Business Support Assistant to the Deputy Regional Director

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

25 October 2026-23:59-GMT-05:00 Eastern Standard Time (Panama)

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 extreme weather shocks.

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).

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

This position is based in Panama and reports to the Deputy Regional Director.  

   
THE ROLE

To deliver a wide range of business support processes and activities for a specific professional area of work, to facilitate effective service delivery.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES (not all-inclusive, nor exhaustive):

1. Collate information for inclusion in reports, documents, and correspondence, to support the effective work of other staff.
2. Respond to standard queries and provide timely and accurate guidance.
3. Process and manage routine administrative and financial tasks in various functional areas, to contribute to the effective and timely management of resources
4. Manage and maintain records and databases, to ensure information is organized and readily available for staff.
5. Maintain relationships with a range of individuals through provision of business support to assist in information sharing and service delivery to staff.
6. Proof-read reports, documentation, correspondence, etc., making changes in line with established guidelines where appropriate.
7. Contribute to improvement of business procedures and processes.
8. Collect and perform basic analysis of data to contribute to quality business information management.
9. Provide guidance to junior colleagues in performing their duties.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Support the planning and execution of events organized by the Regional Director´s Office, including Leadership meetings and government fora.
• Support business processes related to the implementation of programs and projects led by the Regional Director Office.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

Education: Completion of secondary school education. A post-secondary certificate in the related functional area is desirable.

Experience: Five or more years of progressively responsible work experience in the relative business stream with experience in general administrative work.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Knowledge of specialized common business practices and methods, gained through relevant technical training and experience.
• Ability to develop and maintain relationships with a range of individuals in order to provide a high-quality support service.
• Ability to carry out basic data analysis and independently rectify problems requiring attention.
• Ability to monitor and record financial transactions.
• Good communication skills required to give and receive information and work with a variety of individuals.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality

Language: General Service (Headquarters): Fluency (level C) in English language. Fluency (level C) or intermediate knowledge (level B) of another official language may be required depending on the location of the post or area of responsibility.

General Service (Field): Fluency in both oral and written communication in the UN language in use at the duty station and in the duty station’s language, if different.

TERMS & CONDITIONS:

Number of openings: 1

Based in: Panama City, Panama

Type of Contract: General Service

Level: 5

Duration: 12 months
This position is open to Panamanian citizens or residents with a permanent visa.

You can consult the UN Salary Scale for Panama page for your reference.

Fixed-Term appointments are for a continuous period of one year or more and shall have a specified expiration date. The initial appointment is subject to a probationary period of one year.

Successful candidates will be placed in a roster for two (2) years.

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.