World Food Programme (WFP) has announced a consultant opening for the role of Vam Officer - Economic, Market & Food Security Analyst in Mogadishu. Candidates should bring 7 - 8 years of hands-on experience, preferably in the Economy sector. The application deadline is Nov, 02 — early applications are encouraged.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. WFP's mission is to help the world achieve Zero
Hunger in our lifetimes. Every day, WFP works globally to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable—particularly women and
children—have access to the nutritious food they need. The food insecurity situation in Somalia remains fragile due to the combined effects of below-average and
poorly distributed rainfall, limited household access to income opportunities, elevated and stagnant high food prices, ongoing insecurity, and conflict. WFP Somalia’s
four-year Country Strategic Plan (CSP) 2022–2025 emphasizes flexible modalities of food assistance (e-vouchers and mobile money), conflict sensitivity, gender
mainstreaming, and referral linkages across its programme activities. WFP Somalia is currently in the process of transition to its CSP for 2026–2030.
This position, based in Mogadishu, will provide robust food security analysis and strategic guidance to support both the implementation of the CSP. The incumbent will
serve as the focal point for assessing and monitoring food security, informing preparedness and response activities, and providing oversight and technical advice on
assistance planning and targeting. Within the Country Office VAM team, the incumbent will also lead the market and economic analysis pillar. Under the supervision
of the head of the Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping unit, the VAM officer will be responsible for delivering following outputs;
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive, within delegated authority)
- Guide and supervise the relevant teams in food security assessments, survey design, sampling methodology and statistical data analysis.
- Strengthen the current WFP Somalia market and economic monitoring system, addressing gaps related to coverage, reporting and key market and economic
monitoring indicators.
- Provide oversight and advice to the implementation of data driven beneficiary targeting, including application of statistical models and scoring algorithms for
general food assistance programmes and review and update the targeting manuals, guidelines and SOPs.
- Provide technical assistance, trainings and capacity strengthening to improve the implementation of data driven targeting in Somalia.
- Manage cross-sectional, longitudinal food security assessments, experimental research and statistical analysis informing the food assistance policies,
duration, targeting models and algorithms.
- Update current data quality assurance systems and develop capacity and skills for national and area office data collection teams, including WFP partners and
roll out the use of revised tools using WFP mobile data collection platforms such as MoDA (Mobile operational Data Acquisition).
- Run data quality checks and develop algorithms to automate data cleaning, data quality checks and reporting error detection.
- Manage and analyse market price database at the country level by ensuring data quality, integrating new parameters (commodities, markets, etc.), time series
analysis and automating data collection and visualization using the Mobile Operational Data Acquisition (MODA) platform, Tableau applications or dashboards.
- Provide technical guidance, coordinate with technical agencies to monitor and update the Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB) and adjust food/MPCA
assistance transfer values as appropriately using household essential needs assessment findings and market monitoring data by applying quantitative
analysis.
- In collaboration with the supply chain team, update SOPs for market price monitoring and enhance current Market Functionality Monitoring (MFI) and update
food prices, biannual trends of exchange rates and fuel prices.
- In consultation with the head of VAM, plan capacity-strengthening training programmes for national staff at the country office level and area offices and
provide coaching and guidance as required to improve the skills in markets, food security and economic monitoring.
- Participate and contribute to the Cash working group, food security working group and Operational Information Management (OIM).
Vacancy Announcement No: JR127603
Job Title: Vam Officer - Economic, Market & Food Security Analyst
Contract Type/Grade: Consultant level II
Duty Station: Mogadishu,
Contract
Duration: 11 Months (Renewable)
Date of Issue: October 20, 2026, |
Closing Date: November 02,2026
- Participate in and contribute to VAM food security assessments, including training programmes, IPC analysis workshops and drafting of reports and highlights.
- Participate and lead technical discussions on the establishment of single registration system for referrals and referral scoring system in Somalia.
- Collaborate with relevant entities, including key ministries, agencies and relevant stakeholders, to address issues relating to market, commodity flows, and
price commodities for Somalia and the region, especially on cross-border trade monitoring.
DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:
- Revisited current household targeting models for food and multi-purpose essential needs, validated and disseminated.
- Led the thematic technical area- targeting workstream 2 of the reset-reform task team of the HCT.
- Collaborated with OCHA, Food Security Cluster, Area Based Coordination (ABC) for streamlining targeting and prioritization methods in humanitarian
cash/food assistance.
- Run assistance prioritization analysis, programme integration and provide oversight and technical advice to the finalization of annual implementation plans.
- Completed literature reviews and a study on the recommended duration of cash assistance for life saving food and multi-purpose assistance programmes.
- Jointly with the Cash Working Group, established joint market and economic monitoring systems to inform monitoring of Minimum Expenditure Basket.
- Monitored and managed the implementation of capacity-strengthening activities for the National Bureau of Statistics.
- Using CFSVA data, updated the transfer values for food, MPCA assistance and nutrition cash top-ups.
- Supported Government and partners in strengthening current monitoring of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB).
- In consultation with the supply chain and other cross-functional units, disseminated weekly and monthly market monitoring reports, periodic market
functionality reports, analysis reports and quarterly country economic analysis reports.
- Conducted training for VAM staff, including National VAM officers and area office VAM focal points, covering market data analysis, statistical modelling and
projections.
- Developed algorithms and analysis codes required for running targeting scores and targeting verification.
About Mogadishu
Mogadishu, known locally as Muqdisho, is the capital of Somalia and the country's largest city. It serves as the political, economic, and cultural heart of the nation. The city hosts the headquarters of numerous UN agencies, international NGOs, and government institutions, offering diverse career opportunities for development and humanitarian professionals.
Ereyada Soomaaliga (Somali Keywords): Shaqo Cusub • Shaqo Muqdisho • La-talin