Head of Programme - CSTI

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

7 September 2026-23:59-GMT+03:00 Arabian Standard Time (Aden)

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).

GENERAL INFORMATION
JOB TITLE: Head of Programme
TYPE OF CONTRACT/LEVEL: CSTI
SUPERVISOR: Head of Field Office
UNIT/DIVISION: Field Operations
DUTY STATION (City, Country): Marib, Yemen

DURATION: 11 Months

Background:

WFP operations across the Southern Areas of Yemen are conducted in a highly complex, volatile, and high-risk operating environment. Protracted conflict, severe economic deterioration, currency instability, climate-related shocks, and constrained access to essential services continue to drive widespread humanitarian needs. Within these areas, approximately one in two people experience acute food insecurity, such as declining household purchasing power, high inflation, and heavily disrupted livelihoods leave millions unable to meet their basic food needs.

The humanitarian situation remains critical through the end of 2026. Data indicates that 5.4 million people are experiencing IPC Phase 3 or above (Crisis or worse) acute food insecurity between June and September 2026, with 1.6 million individuals pushed into IPC Phase 4 (Emergency). Despite the onset of the harvest season, these urgent needs are projected to persist and deepen in severity from October to December 2026, with the population in IPC Phase 3 or above remaining stuck at a staggering 5.4 million people.

To deliver targeted assistance accountably within this intense operational window, the Marib Field Office requires a dedicated Programme Officer to provide operational support, track data compliance, and ensure the efficient execution of WFP's safety nets.

Job Purpose:

To provide everyday technical, operational, and data verification support for the implementation, tracking, and monitoring of WFP assistance programs within the Marib area of coverage. Reporting directly to the Head of Field Office, the Programme Officer (Consultant – Level 1) will act as a key technical resource to ensure field-level food, cash, and nutrition activities are executed smoothly. The incumbent will focus on tracking cooperating partner data, monitoring distribution sites, resolving field bottlenecks, and supporting beneficiary registration and retargeting workflows to guarantee that life-saving assistance is delivered in strict alignment with the approved Country Strategic Plan and corporate compliance guidelines.

Accountabilities and responsibilities:

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Field Office, the incumbent will perform the following duties:

• Programme Support & Implementation: Support the day-to-day implementation of field-level food, cash, and nutrition assistance activities in Marib, ensuring tasks align with the Field Office Operational Plan.

• Logistics & Distribution Coordination: Assist in coordinating everyday activities between the Programme and Logistics teams to support timely delivery schedules and verify adherence to WFP distribution rules.

• Field Monitoring & Inspection: Undertake regular random visits, when possible, to final distribution points, local retailers, and storage facilities to check food quality, verify safety standards, and collect feedback from beneficiaries.

• Data Verification & CP Reporting: Review, check, and follow up on monthly distribution and narrative project reports submitted by Cooperating Partners (CPs) to ensure data accuracy before final system entry.

• Digital Identity & SCOPE Tracking: Assist in tracking field-level digitalization efforts, providing day-to-day operational support to partners for household retargeting and biometric SCOPE registration workflows.

• M&E Issue Tracking: Help prepare monthly monitoring plans and track field bottlenecks or complaints flagged by the WFP Call Center, supporting the Field Office team in compiling details to close issues promptly.

• Local Inter-Agency Liaison: Maintain routine working-level contact with local humanitarian partners, NGOs, and community focal points to share information and prevent duplication of food assistance activities.

• Operational Reporting Support: Draft initial input notes, updates, and data summaries for the weekly and ad-hoc Field Office progress reports submitted to the Head of Field Office.

• Partner Guidance: Share approved guidelines with cooperating partner staff regarding record-keeping, ledger maintenance, and reporting templates as stipulated in active FLAs.

• Mission & Briefing Preparation: Support the Head of Field Office in preparing logistics and drafting site briefs for visiting donor delegations or senior internal monitoring missions.

• Act as Head of Field Office when required.

Deliverables:

• Field Monitoring Targets Met: Scheduled site visits and distribution inspections successfully completed with standard monitoring checklists uploaded.

• Partner Reports Reconciled: Monthly CP distribution data, beneficiary logs, and narrative inputs verified and cleaned on time.

• Technical Progress Tracking: Regular data tracking sheets on the progress of local SCOPE registrations and retargeting workflows maintained.

• Reporting Inputs Delivered: Concise, timely, weekly operational notes provided directly to the Head of Field Office.

Desired Skills

• Strong leadership and negotiation skills.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

• Ability to operate in high-risk, complex environments.

• Experience with WFP in-kind and CBT transfer modalities. SCOPE registrations, AAP, protection, and gender in operations.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Education: University Degree in international relations, social sciences, business administration, economics, or another relevant academic area.

• Experience: Minimum of 3 years of professional work experience in humanitarian operations or project implementation. Experience with field monitoring and data checking is required.

• Knowledge & Skills: Proficiency in Microsoft Office (specifically Excel for data verification), familiarity with digital mobile data collection tools, and strong teamwork skills. Basic awareness of cash-based transfers and biometric beneficiary registration databases (such as SCOPE) is highly desirable.

• Languages: Fluency (Level C) in written and spoken English is required. Working knowledge of Arabic is a significant operational 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.