director.

Technical Focus

Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) – Quality Assurance processes in the Acute Food Insecurity and Acute Malnutrition analyses, with focus on quantitative and qualitative food security and nutrition analysis in major food and nutrition crises, including aspects of coordination of the technical support provided by the IPC Global Support Unit to IPC analyses at country level.

Tasks and responsibilities

The IPC is looking to identify experts with knowledge in at least one of the areas of work identified below. Specific assignments would include detailed activities and deliverables under one or more of the broad areas of expertise which include the following:

•    Facilitate or prepare IPC acute food security and nutrition analyses in countries characterized by extreme severity or magnitude of acute food insecurity(AFI) and acute malnutrition(AMN).
•    Coordinate the Quality Assurance support to IPC AFI and AMN analyses in collaboration with the relevant team leaders.
•    Coordinate Quality Assurance inputs in IPC AFI and AMN technical briefs and reporting.
•    Coordinate Quality Assurance activities, namely the Real Time quality reviews, the IPC Lessons Learning and contribute to IPC Capacity Development and institutionalization initiatives.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    University degree in Agriculture, Economics, Nutrition, Statistics, Economy, Social/Political Science, Agro-finance or a closely related field.
•    Relevant experience in Integrated Food Security Phase Classification or food security and vulnerability analysis:
o    Level A (Senior Expert) – at least 10 years of relevant experience
o    Level B (Expert) – at least 5 years of relevant experience
o    Level C (Specialist) – at least 1 year of relevant experience
•    Working knowledge of English, French or Spanish and limited knowledge of one of the other two or Arabic, Chinese, Russian.

FAO Core Competencies

•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building Effective Relationships
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Selection Criteria

•    Knowledge of Portuguese would be considered an asset in specific locations.
•    Demonstrated experience in coordination, multifunctional team management.
•    Extent and relevance of experience in food security and nutrition analysis and programmes.
•    Extent and relevance of experience in the application of IPC scales and analytical processes. IPC Level 3 (lead) or Level 2 (facilitator) would be considered an asset.
•    Work experience in more than one location or area of work
•    Good facilitation and communication skills (oral and written), and demonstrated ability to tailor messages to different audiences, ranging from national level analysts to senior management of agencies.
•    Extent and relevance of experience with statistical (SPSS, STATA, R) and/or data visualization software. Knowledge of ArcGIS would be considered an asset.
•    Familiarity with the architecture of development and humanitarian assistance architecture at country, regional and global level. Previous experience with IPC Partner Organizations would be considered an asset.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements