DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
26 July 2026-23:59-GMT+03:00 East Africa Time (Mogadishu)
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).
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive, within delegated authority):
Under the overall supervision of the Head of SCAO and technical supervision from CO-Head of Program, the SCAO Head of Programme will be responsible for strategic leadership, management, oversight, and coordination of WFP programme interventions within the Area Office's geographical area.
A. Provide Programme Strategy, Leadership and Coordination
- Lead the development, implementation, monitoring, and periodic review of the SCAO Annual Performance Plan (APP), ensuring alignment with the Somalia Country Strategic Plan (2026–2030), corporate priorities, and government development frameworks.
- Provide strategic programme leadership and policy guidance to Area Office management and programme teams on emergency preparedness and response, human capital development (social protection, nutrition & school feeding), early recovery, livelihood and resilience programmes.
- Advise senior management on emerging food security, nutrition, resilience, and other operational challenges, proposing evidence-based strategic responses.
- Identify opportunities for programme innovation, integration, scale-up, and operational efficiencies across emergency operations and resilience programming.
- Ensure strong coordination between SCAO, CO technical units, Field Offices, government counterparts, and cooperating partners to promote coherent programme implementation.
- Lead cross-functional programme planning and ensure alignment between programme priorities, operational capacities, and available resources.
- Facilitate regular programme review meetings and monitor implementation of agreed actions and management decisions. B. Programme Design, Planning and Implementation
- Oversee the design and execution of food assistance, resilience and human capital development programmes within SCAO.
- Ensure programme interventions are evidence-based, conflict-sensitive, gender-responsive, and informed by vulnerability, food security, nutrition, market, and climate-risk analyses.
- Guide beneficiary targeting using vulnerability-based and community-based approaches, registration, vulnerability assessments, transfer modality selection, programme planning, and implementation arrangements.
- Ensure programme activities are designed and delivered in accordance with corporate programme guidance, donor commitments, and government priorities.
- Oversee cooperating partner engagement and implementation arrangements, ensuring quality delivery and adherence to approved plans and agreements.
- Promote integrated programming approaches i.e. community engagement, gender, protection, accountability to affected population, and inclusion, that maximize synergies across WFP activities and contribute to sustainable outcomes for vulnerable populations.
- Lead programme preparedness, contingency planning, and emergency response coordination within SCAO.
- Ensure programme readiness for emergency responses, including partner, resource, and operational preparedness.
- C. Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting
- Lead monitoring and performance management of SCAO programme activities against planned outputs, outcomes, and key performance indicators.
D. Partnerships, Government Engagement and External Relations
- Build and maintain strategic partnerships with Federal Government of Somalia, State authorities, UN agencies, International and national NGOs and Community stakeholders under SCAO area of responsibility
- Represent SCAO in sectoral and inter-agency coordination forums for example food security, nutrition, livelihoods, resilience or engagement in humanitarian, transition and development contexts through direct participation, briefings, information products and other materials.
- Support governments led initiatives and provide technical assistance to strengthen national and sub-national food security and nutrition systems.
- Facilitate joint planning, implementation, monitoring, and review processes with government counterparts and partners.
- Strengthening WFP visibility, advocacy, and influence through strategic engagement, presentations, information products, and technical briefings.
- Support donor engagement efforts through field visits, programme updates, presentations, and documentation of programme achievements and impact.
- Support partner selection, due diligence, proposal reviews, agreement management, performance monitoring, and partner capacity strengthening.
- Review CP performance and ensure implementation challenges are addressed in a timely manner.
- Ensure partnership arrangements contribute to effective, accountable, and results-based programme delivery.
E. Resource Management
- Oversee SCAO programme budgets, operational plans and resource utilization, ensuring compliance with delegated authorities, best before dates and terminal delivery dates.
- Monitor expenditure trends, delivery performance, resource requirements, and implementation rates to ensure efficient utilisation of resources.
- Ensure efficient use of financial, human, and operational resources.
- Support preparation of programme budgets, concept notes, proposals and funding submissions.
- Identify funding gaps and emerging programme requirements and contribute to resource mobilization efforts.
- Ensure programme implementation plans are aligned with available financial, commodity, CBT, and operational resources.
- Promote cost-efficiency, value for money, and effective stewardship of programme resources. F. Team Leadership and Capacity Building
- Supervise, mentor and provide technical guidance to SCAO programme staff and consultants.
- Lead workforce planning and support recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and professional development processes.
- Foster a high-performing, inclusive, collaborative, and accountable team culture.
- Build the capacity of WFP SCAO staff, government counterparts, CPs and community stakeholders in programme design, implementation, monitoring, reporting, and policy engagement.
- Promote knowledge sharing, peer learning, and documentation of best practices, innovations and lessons learned.
- Facilitate regular programme review, learning, and reflection sessions across SCAO and Field Offices.
G. Risk Management and Compliance
- Ensure compliance with WFP policies, procedures, corporate standards, donor requirements, and applicable government regulations.
- Through SCAO risk register, identify, assess, and mitigate operational, fiduciary, security, safeguarding, protection, and reputational risks affecting programme implementation.
- Monitor implementation of audit recommendations, management actions, and internal control measures.
- Promote fraud prevention, ethical conduct, safeguarding principles and accountability mechanisms.
- Ensure programme quality assurance processes are in place and regularly reviewed in line with CO and GHQ reassurance plan.
- Escalate significant programme risks, implementation challenges and compliance concerns to SCAO and CO leadership team.
- Perform other duties as required by the Head of South-Central Area Office and CO Head of Programme in support of WFP's mandate and operational objectives in Somalia.
- Ensure effective use of monitoring findings, assessments, evaluations, and operational research to inform programme adjustments and strategic decision-making.
- Lead preparation and quality assurance of donor reports, management reports, situation reports, briefing notes, talking points, and other strategic information products.
- Support CO led evaluations, audits, monitoring missions, spot checks, assessments, and oversight exercises.
- Ensure lessons learned, best practices and recommendations are documented and incorporated into programme design and implementation.
- Promote accountability to affected populations (AAP) and ensure feedback and complaint mechanisms inform programme improvements.
QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS REQUIRED:
Education: Advanced University degree in one of the following fields: International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Sciences or other field relevant to international development assistance, OR First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or training courses.
Experience: At least five (5) years of relevant experience with advanced University Degree OR First University degree with a minimum of seven (7) or more years of experience in programme management. Experience in humanitarian and development programming. Demonstrated leadership and people management experience. Experience working with government institutions, UN agencies, donors, and NGOs. Experience in Somalia or fragile contexts is highly desirable.
Language Proficiency: Fluency (level C) in English and Somali language.
This position is open to qualified national candidates only. Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply. WFP Somalia offers female friendly spaces in the workplace.
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.
