Food Security Analyst

Food Security Analyst
Washington DC

Chemonics seeks a Food Security Analyst to support the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), the world's premier provider of food security analysis and early warning. Created in response to the 1984 famines in East and West Africa, FEWS NET supports international, regional, and national governments and agencies with timely and rigorous early warning and analysis of emerging and ongoing food security emergencies. The project, currently funded at $200 million through 2016, covers 36 countries, with plans to expand.

FEWS NET professionals in Africa, Central America, Haiti, Central Asia, and the United States play an indispensable role in the global food security community by monitoring and analyzing key data sources (e.g., remote sensing imagery, price and trade data, and nutrition information) to project future food security outcomes. FEWS NET shares that analysis with decision makers in the U.S. government, United Nations agencies, national governments, and NGOs via written reports as well as in regular public briefings. FEWS NET staff members also provide advisory support to regional and country-specific contingency and humanitarian response planning efforts as well as in-depth studies related to livelihoods, markets and trade, and nutrition.

Position Description: FEWS NET’s Decision Support Group (DSG) has 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 FEWS NET staff and partners' food security analysis and strategic communications capacity. The food security analyst will work closely with a team of colleagues in the home office and the field. While exact duties will be based on background and expertise, the primary role is to serve as a regional focal point for food security analysis, decision support, and information requests for one or two geographic regions. Within this broad objective, the analyst will perform three tasks:

• Synthesize market and trade, nutrition, livelihoods, and other food security analysis for development of regular, high-quality early warning information products. Illustrative tasks include: reviewing, editing and finalizing field-authored food security reporting; developing and presenting technical briefings to U.S. government staff and other partners; and participating in field-based 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. When potential or ongoing food security crises are identified, the analyst will lead development of analytical and decision support strategies to develop and communicate information on the crises, their causes, and potential response options to decision makers.

• Provide technical assistance to strengthen data collection, analysis, and information dissemination capacity among host-country, NGO, and donor partners and field staff. The analyst will provide relevant technical and geographic guidance in their areas of expertise and contribute to development of guidance materials in early warning, decision support, and reporting. The analyst will also support activities to enhance field representatives' and partners' understanding of food security early warning and decision support processes.

Location and Reporting: The food security analyst will be based in the FEWS NET home office in Washington, D.C., and will travel as required (up to 25 percent of the time) to provide in-country support to FEWS NET field staff and partners. The analyst will report to the FEWS NET decision support advisor and will work closely with other members of the DSG, technical team, and field staff.

QUALIFICATIONS:
• Advanced degree in a field related to food security or other relevant area required
• English fluency required
• Authorization to work in the United States required
• Minimum three years of professional experience related to food security, livelihoods, nutrition, economic development, or related programming
• Minimum two years of experience working in developing countries
• Strong household-level food security analysis skills
• Excellent writing, editing, and presentation skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to work well with field-based, local staff via telephone and e-mail
• French language skills preferred
• Experience with the Household Economy Approach preferred
• Experience working with USAID preferred
• GIS skills preferred

Application Instructions: Send electronic submissions to fews3dsg@chemonics.com by November 27, 2013. Finalists will be contacted.