Food Security Analyst, FEWS NET, East and Southern Africa (ESAF)

Chemonics’ East and Southern Africa Regional Business Unit is seeking a Food Security Analyst. The food security analyst (FSA) position is part of the Food Security Decision Support Group (FS-DSG), a unit within the Washington DC-based FEWS NET DS Team. The FSAs work closely with other FEWS NET EWT colleagues in the home, regional, and field offices to accomplish the FS-DSG’s two primary objectives: 1) facilitate development and communication of timely, high-quality, actionable decision support at the country, regional, and global levels and 2) build capacity for FEWS NET staff and partners in food security analysis and strategic communications.  

FSA positions are full-time and are typically based at the FEWS NET EWT home office in Washington, D.C., though remote options may be considered for well qualified candidates. The FSA work under the direct supervision of the FEWS NET D-FSDSA, or their designee, and work closely with other members of the FS-DSG and home, regional, and field office teams. The food security analyst is required to travel domestically and internationally, security permitting.  

Responsibilities:

Analyze, integrate, and synthesize conflict, markets and trade, nutrition, livelihoods, and other information affecting food security for the development of regular, high-quality, integrated acute food insecurity early warning information products.

• Co-lead on the analysis of acute food insecurity in a subset of FEWS NET’s presence (over 40) countries and/or Expanded Global Early Warning (around 125) countries.  
• Technically and editorially contribute to, review, and revise field-authored regular and ad hoc reporting on acute food insecurity in support of effective decision-making by donor governments. This decision support includes production of Food Security Outlooks, Outlook Updates, Alerts, Regional Seasonal Monitors, the Food Assistance Outlook Brief, Targeted Analyses, regular briefings, and other ad hoc products and briefings, as necessary. The FSA will communicate the severity of acute food insecurity in line with the globally recognized Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) scale. Where IPC compatibility is not possible, the FSA will communicate needs in globally comparable means, as advised by the food security decision support advisor (FSDSA), deputy food security decision support advisor (D-FSDSA), and quality assurance and methods advisor (QAMA).   
• Contribute to the development of the estimates of the population in need of humanitarian food assistance for the monthly and annual Food Assistance Outlook Brief and other decision support products for USAID. 
• Develop and present technical briefings on acute food insecurity to USG staff and other partners, as requested. 
• Lead or otherwise support the development of special technical reports on acute food insecurity. 
• Conduct field visits to support food security assessments and technical analysis. 

Respond to ad hoc requests for food security and response planning analysis and other support for response and contingency planning processes.

• Play a lead role in developing analytical and decision-support strategies to effectively develop and communicate pertinent information to decision-makers when potential or ongoing food security crises are identified.  
• Support the S-FSDSA and D-FSDSA in meeting USAID’s expectations on timely delivery of decision support products, which includes, but is not limited to: delivery of monthly reporting for all presence countries no later than 7 days after the last day of the month; responding to urgent questions on acute food insecurity within one day; providing briefings within one week of request; and assessing acute food insecurity in EGEW countries within one week of request.  
• The FSA will be expected to demonstrate the ability to respond quickly to sudden increases and decreases in food insecurity globally by actively working with the D-FSDSA to re-orient work plans and initiate new lines of monitoring and reporting outside of traditional areas of coverage.  

Provide technical assistance on complex subject matter to strengthen data collection, analysis, and information dissemination capacities.

• Provide relevant technical and geographic guidance in their areas of expertise (e.g., agricultural economics, livelihoods, nutrition, pastoralism/ livestock).  
• Contribute to the development and implementation of guidance materials in the areas of early warning, decision support, and reporting.  
• Support activities to enhance project representatives’ and partners’ understanding of food security early warning and decision support processes, including but not limited to in the Integrated Phase Classification/Cadre Harmonisé workshop fora. 
• Collaborate with the FEWS NET DS team’s humanitarian assistance specialists and humanitarian assistance analysts to gather and share all available data on humanitarian aid plans and distributions for ingestion into a Humanitarian Assistance Decision Support Tool.  

In addition to items listed, incumbents are expected to follow organization policies, adhere to organization processes and programs and perform other related duties as assigned.

Requirements:

• Minimum three years of relevant experience, including working on food security information systems, food security analysis, early warning, or other related fields. 
• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent work experience) in a discipline relevant to the work of FEWS NET, such as economics, agricultural economics, agronomy, nutrition, climatology, anthropology, or social geography is required; advanced university degree (Master’s degree or higher) is strongly preferred. 
• Fluency in English is required; French, Spanish, and/or Arabic language proficiency is required for positions covering select regions; otherwise, French, Spanish, and/or Arabic language skills are desirable.  
• Experience working with UN agencies and/or NGOs is desirable. 
• Previous experience living and working in a region or country in which FEWS NET project staff work is desirable.
• Experience using large datasets to analyze trends through a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods is desirable. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to work well with field-based, local staff via telephone, e-mail, and other remote means is required. 
• Excellent writing, editing, and presentation skills are required. 
• Excellent computer skills, including Microsoft office suite, are required; Adobe Creative suite and database management skills are desirable. 
• Familiarity with ESRI ArcGIS mapping and statistical software is desirable. 
• Familiarity with the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) and/or Cadre Harmonisé (CH) is desirable.

·      

Application Instructions:

Please apply by 11:59 PM EST on Tuesday, October 29, 2024. No telephone inquiries, please. All internal applicants are required to notify their supervisor(s) before applying. As outlined in Section 1(Q.) Intra-Company Transfers and Rotations in Chemonics Policy Manual, Chemonics expects all employees to remain in their divisions for at least 12 months.

Chemonics is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Chemonics is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, age, or other legally protected characteristics. Military veterans, AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service alumni are encouraged to apply.

Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision
Chemonics will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by Chemonics, or (c) consistent with Chemonics legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)