Programme Policy Officer (Capacity Transfer and Emergency Preparedness and Response)

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

17 August 2026-23:59-GMT+04:00 Armenia Standard Time (Yerevan)

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:

The United Nations (UN) World Food Programme (WFP) has been working in Armenia since 1994 to improve food security and resilience. What began as an emergency operation, transitioned to resilience building and recovery programming to reduce humanitarian needs by supporting food security, nutrition and rural livelihoods. And then from 2010 till now, WFP Armenia has embarked on a comprehensive set of activities related to food systems, school meals, social protection and disaster risk reduction. The upcoming WFP Country Strategic plan 2026-2030 (CSP) focuses on institutionalization of key capacities, models, methodologies and tools by 2030. This means that WFP will gradually transition its interventions, knowledge, skills to the government, with major key milestones to be achieved under the emergency preparedness and government capacity strengthening to respond to emergencies.  In support to the government capacity strengthening for emergency preparedness and response, the World Food Programme (WFP) in Armenia is hiring a dedicated Programme Policy Officer (PPO) for Capacity Transfer and Emergency Preparedness (CT and EP).

Purpose of the Assignment

The Programme Policy Officer (PPO) for Capacity Transfer (CT) and Emergency Preparedness & Response (EPR) specialized in government capacity strengthening will focus on supporting WFP country strategic plans to enhance the ability of national and local authorities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. The specialist will support the transition of emergency management from external, agency-led operations to sustainable, locally owned systems.  The PPO CT&EP will support WFP Armenia in operationalizing the findings of the capacity gap assessment conducted by WFP. The role will focus on identifying, prioritizing and implementing concrete actions to strengthen government preparedness and response regulatory framework and systems, ensuring WFP’s support is strategic, coordinated, and aligned with national priorities.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

Under the overall guidance of the Country Director and direct supervision of the Head of Programme, the Programme Policy Officer (Capacity Transfer and Emergency Preparedness and Response) will be responsible for the following duties:

• Support WFP’s engagement with government institutions in the development and implementation of policies, strategies, and institutional reforms that strengthen national systems and capacities in line with national priorities and WFP strategic objectives.

• Support WFP's efforts to strengthen government capacities through the design and operationalization of institutional frameworks, roadmaps, action plans, systems, processes, and digital solutions that improve planning, decision-making, coordination, and service delivery.

• Manage Capacity Transfer of WFP systems, tools and operational best practice on emergency preparedness and response readiness.

• Contribute to evidence-based programming by translating programme insights, risk analysis, and lessons learned into practical recommendations for government engagement and institutional development.

• Contribute to the design and delivery of capacity strengthening transfer activities for government institutions and partners through technical assistance, training, coaching, simulation exercises, and knowledge-sharing initiatives.

• Facilitate collaboration and partnerships with government institutions, UN agencies, development partners, civil society, academia, and the private sector to advance programme objectives and strengthen national capacities.

Represent WFP in technical working groups, coordination platforms, and policy dialogues, providing technical inputs and supporting collaborative approaches with national stakeholders.

• Coordinate and support internal EPR platforms to ensure effective preparedness and response planning, information management, stakeholder engagement, and evidence-based decision-making, contributing to strengthened organizational emergency readiness and response capacity.

• Contribute to reporting, knowledge management, and communication products to support accountability, evidence-based decision-making, institutional learning, and the documentation of results.

• Support other programme and institutional strengthening activities as required.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

• Government capacity strengthening plan developed and priority institutional frameworks, procedures, and implementation mechanisms updated.

• Technical inputs provided to the development, revision, and implementation of government policies, strategies, frameworks, and institutional reform initiatives.

• Institutional strengthening plans, road maps, action plans, and operational frameworks developed and operationalized in collaboration with government counterparts with a focus on EPR.

• Capacity strengthening initiatives delivered for government institutions and partners, including technical assistance, training programmes, workshops, simulation exercises, coaching, and knowledge-sharing activities.

• Technical contributions provided to coordination platforms, working groups, and policy dialogues, supporting collaborative approaches and the advancement of shared priorities.

• Quality reports, knowledge products, lessons learned, and communication materials developed.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• Education:

  Advanced university degree in Economics, Social Sciences, Disaster Risk Management, Public Policy, or related fields.

  Experience: 

• At least 7 years of postgraduate professional experience in the design, implementation, and coordination of programmes and projects focused on government capacity strengthening, institutional development, and systems reform.

• Demonstrated ability to foster partnerships and work effectively with diverse teams.

• Strong familiarity with the UN humanitarian system; experience in emergency preparedness and response is desirable.

• Knowledge & Skills:              

• Strong analytical, planning, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills; knowledge of government structures and humanitarian coordination mechanisms.

• Good theoretical understanding of emergency preparedness management concepts and principles with a knowledge of best practices, techniques and processes.

• Ability to assimilate a range of information and make basic analyses to support the development of efficient solutions.

• Demonstrated communication skills and ability to adapt communication style to different situations and individuals.

• Knowledge of common business principals and processes and the ability to quickly assimilate UN/WFP specific processes and systems.

• Languages:

  Fluency (level C) in English and Armenian languages. Additional Languages will be 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:  [email protected]

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 [email protected]. 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.