Head of Finance and Management Services

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

28 October 2026-23:59-GMT+03:00 East Africa Time (Djibouti)

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).

Title: Head of Finance, Risk and Management Services

Contract type: Fixe term NOB

Duration: 1 year

Purpose of the Position

The Head of Finance, Risk and Management Services provides strategic leadership, direction and oversight of finance, risk management, compliance, assurance and management services functions within the Country Office. The incumbent serves as a principal advisor to senior management on financial stewardship, governance, resource management, internal controls, operational efficiency and risk-informed decision-making, ensuring that enabling services effectively support programmatic delivery and organizational objectives.

The position leads multidisciplinary teams and is accountable for the effective management of financial resources, risk governance frameworks, management services operations and corporate compliance requirements while promoting value for money, operational excellence and continuous improvement.

Key Accountabilities

Strategic Leadership and Governance

1. Define the strategic direction, priorities and integrated workplans for Finance, Risk and Management Services functions, ensuring alignment with country strategy, operational priorities, corporate objectives and available resources.

2. Advise senior management on strategic, financial, governance and operational matters, providing analysis and recommendations to support decision-making, resource allocation and organizational performance.

3. Lead the integration of risk management, compliance, assurance and business continuity considerations into planning processes, operational reviews and management decision-making.

Finance and Resource Management

1. Direct all finance operations of the Country Office, ensuring effective management of budgeting, accounting, treasury, disbursements, financial reporting, receivables, payables and cash management activities.

2. Ensure timely and accurate month-end and year-end closures, IPSAS-compliant reporting, bank reconciliations, financial statement preparation and adherence to corporate financial regulations.

3. Provide authoritative advice on donor funding, project budgets, contribution utilization, cost recovery, operational viability and resource optimization.

4. Lead financial oversight of Cash-Based Transfer operations, partner funding arrangements, operational advances and complex financial transactions while ensuring robust fiduciary controls.

Risk Management, Assurance and Compliance

1. Serve as Risk & Compliance focal point for the country office in charge of establishing and maintaining a comprehensive enterprise risk management framework, ensuring identification, assessment, mitigation and monitoring of strategic, operational, fiduciary and compliance risks ensuring risks are effectively managed and escalated where required.

2. Monitor oversight recommendations and management action plans arising from audits, reviews and investigations, ensuring timely implementation and sustained compliance.

3. Promote adherence to organizational regulations, Anti-Fraud and Anti-Corruption policies, conflict-of-interest requirements, accountability standards and ethical conduct frameworks.

Audit and Oversight

1. Coordinate responses to audit observations and recommendations, ensuring high-quality submissions, effective follow-up mechanisms and continuous strengthening of internal controls.

Management Services Leadership

1. Provide strategic oversight of management services functions including administration, facilities management, asset management, fleet operations, travel services, protocol and workplace safety.

2. Drive efficiency and cost optimization initiatives through contract reviews, utilization analysis, service rationalization and strengthened vendor management practices.

3. Support UN Reform and inter-agency initiatives, including common premises, common back-office, shared services and harmonized business operations where relevant, to improve service quality, efficiency and cost savings.

Partner Oversight and Due Diligence

1. Lead financial assessments, due diligence reviews and capacity evaluations of cooperating partners, service providers and implementing entities.

2. Assess financial viability, internal control systems and fiduciary risks and develop mitigation measures to safeguard organizational resources.

3. Provide guidance and capacity strengthening to partners on financial management, reporting requirements and compliance obligations.

People Management

1. Lead, coach and develop multidisciplinary teams across finance, administration, risk and management services functions, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation and continuous learning.

2. Establish performance expectations, manage workforce planning and succession efforts, and build technical capacity of staff and partners to ensure sustainable service delivery.

Representation and Stakeholder Management

1. Represent the organization in engagements with government authorities, financial institutions, auditors, UN agencies, donors, service providers and strategic and governmental partners on matters related to finance, governance, risk and management services.

Education:

Advanced university degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Public Administration, Audit, Risk Management, International Development or other relevant field, or first university degree with additional years of related work experience and/or training/courses (indicate min years of experience). Membership in an internationally recognized professional accountancy body such as ACCA, ICPA/CPA or equivalent is desirable.

Desirable experiences:

· Experience in financial management, accounting, budgeting, and reporting.

· Experience in administration, asset management, facilities management, travel, fleet, or other management services functions.

· Experience in risk management and internal controls.

· Experience supervising staff and managing cross-functional activities.

. 3 Years of relevant experience.

Language

· Fluency in English and French (Level C written and spoken).

· Knowledge of Arabic, or another UN language is an advantage

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.