Programme Policy Officer (Refugees Transition and Self Reliance), NOA
Addis Ababa
- Organization: WFP - World Food Programme
- Location: Addis Ababa
- Grade: Junior level - NO-A, National Professional Officer - Locally recruited position
-
Occupational Groups:
- Legal - Broad
- Political Affairs
- Humanitarian Aid and Coordination
- Refugee rights and well-being
- Project and Programme Management
- Closing Date: 2026-01-02
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
2 January 2026-23:59-GMT+03:00 East Africa Time (Addis Ababa)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 World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.
To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok.
WHY JOIN WFP?
WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.
WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.
A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.
We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).
Job title: Programme Policy Officer (Refugees Transition & Self Reliance)
Type of Contract: FT/NOA
Unit Division: Programme
Duty Station: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Duration: 1 Year
ORGNIZATIONAL CONTEXT
Ethiopia currently hosts over one million refugees originating from multiple countries, with more than 80% residing in camps across seven regions. The continued influx of refugees—driven by ongoing conflicts, political instability, and severe drought in neighboring countries such as Sudan and South Sudan—has further strained an already critical humanitarian situation for protracted refugee populations. To address these challenges, the Government of Ethiopia has launched the Mekatet Roadmap, a comprehensive framework designed to promote inclusivity and resilience in refugee assistance. This roadmap is supported by humanitarian partners and government ministries and aims to transition from short-term emergency assistance to sustainable, long-term solutions. Achieving this vision requires strong, strategic engagement from WFP at multiple levels, including through safety net programs, livelihood interventions, and resilience-building initiatives.
JOB PURPOSE
In line with this approach, WFP Ethiopia intends to recruit a Programme Policy Officer – Refugee Transitions and Self-Reliance, who will play a pivotal role in shaping and implementing WFP’s contribution to refugee solutions. The incumbent will be responsible for:
Strategic Leadership: Drive WFP Ethiopia’s refugee self-reliance portfolio, providing both strategic direction and technical oversight to ensure effective implementation of the self-reliance model.
Joint Strategic Dialogue: Lead WFP’s engagement with UNHCR on sustainable refugee solutions, including evidence-based analysis, advocacy, policy dialogue, referrals, and evaluations.
Partnership Development: Build and strengthen alliances with the Government of Ethiopia, private sector actors, national partners, and international organizations to expand economic opportunities and foster social inclusion for refugees.
Livelihoods and Economic Empowerment: Design and support integrated livelihood packages aimed at enhancing employment prospects, income-generating activities, and market access for refugee and host communities.
Implementation of Mekatet Roadmap: Spearhead WFP’s support activities under the Mekatet framework, ensuring coherence, scalability, and measurable impact across interventions.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
Sustainability Agenda for Refugee Response
Coordinate strategically with the Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS) and UNHCR on the self-reliance model, actively engage in the joint secretariat, and lead WFP’s self-reliance workstream.
Ensure programmatic integration by working closely with WFP teams delivering humanitarian assistance to refugees, creating strong linkages between emergency programming and referral mechanisms, advocacy, and livelihood activities.
Contribute to strategic development of pathways linking humanitarian assistance to sustainable solutions for refugees, including internal programmatic readiness and external partner engagement.
Lead WFP Ethiopia’s advocacy efforts with relevant government departments and national counterparts to advance refugee self-reliance and inclusion.
Evidence-Based Advocacy
Co-lead data analytics initiatives with the Research, Assessment, and Monitoring (RAM) team to identify refugee skills and capabilities, translating findings into evidence-based advocacy messages for stakeholders.
Identify data gaps from a programmatic perspective and collaborate with RAM and technical units to address them, including labor market analysis and skill mapping updates.
Develop strategic advocacy materials, including policy briefs and messaging, based on data insights, and drive WFP’s advocacy activities.
Coordinate joint advocacy efforts with UNHCR and other actors to amplify impact.
Support monitoring and evidence generation for projects, ensuring close collaboration with RAM on data-driven decision-making.
Livelihood Support Packages
Lead implementation of integrated livelihood and economic empowerment packages, in collaboration with national and international partners, targeting urban refugees to enhance access to employment and income-generating opportunities.
Oversee programme implementation and tracking, including development of monitoring and evaluation frameworks in coordination with WFP units.
Strengthen linkages between WFP interventions and other activities to maximize impact and sustainability.
Identify synergies between livelihood policies and program design, promoting alignment between humanitarian and development approaches.
Two-Way Referral Mechanism
Serve as focal point for WFP’s two-way referral mechanism and represent WFP in livelihood working groups and relevant forums.
Engage partners proactively (NGOs, development actors, private sector) to utilize the referral mechanism for recruitment and employment opportunities.
Analyze and address challenges in referral processes, advising on timely adjustments to strategies and plans.
Build and nurture partnerships with agencies, NGOs, development entities, and private sector actors to strengthen referral systems.
Promote and advocate for referral mechanism utilization and coordinate referral requests jointly with UNHCR.
Data Sharing Agreements
Support the establishment and management of data-sharing agreements for WFP, ensuring compliance and coordination with UNHCR and other partners.
Other Responsibilities
Perform additional tasks as required to advance WFP’s refugee self-reliance and sustainability agenda.
STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Education:
Advanced university degree in Economics, International Affairs, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Sciences or other fields relevant to international development assistance, or first university degree with additional years of related work experience
Experience:
At least (1) year of postgraduate professional experience in livelihoods, employment, development projects, start-ups, or related areas.
Demonstrated experience in formulating and operationalizing long-term strategies and managing change processes.
Proven technical knowledge and hands-on experience in Livelihood Programming, Job Placement Activities, or Development Programs, or equivalent strong project management experience in the private sector
Extensive knowledge of livelihoods sector, development actors, and the start-up ecosystem in Ethiopia, particularly within refugee contexts, is highly desirable.
Strong understanding of labour market dynamics, economic empowerment approaches, and resilience-building strategies.
Partnership and Coordination:
Experience in coordinating with external partners and stakeholders, including government entities, NGOs, private sector actors, and international organizations.
Additional Assets:
Previous experience with UN agencies, NGOs, or donor organizations is considered an advantage.
Familiarity with data-driven programming, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, and evidence-based advocacy approaches.
Language:
Fluency in both oral and written communication in English.
WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK
WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behavior that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.
Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION
WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact: global.inclusion@wfp.org
NO FEE DISCLAIMER
The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.
REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION
All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruitment system. We do not accept CVs or spontaneous applications by email.
If you experience challenges while submitting your online application, please contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org for technical support only.
Please note that applications sent to this email address cannot be considered.
We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete, and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, language skills and UN Grade (if applicable).
Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.
Kindly note the only documents you will need to submit at this time are your CV and Cover Letter
Additional documents such as passport, recommendation letters, academic certificates, etc. may potentially be requested at a future time
Only shortlisted candidates will be notified
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.
Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.