DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
18 October 2026-23:59-GMT+03:00 Eastern European Time (Damascus)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 extreme weather shocks.
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).
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
As Syria navigates a new chapter marked by historic opportunities and enduring challenges, the scale of humanitarian needs remains overwhelming. Today, more than 70 percent of Syria’s population continues to depend on some form of humanitarian assistance. Over half of the population is grappling with food insecurity, with nearly 3 million people facing severe food insecurity. Around 7 million people remain displaced internally, while more than 4 million are refugees in neighbouring countries. Since December 2024, hundreds of thousands of refugees and internally displaced Syrians have begun returning to their areas of origin. Many more plan to return and will require vital support as they reintegrate.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the largest humanitarian agency operating in Syria since 1964 and is uniquely positioned to support Syrian communities in their recovery through its expansive reach and scale. WFP’s interventions prioritize emergency relief and resilience-building efforts focused on the most severely food insecure populations. Additionally, WFP is a key actor in the country’s social protection sector also plays a vital role in strengthening Syria’s social safety-net systems.
Operating under its 2022-2026 Interim Country Strategic Plan (iCSP), WFP addresses the growing food and nutrition needs livelihood, resilience and early recovery, and reviving food systems, in close collaboration with the Syrian government, humanitarian and development stakeholders.
JOB TITLE: Aviation Assistant
TYPE OF CONTRACT: G5 - SC5
DUTY STATIONS: Damascus - Deir Ezzor, Syria
Number of positions: 3
DURATION: 12 months
JOB PURPOSE:
To perform a range of coordination and administrative activities that contribute to the safe and effective air service to the humanitarian community.
The incumbent reports to the UNHAS Aviation Officer in charge of operations and works closely with the entire UNHAS team and airport stakeholders.
ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES (not all-inclusive, nor exhaustive):
1. Perform operational coordination and administration of air operations, ensuring compliance with WFP standards, including risk management processes, to support safe and effective air operations.
2. Liaise with airport officials and other local authorities in order to obtain necessary clearances, documentation and authorization required for air operations.
3. Carry out pre-flight actions to ensure that all registered passengers and cargo are duly carried on the flight, in coordination with crew to ensure safe flights, and escalating issues to a supervisor.
4. Collate all post-flight documentation in order to confirm flights have taken place and in compliance with established conditions.
5. Research, collate and report on aviation related information, to enable decision-making and facilitate air transportation planning, execution and reporting in order to ensure contractual performance.
6. Update and maintain relevant databases and records, ensuring that relevant information is accurate, organized, accessible to others, and supports reporting requirements.
7. Respond to client queries, following standard processes and obtaining guidance or escalating as required, to ensure timely resolution of all enquiries with a high standard of client service.
8. Liaise with internal counterparts in order to carry out duties successfully, support the alignment of aviation activities with wider programmes, to facilitate a coherent approach to air operations.
9. Provide support to other staff, assisting them in completing tasks to agreed standards and deadlines.
10. Support process reviews, and improvements in methods and practices, in order to maximize the performance of air activities and related operations.
11. Follow standard emergency preparedness practices to support WFP to quickly respond in its core areas at the onset of a crisis.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
Education:
Completion of secondary school education. Post-secondary certificates in air traffic control, flight dispatch, aeronautical engineering or related field is essential for Air Operations roles, desirable for Air Movement roles.
Experience:
At least 5 years’ experience in aviation industry:
Experience in restricted flying zones, and other aviation risks and assisting in flight planning.
Experience in Booking and ticketing.
Experience in handling passenger and cargo manifests, passenger and cargo handling and aircraft loading.
Experience in interpreting routine weather reports.
Experience in basic flight following and radio telephony procedures.
Knowledge & Skills:
Proficiency in using Microsoft Office programmes and other related tools.
Ability to simultaneously manage multiple requests while maintaining a high level of precision and professionalism.
Ability to anticipate operational needs and propose practical solutions to improve the quality of service.
Ability to represent the UNHAS service in a professional manner to passengers, partners and authorities, maintaining a positive and customer-orientated attitude.
Languages:
Fluency in both oral and written communication in English and Arabic languages.
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 recruiting system. We do not consider CVs or applications sent by email, LinkedIn, or any other channel.
We strongly recommend that your Workday profile is accurate and complete, and that all sections are filled in, including your employment history, academic qualifications, language skills, and UN grade (if applicable). Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.
If you experience technical issues while submitting your application, you may contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org. Please note that this email is only for technical issues with an application - unsolicited applications or documents sent to this inbox will not receive a reply.
At the application stage, the only required documents are your CV and Cover Letter. Additional documents (passport, certificates, recommendation letters, etc.) may be requested later in the process.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.
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.