DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS30 December 2025-23:59-GMT+03:00 East Africa Time (Nairobi)
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 worldโs 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).
Background and Purpose of the Assignment:
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian agency, fighting hunger worldwide. WFP works in partnership with governments and other stakeholders to deliver integrated programmes to enhance the food and nutrition security of the most vulnerable people and strengthen national capacities to manage programmes for achieving zero hunger.
The Eastern and Southern Africa region is one of the most hazard-affected regions in the world, susceptible to both sudden and slow-onset disasters that can outstrip short-term national response capacities. The Regional Office provides strategic guidance, policy, and technical support to WFP operations and activities in the Eastern and Southern Africa region. WFPโs Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Unit specifically provides guidance and support to WFP Country Offices (CO) in the region, applying WFPโs humanitarian expertise and global mandate to the application of early warning, disaster readiness and the design and implementation of emergency operations in the region.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
Under the direct supervision of the Regional Lead for Emergency Preparedness and Response, the Programme Policy Officer - EPR is responsible for the following duties:
- Preparedness
- Conduct regular monitoring of regional risk analyses and early warning indicators to inform emergency preparedness efforts in WFP Country Offices, including contingency planning, integrating lessons learned from previous emergencies to strengthen future response strategies.
- Support Country Offices in maintaining minimum emergency readiness through maintaining and updating the Emergency Preparedness Checklist (EPC).
- Support Country Offices in strengthening the emergency preparedness and response (EPR) capacities of government counterparts, private partners and other relevant stakeholders through Country Capacity Strengthening (CCS) initiatives.
- Monitor, review and refine hazard analyses to support WFPโs Corporate Alert System (CAS) and early warning reporting, identifying risks with potential impacts on food and nutrition security among vulnerable populations in the region.
- Response
- Support Country Offices to plan and design emergency response programmes (typically related to CSP Strategic Outcome 1), with a likely emphasis on General Food Assistance programmes (in-kind, cash-based transfers, vouchers, hot meals, etc). Provide technical advice for the planning, formulation, and implementation of food assistance strategies by WFP, Cooperating Partners and host governments. This includes contextual risk analyses, Concepts of Operations, Operational Plans and lessons learned exercises/After Action Reviews.
- During an emergency, provide strategic guidance and operational support to WFP Country Offices, including supporting access to internal mechanisms to enable efficient response such as internal surge, funding, and assets.
- Provide guidance to Country Offices to ensure that emergency programmes are well integrated and linked with longer-term early recovery and resilience outcomes as designed in CSPs.
- Provide coordination and support to regional forced displacements or refugee coordination and track overall resourcing and pipelines for forced displacement programmes.
- Support Country Offices in the formulation and design of programme frameworks to support National Disaster Management Authorities (NDMAs), relevant line ministries and regional entities both at the policy level and the implementation level.
- Capacity Strengthening
- Organize and facilitate trainings, workshops, and lessons learned exercises to enhance the capacity and skills of WFP Country Office staff at regional, and national level related to emergency preparedness and response.
- Support other capacity strengthening initiatives including for partners such as NDMAs, such as through Simulation Exercises.
- Policy and Reporting
- Contribute to the formulation of corporate emergency preparedness and response policies and guidance, and translate programme policy into regional and country level practice.
- Collaborate with Country Offices and the Budget and Programming Unit to develop quarterly refugee reports to UNHCR, emphasizing ration levels and pipeline.
- Lead or contribute to other reports and analysis relating to EPR in the Eastern and Southern Africa Region; including Situation Reports, fundraising documents, and talking points/briefs for senior management.
- Facilitate dissemination of EPR lessons learned and best practices regionally. Generate knowledge management and learning products from the region for internal and external consumption and support targeted advocacy efforts.
- Provide analysis on emerging country, regional or global issues relevant for WFP and for the humanitarian, food security and nutrition landscape in the region. Develop informed recommendations for WFP senior management based on emerging trends.
- Other
- Deploy directly, sometimes for extended periods, to Country Offices as required to support implementation of WFP humanitarian operations (for preparedness or response).
- As required, represent the EPR Unit in both internal and external fora relating to emergencies and humanitarian coordination.
- Support / manage the flow of information between WFPโs global HQ and field teams.
- Other tasks as assigned by supervisor.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
Education: Advanced University degree (masterโs degree) in Disaster Management, Economics, International Affairs, Agriculture, Social Sciences or a related field, or a First University Degree with two additional years of related work experience.
Experience:
- Typically, five years or more of postgraduate progressively responsible professional experience with humanitarian organizations or government institutions with proven experience in emergency preparedness and response.
- Experience required in the management and coordination of emergency response operations and food distributions to crisis affected populations.
- Experience in engaging with Government(s) at a senior level, preferably in the field of disaster risk management or humanitarian action.
- Experience working with internally displaced people and refugee populations is highly desirable, with a good understanding of related protection issues.
Knowledge & Skills:
- A good understanding of issues relating to the political economy and humanitarian situation in Eastern and/or Southern Africa.
- An understanding of the principles and global frameworks relating to disaster risk management.
- Knowledge of anticipatory actions, shock responsive social protection and social safety nets, and their use in addressing both short-term acute vulnerability and longer-term, chronic vulnerability.
- Ability to engage effectively at working level with a wide range of actors including those in the international humanitarian community and governments.
- Excellent analysis and writing/drafting skills in English are required. Strong skills needed in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
- Ability to work under tight deadlines.
- Maturity, initiative, courtesy, tact, and ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
* This position involves extensive travel throughout the region.
Language: Fluency in both oral and written communication in English essential. Good knowledge of Kiswahili and French is highly desirable.
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.
- Preparedness