Programme Policy Officer (School Feeding) CST 1

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

21 September 2026-23:59-GMT+03:00 East Africa Time (Addis Ababa)

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).

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
WFP Ethiopia is working with the Government and humanitarian partners to strengthen the resilience of
Ethiopia’s most vulnerable population and to chart a more prosperous and sustainable future for the next
generation. The WFP Country Office also supports programmes that use food assistance to empower
women, transform areas affected by climate change and keep children in school. Through its Country
Strategic Plan (CSP) it aims to contribute to Ethiopia’s five-year development agenda, the Growth and
Transformation Plan (GTP), through which the Government combats food insecurity. WFP supports the
government of Ethiopia in the design and implementation of school feeding (SF) programmes to increase
student’s enrollment and meet nutritional gaps among school going children. School meal programs serve
as a vital social safety net for vulnerable households and school-going children and are also one of the
most effective mechanisms for incentivizing school attendance, particularly among girls. School meal
programs play a vital role in promoting positive outcomes across five interconnected areas: health, nutrition,
and education—all of which can foster gender equality and enhance the benefits of human capital
development.
Under the McGovern Dole (MGD) project, WFP implements school feeding programmes in pre-primary and
primary schools in approximately 715 schools in the Afar and Oromia regions to improve student
attendance and reduce short-term hunger through the provision of a daily school meal. WFP will provide
technical assistance to the Ministry of Education (MOE) and its regional education bureaus to strengthen
institutional structures to support the Government of Ethiopia (GOE) to implement school feeding and
school health and nutrition programs effectively. Under this project (MGD school feeding) WFP will work
with the GOE through the MOE to provide school meals to pre-primary and primary school children in Afar
and Oromia for five years.
JOB PURPOSE:
The Consultant will serve as Project Manager and will be responsible for the overall Implementation of the
McGovern Dole funded project which aims to promote nutrition and literacy through school meals, while
strengthening the national capacity to scale up sustainable school feeding programmes. He/ she will also
support the closure of the current MGD FY18 and while preparing ground for the implementation of the new
FY24 project.
ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
The incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

• Manage all aspects of the ongoing MGD FY18 (ending in September 2025) and MGD FY24 (2025 to
2030) funded project.
• Work with SF team to manage the MGD funded project through the development of quarterly and
annual project plans, monitor ongoing project performance against budget, ensuring adherence to guidance
and policies, and providing financial analysis and advice to optimize resources.
• Provide technical support to the school feeding team in Afar and Oromia regions regarding the
implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the project including developing project implementation
guidelines and SOPs and training packages for managing activities under MGD project.
• Closely work with Research, Analysis and Mapping (RAM) team to oversee the monitoring system
including reporting, accountability and reviews.
• In discussion with the school feeding head, liaise with internal and external counterparts to ensure
effective collaboration, monitor ongoing projects progress and highlight potential risks to project delivery.
• Develop a standard activity tracking system and reporting template to enhance the effective monitoring
of project implementation and track outcomes. Establish a clear coordination system between the SO,
implementing partners and CO to facilitate smooth operationalization of the project.
• Support the development of systems to streamline data collection, validation, and analysis to track
progress against project indicators and enhance decision-making and timely reporting process.
• In collaboration with the school feeding team, support the facilitation of training for the various
stakeholders including Imagine 1 day, WFP SO/CO staff, BoE in Afar and Oromia and BoFED focusing on
donor requirement and WFP’s commitment under for FY24 project.
• Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on programmes and activities that enable
informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.

Prepare budgets, report, concept note and operational plans when applicable including lessons learnt,
stories for the website, success stories.
• Perform other duties as required within the unit.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
EDUCATION:
Advanced university degree, preferably in Social Sciences, Finance, Public Administration, Governance &
Public Policy, International Relations, or development studies
EXPERIENCE:
At least three (3) years of relevant professional level work experience in humanitarian programming.
Experience in partnerships/budget management, agreement formulation or equivalent roles OR a first
degree with additional years of experience is required.
KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS:
• Proficiency in MS Office packages, especially word processing and spreadsheet
• Specialized knowledge of the application of common business processes, practical business support
methods, procedures and systems used, gained through technical training and work experience
• Ability to analyse and interpret programmatic and financial data
• Good communication skills to provide specialized business support services to a wide range of
individuals within WFP and externally
• Ability to build relationships with a variety of individuals across functions; and
• experience in coordinating the work of others and self, training, and supporting others
LANGUAGE:
Fluency (level C) in oral and written communication in English language
WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK
WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behavior that guide HOW we work
together to accomplish our mission.

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.