Stellenbeschreibung

WFP – World Food Programme

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.

Junior Professional Officer Programme (JPO) Chiffre Nr. 2026-1-23

General Information

Job Title: JPO Programme Policy Officer (Emergency Preparedness and Planning and School Meals Programme)

Unit: Programme Unit – Programme strategy and design team

Division/Country Office Country office – Damascus  

Agency: World Food Programme

Country and Duty Station: Damascus, Syria

Duration and Type of Assignment: 2 years with possibility of extension for another year. The extension of appointment is subject to yearly review concerning priorities, availability of funds, and satisfactory performance

Please note that for participants of the JPO programme three years work experience are mandatory! Relevant work experience can be counted. In order to assess the eligibility of the candidates, we review the relevant experience acquired after obtaining the first university degree (usually bachelor’s degree)

ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is a highly prestigious, reputable and 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.

We are currently seeking a Junior Professional Officer to fill the position of a Programme Policy Officer within Strategy and Design unit covering Emergency Response and Planning and School meals activities based in Damascus, Syria.

CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND

The Programme Policy Officer – JPO will work on SO1 Programme Activities under the supervision of the Head of SO1 in collaboration with other units in the WFP CO such as Delivery, RAM etc. and WFP Area/Field Offices.

Syria remains one of the world’s most complex and protracted humanitarian crises. Over a decade of conflict, economic collapse, and climate-induced shocks, including; drought, fire, and earthquakes—have significantly weakened national systems and exacerbated vulnerabilities. Humanitarian needs are immense, with over 14 million people estimated to require assistance, including 3 million facing severe food insecurity.

Although early signs of stabilization are beginning to emerge, the operating environment remains highly volatile and susceptible to sudden-onset emergencies, political shifts, and recurring natural disasters. The recent increase in rates of returnees, both IDP and refugee returnees is placing additional strain on already overstretched services and communities—further escalating needs at a time when humanitarian funding is in decline.

These dynamics underscore the urgent need for robust emergency preparedness and response systems that are agile, anticipatory, and responsive to the evolving context. As the leading humanitarian agency providing food assistance in Syria, and the sole actor of school meals, the World Food Programme (WFP) plays a pivotal role in coordinating and implementing emergency preparedness and response strategies across the country.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Strategy and Design, the JPO will have the following responsibilities:

• Contribute to the development, planning, and implementation of programmes under SO1 (Emergency Preparedness & Response and School Meals Programmes), ensuring alignment with WFP’s standards, policies, and regional guidelines.
• Support the design and operationalization of new emergency interventions based on evolving needs and priorities.
• Liaise with internal stakeholders (e.g., Delivery Unit, Other SOs (2 and 3), RAM, AAP/Gender/Protection, Risk and Compliance, TEC etc) on issues related to SO1.
• Support the collection and analyse data on emergency needs and the effectiveness of ongoing interventions to inform decision-making.
• Support in the monitoring of ongoing emergency activities, tracking progress, identifying potential challenges, and proposing corrective actions.
• Undertake field visits to areas affected by emergencies, including regions with access challenges, as required to provide on-ground support and assessments.
• Collaborate with other relevant units and field offices to review and enhance the beneficiary communication strategy, ensuring it is well-targeted and impactful.
• Support the preparation of accurate and timely reports, including situation updates, progress reports, and program summaries, ensuring consistency and clarity of information.
• Contribute to the preparation of emergency briefs for internal and external stakeholders.
• Take part in key forums and working groups including food security cluster meetings/workshops, raising awareness of WFP’s work in food security and other sector.
• Other Duties as Required.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

• Effective Support to Programmes under strategic objective 1: Active contribution to the planning, management, and coordination of SO1 activities operations, ensuring timely and efficient implementation.
• Improved Monitoring and Response: Enhanced tracking and analysis of ongoing emergency and school feeding activities, identifying challenges, proposing corrective actions, and ensuring the continuous adaptation of interventions based on evolving needs.
• Improved Reporting and Communication: High-quality reports, briefs, and knowledge products that provide stakeholders with accurate information on emergency food assistance activities.
• Community Engagement and Empowerment: Strengthen beneficiary communication strategies across the various activities and ensure meaningful community engagement, fostering trust and enhancing the impact of emergency/school feeding / and interventions through clear, targeted messaging and inclusive participation.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Master’s degree in International Affairs, Economics, Food-security, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Sciences or other field relevant to international development assistance.
• Minimum of three years relevant working experience, postgraduate, with a background and interest in in the humanitarian field specifically within the food security sector and other cluster coordination systems.
• Fluency in English.
• Proficiency in Windows MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Behavioural competencies: leads by example with integrity, drives results and delivers on commitments, fosters inclusive and collaborative teamwork, applies strategic thinking, builds, and maintains sustainable partnerships.

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

• Exposure to the international arena either by direct work for an international institution/organization or by interacting with international stakeholders.
• Intermediate level of one, or more, of the following official languages: French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Portuguese.
• WFP’s international professionals are required to serve in different locations around the world during their career (including in hardship duty stations); willingness to be mobile would maximise opportunities for long-term retention into the Organization.

SUPERVISION

The JPO will be under the direct supervision of the Head of SO1 with general guidance from the Head of Strategy and Design. The Supervisor is a seasoned P3-level national professional. The JPO will actively participate in weekly team meetings and regular Emergency Unit briefings to enhance understanding of emergency programming, food security interventions, and WFP’s overall operations in Syria. Additionally, the JPO will engage with relevant teams and units within WFP, including the Budget and Programming, M&E, VAM, Nutrition and Partnerships, to ensure effective coordination and timely delivery of emergency programs.

TRAINING COMPONENTS

The JPO will have access to various training opportunities, particularly in the areas of emergency program management, food security, nutrition sensitive programming and integration, grant management, and partnership coordination, through WFP’s corporate platform, WeLearn. The JPO will be encouraged to participate in relevant workshops and training sessions aimed at building technical and managerial skills in emergency response and humanitarian programming. Furthermore, the JPO will be involved in the development of relevant capacity-strengthening materials and will have opportunities to contribute to internal training initiatives. As appropriate, she/he may be tasked with delivering specific training modules or components as part of WFP’s capacity-building efforts.

LEARNING ELEMENTS

At the end of the two-year assignment, the JPO should have obtained:

• Very good knowledge of coordinating and managing emergency food assistance programs, through different modalities, in kind and CBT, in addition to multisectoral programming to effectively respond to food insecurity in crisis contexts such as Syria.
• Good skills in drafting high-quality reports, proposals, and knowledge products, contributing to advocacy and resource mobilization efforts. Additionally, the JPO will contribute to capacity-strengthening activities for national and sub-national governments and key partners.
• Familiarity in building and maintaining effective partnerships, working closely with both internal teams and external stakeholders such as government bodies, humanitarian organizations, and implementing partners to ensure seamless coordination and collaboration in emergency operations.
• Good general understanding of WFP’s overall operations and activities in the region of assignment.

Bitte senden Sie Ihre JPO-Bewerbung direkt an das Büro Führungskräfte zu Internationalen Organisationen (BFIO) unter Angabe der Chiffre Nr. 2026-1-23 auf dem Bewerbungsbogen

Alle Informationen finden Sie unter www.bfio.de