Shipping Consultant (CST II)

WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes. 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.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

In the Caribbean, hurricanes and other natural hazards have shown that the shipping environment presents a significant challenge to disaster response given the context of multiple small island developing States (SIDS).

Having pre-vetted approved and registered shipping vendors with a plethora of assets spread throughout the Caribbean that are ready to respond to emergencies is critical for WFP Caribbean’s emergency response capability – particularly if there is a multi-country event. Time and again hurricanes have rendered port operations deeply hampered or totally out of commission and it is, therefore, necessary to have a focus on assets that can respond when ports are incapacitated partially or totally.

JOB PURPOSE

This position is based in WFP’s Barbados but will perform duties in Multi WFP Country Offices for the Caribbean, covering 22 countries and territories, support the Supply Chain function of shipping/ocean freight in close coordination with WFP HQ Shipping. WFP supports the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and their participating states throughout the Caribbean with technical support, capacity strengthening, and emergency response. Emergency response activities are embedded in Country-led responses in coordination with national authorities and CDEMA.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

Under the overall supervision of the Head of Supply Chain for the WFP Caribbean Multi-Country Office, based in Barbados, and technical supervision of WFP shipping HQ, the incumbent will be expected to carry out the below listed actions in a close coordination with the Shipping unit in HQ.

Emergency Preparedness:

. Conduct missions to staging area receiving ports (across the Caribbean and Miami)

. Update the Caribbean survey and develop fast response capability in the Caribbean islands for shipping services and charters, Landing Craft, Hover Craft and RORO Shipping, freight forwarders.

. Manage RFQs for vendor engagement – Freight forwarders that can contract shipping capabilities.

. Support the building of shipping training modules.

. Develop and enforce Shipping SOPs –and Processes.

. Identify and engage with appropriate prospective vendors to develop agreements for rapid response capabilities and ensure follow through to fruition.

. Visit / Travel to build relations in the shipping capacities throughout the Caribbean.

Support ongoing WFP HQ Shipping desk review:

. Identify Caribbean forwarding/shipping agents and inspection/superintendent companies

. Input to the Caribbean Customs Information Guide time allowing (CIG)

. Contribute to WFP Regional Bureau Panama/HQ concept of operation and contingency planning discussions

Emergency Response:

. Plan and manage shipping operations following standard processes and contribute, directly or indirectly, to the effective delivery of food assistance to beneficiaries.

. Support the negotiation to conclude cabotage and/or ocean transportation arrangements or parts of important arrangements with vessel owners and container shipping lines.

. Consolidate and plan shipments, and manage operational aspects of chartered and/or liner vessels, and cargoes, including checking document readiness, loading and discharging operations, and contracting stevedoring services as applicable.

. Supervise performance of WFP’s shipping and forwarding agents, stevedores and other ancillary contractors to ensure efficient operations, and provide input in the annual performance review.

. Collate data and prepare accurate and timely reports, including Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), supporting a WFP-wide view of shipping activities that enables informed decision-making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.

. Satisfactory execution of the WFP operational agreements for emergency response with shipping services as per the work plan.

. Review relevant companies, for up-to-date contact info and capacities in terms of capacity, including recommendations on any companies to be included in WFP short-list.

. Follow key objectives outlined in the work plan as provided for input.

. Work to develop surge capacities through with CDEMA / PIMAC etc.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Advanced University degree in Transport Economics, Supply Chain, Shipping, Logistics or another relevant area, or First University degree with relevant logistics qualifications or additional logistics experience in port, freight forwarding, and shipping operations.

Experience: Minimum 6 years of effective shipping experience include:

Experience in commercial or government transportation sectors.

Experience determining with CO and other Supply Chain actors the best shipping modality/timing and liaising with agents and suppliers to ensure cargo readiness.

Experience managing a network of freight forwarding and charter protecting agents at load and discharge ports.

Experience managing the discharging operations for chartered vessels and the contracting of stevedoring services.

Experience negotiating and concluding ocean transportation contractual arrangements with commercial shipping lines and ship owners.

Experience supervising professional/national staff.

Languages: Fluency (level C) in the English language.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Position: Shipping Consultant

Number of openings: 1

Based in: Barbados – with missions throughout the Caribbean

Type of Contract: International Consultancy

Duration: 6 months

Successful candidates will be placed in a roster for 2 years.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

The application should be submitted by June 1st, 2022, 23:59 Easter Daylight Time. Please note that applications received after the deadline will not be considered and only short-listed qualified candidates will receive an acknowledgement.

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.