DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
16 November 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. Only 18 percent of the population is food secure; some 7.2 million people face acute food insecurity, including 1.6 million facing severe conditions. Approximately 5.5 million people remain internally displaced. Since December 2024, more than 1.6 million Syrians have returned from abroad, many to communities where homes and infrastructure have been destroyed, livelihood opportunities remain limited and access to basic services is severely constrained. Sustained support is essential to help returning families meet their immediate needs, rebuild their livelihoods and reintegrate into their communities.
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.
CONTRACT DETAILS:
Contract Type: Fixed Term (NOA)
Duration: 12 months
Duty Stations: Homs
Number of required employees: 1
Job Purpose
The incumbent reports directly to the Head of Homs Field Office and acts as Deputy Head of Field Office. This role requires solid working experience in Emergency Response as well as programming for sustained Livelihoods and enhanced Resilience. He/she will be responsible for the following:
- Overseeing the design, planning and implementation of diverse programme activities within the designated area of coverage, in coordination with the Area Office.
- Able to lead major shifts in programme design, reductions/scaleup of targeted caseload, as well as shifts between alternate transfer modalities, as needed.
- Leading the Social protection initiatives in the designated area of responsibility.
- Overseeing livelihood and resilience programmes, closely coordinating with all relevant stakeholders
- Placing strong emphasis on building and maintaining partnerships with local government bodies, UN agencies operating in the designated area of responsibility, cooperating partners, local communities, and all other relevant stakeholders.
- undefined
Key ACCOUNTABILITIES:
Under the guidance of the Head of Field Office, the Programme Policy Officer will undertake the following responsibilities and tasks in collaboration with local governments, UN agencies, and other partners:
Translate WFP-wide program policies into practical field-level approaches, program guidance, and operational strategies. The incumbent shall develop and oversee the implementation of various projects and activities including emergency response, targeted food assistance, school feeding and livelihood support (either through in-kind or cash-based assistance).
- Assess food needs during emergency situations and assist the Field Office in developing timely response plans, as well as monitoring their implementation.
- Contribute to WFP Emergency Preparedness at field-level and participate in early warning, risk analysis, and contingency planning to respond to humanitarian crises.
- Develop and maintain operational partnerships for the implementation of WFP food assistance portfolio in the designated Area of Response and identify opportunities for collaborative initiatives that improve food assistance packages and support advocacy work.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with government institutions, cooperating partners, UN agencies, NGOs, and other stakeholders to support programme implementation, coordination, and sustainable programme outcomes.
- Oversee the preparation and negotiation of Field Level Agreements (FLAs) with partners, including budgeting and staff costs based on WFP rules and guidelines, as well as Provide guidance and oversight to cooperating partners to ensure compliance with programme requirements, strengthen delivery capacity, improve performance, and maintain high standards of accountability and programme quality.
- Oversee IDM, registration and targeting of beneficiaries for all programme activities, ensuring Field Office is aligned with WFP strategic objectives and standard operating procedures.
- Support timely registration, targeting and delivery of assistance for TFA in targeted locations.
- Explore opportunities for strengthening local food systems in collaboration with relevant partners and stakeholders.
- Lead the oversight of implemented activities, proactively identifies key risks, and implements effective prevention and mitigation measures.
- Work closely with the M&E team in the FO to ensure monitoring findings and community feedback are systematically used to strengthen operations and improve service delivery to beneficiaries.
- Enhance WFP’s leadership status in forums relating to food security, nutrition, livelihoods, social protection, cash-based assistance, school feeding and resilience, and related issues. Lead on liaison with international and local NGOs, UN agencies, relevant sectors, and affected populations.
- Take responsibility for incorporating gender and protection perspectives in all areas of work, to ensure equal participation of women and men. Continuously identify and assess potential risks that could impact program effectiveness and organizational integrity. This involves analyzing external environments (political, social, environmental) and internal processes to preemptively recognize threats.
- Liaise with other units in the Field Office, the Area Office and with technical units in the Country Office as needed, to ensure effective delivery of quality programming.
- Support capacity building initiatives for partners, and national governments to prepare for and respond to food assistance needs.
- Support consistent learning and knowledge building amongst Programme and Delivery teams within the Field Office.
- Any other business, as needed.
STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
Advanced university degree in Political Science, International Development, Development Economics, International Relations, Human Rights, Communications, or other relevant field, or first university degree with two additional years of related work experience and/or training/ courses
Experience:
At least one year of relevant professional work experience in a humanitarian organization with exposure to programme activities, emergency response, monitoring and evaluation, risk management, and identity management (IDM) along with Master Degree, or 3 years of relevant professional experience with Bachelor Degree.
DESIRED EXPERIENCES
- Knowledge of UN system policies and functions in terms of emergency preparedness and response.
- Strong understanding of WFP programmes, policies, and operational frameworks, with demonstrated experience in field operations.
- Solid experience in handling humanitarian activities and humanitarian policy issues, and its linkage with humanitarian assistance, as well as ability to oversee and coordinate Livelihood and Resilience programmes and Social Protection initiatives at the field-level.
- Strong leadership skills and ability to effectively lead diversified teams and ensure they’re enabled to deliver in a conducive environment.
- Flexibility to travel on short notice and in challenging and difficult environments.
- Proven communication skills and ability to communicate and adjust communication style to different audiences.
Language: 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.