Food Security Cluster Co-coordinator (SC – 8)

Organizational Setting

FAO is a specialized Agency of the United Nations whose mission is to contribute to eradicating hunger and achieving food security for all. FAO provides high quality technical and policy expertise to its member countries, thus assisting them in their efforts to meet their goals for eradicating hunger, reducing poverty and fostering improvements in agricultural and rural livelihoods in a sustainable manner. 

FAO Country Offices, working under overall corporate guidance and in line with the Strategic Framework, offer policy advice and support to countries in the mandated areas of FAO, facilitated through partnerships, resources and an active country programme to provide technical assistance, develop capacities and deliver core services while fully observing international standards of accountability to establish leadership and strengthen impact at the country level.

The offices deliver on the programmatic priorities of each country as agreed in their respective Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs) aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and ensure effective and efficient operations with adequate human and financial resources.

Specially, FAO Country Offices:
(i)advocate, inform and support policies and investments in the areas of FAO's mandate;
(ii)provide technical assistance and deliver core services;
(iii)assist and catalyse partnership and resource mobilization activities to support agrifood systems transformation;
(iv)position FAO as the specialized/authoritative technical agency in food and agriculture and agrifood systems transformation; and
(v)ensure risk-smart and accountable operations and management.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation in Myanmar co-leads with World Food Program in Myanmar, the Food Security Cluster in Myanmar. To strengthen the coordination of the cluster, the cluster lead agencies are recruiting a Food Security Cluster Co-coordinator.

Reporting Lines

Under the general guidance of the FAO Representative to Myanmar, the operational management of the Emergency and Rehabilitation Coordinator in Myanmar, in consultation with Assistant FAOR (Program), WFP head of Programme and Rehabilitation Officer, the Food Security Cluster (FSC) Co-coordinator will be ensuring the overall coordination of emergency relief activities in food security sector in Myanmar. FSC coordinator is requested to work closely with FAO, WFP and the coordinating agencies.
FAO, WFP, and the coordinating agencies are responsible for ensuring that, through coordination, the Food Security Cluster is implementing proportionate, appropriate, timely cost-efficient food security response.

Technical Focus

The Food Security Cluster Co-coordinator (Co-CC) plays a vital role in ensuring timely, coherent and effective food security interventions by mobilizing and supporting stakeholders to deliver a coordinated and strategic food security response to the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. The role of the Food Security Cluster Coordinator, as set out in the IASC Generic Terms of Reference and the main core functions, is to lead food security coordination along with the support team (includes an Information Management Officer (IMO).

Tasks and responsibilities

The Food Security Cluster Co-Coordinator will work impartially with all members of the Food Security Cluster and represents all members of the group equally, and as a whole. S/he will work closely with the United Nations Cluster Leads Agencies (FAO & WFP), the co-coordinating agencies at national and subnational levels.

•    Lead and facilitate regular FSC meetings with partners, and ad hoc meetings in case of sudden emergency or in accordance with partners’ requests and ensure the timely, coherent effective and coordinated food security response by mobilizing stakeholders in a strategic manner.
•    Enhances coordination through the reinforcement of linkages and synergies between relevant food security actors as well as between humanitarian and development partners.
•    Supports service delivery to ensure quality assistance is provided to beneficiaries and to avoid overlapping and ensure accountability to affected people.
•    Informs strategic decisions of the Humanitarian Coordinator and Humanitarian Country Team and coordinates and plan the cluster strategies, including contingency planning and preparedness.
•    Monitor and Evaluate Cluster/Sector performance, facilitate and support needs for evaluation and actively promote the utilization of this information for decision- making and ensure monitoring of the FS response and report on its implementation and the development of regular food security reports.
•    Establish and maintain an inclusive governance structure for the Food Security Cluster: actively ensure membership and engagement of key partners at national and sub-national level, organize regular cluster meetings, and ensure overall coordination of the food response in an emergency.
•    Support the development of the Humanitarian Needs & Response Plan (HNRP) and contribute to the HNRP by managing the process for the FSC supported by the IMO, with inputs from, and in close consultation with, the cluster partners.
•    Ensure timely, inclusive and regular information sharing and discussion with the cluster partners through various modalities including cluster meetings, email dissemination of cluster products and establishment of relevant technical working groups.
•    Coordinate and promote mainstreaming of cross-cutting and cross-sectoral issues and appropriate participatory and community-based approaches.
•    Actively promote the application of common standards and harmonization of programmatic responses and contribute to country level contingency planning and coordinate cluster-wide emergency preparedness and response.
•    Undertake advocacy and resource mobilization on behalf of the FSC partners in a neutral and impartial manner for food security needs and contribute to the effective management of country based pooled funding schemes by leading the process for the FSC.
•    Identify funding for the FSC partners and capacity gaps and needs and provide training and capacity building opportunities to FSC partners, Set the FSC partners according to the humanitarian architecture in Myanmar and provide capacity strengthening to FSC partner members.
•    Supervise and guide the IMO and provide guidance to the co-chair and other Cluster partners, ensure a smooth and inclusive relationship of the Cluster partners with all partners, and report regularly to the CLAs, Actively track FSC funding status in consultation with CLAs to ensure continuity of operations.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    University degree in food security, agriculture, economics, humanitarian affairs or related field;
•    Minimum 5 years of professional experience in humanitarian response at a mid or senior level. Experience in food security related topics is mandatory and experience with inter- agency coordination is desirable
•    Working knowledge of English and Myanmar
•    Nationality of Myanmar

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

•    Ability to work and plan at both operational and strategic level
•    Understanding of the international humanitarian response architecture, including humanitarian principles, coordination mechanisms, humanitarian reform and action, and funding mechanisms (e.g. Humanitarian Programme Cycle - HPC, Central Emergency Response Fund and Flash Appeals, Pooled funds);
•    Ability to work under pressure and adapt to an evolving and complex humanitarian context.
•    Ability to express and summarize ideas orally and in writing in a diplomatic and inclusive manner
•    Ability to interact with a number of different stakeholders and represent the FSC in strategic meetings and discussions
•    Ability to lead workshops, meetings and to present outcomes on behalf of a group of stakeholders;
•    Good understanding of FS Assessments, Survey, and Monitoring and Evaluation

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION