DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

9 September 2026-23:59-GMT+05:30 India Standard Time (Colombo)

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).

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT:

These jobs are part of Global Headquarters (GHQ) and/or Country Offices (COs) and report to a more senior Programme Policy Officer, or designate.

Job holders are likely to be working under the close support and guidance of a more experienced professional staff member receiving guidance and regular feedback on work performed. They are typically involved in programme or policy activities or similar nature and analytical work of limited complexity.

Demonstrated capacity to support community-based asset creation programmes through participatory planning, field monitoring, stakeholder coordination, and quality assurance. All activities are expected to contribute directly to WFP Sri Lanka’s Country Strategic Plan (CSP) outcomes, particularly:

• Outcome 2 – Resilience: strengthening community resilience to climate-related and other shocks through sustainable asset creation and disaster preparedness.

• Outcome 3 – Institutional Capacity: supporting national and subnational institutions to manage food security and disaster risk through participatory planning and coordinated risk assessments.

• Outcome 4 – Partnerships: fostering inclusive collaboration with government counterparts, technical agencies, and community stakeholders to ensure sustainability and national ownership.

The incumbent is expected to undertake field visits on needs basis, ensure the integration of gender, protection, and environmental considerations, support resilience-building initiatives, document lessons learned, and contribute to monitoring, evaluation, and reporting requirements. Knowledge of climate-resilient asset creation, digital data collection tools, and engagement with local government structures is highly desirable.

JOB PURPOSE:

To provide support to policy and programme activities that effectively meet food assistance needs (Food Assistance for Assets creation Rehabilitation).

Sri Lanka is highly vulnerable to cyclones, floods, landslides, and droughts, with disasters increasing in frequency and severity. In November 2025, Cyclone Ditwah devastated 22 districts, affecting 2 million people, destroying homes and croplands, and severely damaging irrigation systems. With the anticipated El Niño event in 2026–27 expected to bring both droughts and flooding, communities face heightened risks and limited coping capacity.

To address these challenges, WFP is implementing a USD 7.5 million program to assist 87,000 people (21,750 households) by combining cash transfers for rehabilitating irrigation systems, anticipatory cash support to flood-prone households, pre-positioning of essential non-food items, and strengthened disaster preparedness through coordinated risk assessments and digitalized systems.

The program builds on WFP’s leadership in disaster coordination, enabling rapid deployment within 72–96 hours of an emergency while supporting recovery and resilience, ensuring households are better prepared for future shocks and reinforcing government disaster risk financing system.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive, within delegated authority):

1. Technical Infrastructure & Natural Resource Management

• Lead or support the design and implementation of small irrigation structures (reservoir bunds, spillways, sluice gates, canals, retention ponds, water ponds, anicuts, low‑cost irrigation systems).

• Provide hands‑on technical guidance on soil and water conservation measures (half‑moons, contour bunds, terraces, infiltration trenches, stone bunds, check‑dams/gabions, soil sedimentation dams, and other NRM best practices).

• Support watershed‑level planning integrating SLM/NRM best practices and community infrastructure.

• Provide technical input on agroforestry systems, tree‑crop associations, rangeland restoration, and multi‑purpose species selection.

• Contribute to high‑quality design of community infrastructure (water points, small earthworks, erosion‑control structures) with engineering colleagues.

• Ensure activities align with climate‑risk assessments and nature‑based solutions.

2. Programme Management & Reporting

• Contribute towards the development of projects, plans, and processes ensuring alignment with wider programme policies and guidance.

• Provide project management support to defined programmes and projects of small to moderate size, ensuring compliance with WFP standards and procedures.

• Follow data gathering and monitoring systems ensuring rigorous quality standards are maintained.

• Research and analyse policy and operational issues to support senior colleagues in programme and policy development.

• Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting (engineering estimates, BOQs, etc.) to enable informed decision‑making.

3. Partnerships & Coordination

• Liaise with internal counterparts to ensure effective collaboration and monitor ongoing projects.

• Support the identification, development, and management of potential partnerships to improve food assistance packages.

• Coordinate with government counterparts, technical agencies, implementing partners, and community leaders to ensure effective project delivery.

4. Capacity Building & Staff Support

• Support the capacity building of WFP staff, partners, and national government to prepare for and respond to food assistance needs.

• Provide guidance to support staff, acting as a point of referral and assisting them with analysis and queries.

• Contribute to project management support of learning initiatives.

5. Other Duties

• Undertake additional responsibilities as required.

OTHER SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS (details to be determined by Post Managers):

Other Specific Job Requirements

1. Community Engagement & Participatory Planning

• Facilitate community consultations, participatory rural appraisals, and beneficiary engagement processes.

• Work with local authorities, community-based organizations, and vulnerable groups to ensure inclusive asset planning and implementation.

2. Asset Creation & Quality Assurance

• Monitor and verify the quality, technical standards, and sustainability of community assets created under FFA activities.

• Apply climate-resilient and livelihood-supporting interventions (irrigation rehabilitation, watershed management, soil conservation, agroforestry, disaster risk reduction infrastructure).

3. Field Monitoring & Reporting

• Undertake frequent field missions to remote project locations.

• Collect, analyse, and report field data using digital monitoring tools and established reporting systems.

4. Stakeholder Coordination

• Coordinate with government counterparts, technical agencies, implementing partners, and community leaders.

• Support multi-stakeholder planning, implementation, and review processes.

5. Safeguards, Protection & Inclusion

• Integrate gender equality, disability inclusion, accountability to affected populations (AAP), and protection principles.

• Identify and address social and environmental risks associated with asset creation activities.

6. Climate Change & Resilience Building

• Apply knowledge of climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and resilience-building approaches.

• Incorporate environmental sustainability considerations into project design and implementation.

7. Capacity Strengthening

• Design and deliver training, coaching, and awareness sessions for community groups, local government officers, and partners.

• Develop operational guidelines, training materials, and knowledge products.

8. Results & Learning

• Document lessons learned, best practices, and success stories from FFA interventions.

• Contribute to evaluations, post-implementation reviews, and evidence generation.

9. Digital & GIS Competencies (optional)

• Apply GIS mapping, GPS data collection, Kobo/ODK, or other digital platforms.

• Analyse spatial and monitoring data to support asset planning and reporting.

10. Operational Backstopping

• Provide technical backstopping to Field Offices on design, targeting, sequencing, and monitoring of resilience activities.

• Review partner proposals, workplans, BoQs, and designs for technical coherence.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE:

1. Technical Expertise

• Minimum 5 years of progressively responsible experience in irrigation scheme rehabilitation, ecosystem restoration, watershed management, agroforestry, land degradation control, civil/environmental engineering.

• Demonstrated experience implementing minor irrigation schemes with community participation, water harvesting, or community infrastructure.

• Proven ability to implement land and water management interventions in dry zone areas (highly desired).

2. Community Engagement & Participatory Approaches

• Experience with participatory approaches and community mobilisation.

• Strong emphasis on inclusive planning processes that integrate vulnerable groups.

3. Programme Implementation & Policy Alignment

• Experience leading programme implementation and operationalizing programmatic policies on food security, natural resource management, sustainable development, asset creation, access to markets, climate change adaptation, and disaster risk management with communities.

4. Digital & Innovation Competencies

• Experience integrating digital tools (GIS, Kobo, ODK) into asset monitoring.

• Familiarity with anticipatory cash programming and resilience-building approaches.

Knowledge & Skills:

1. Technical & Engineering Competencies

• Strong technical capacity in irrigation system rehabilitation, watershed planning, agroforestry establishment, natural resource management (NRM), nature‑based solutions (NbS), sustainable livelihoods, integrated land rehabilitation, and community‑based participatory planning.

• Capacity to design and supervise community infrastructure works.

2. Analytical & Organisational Skills

• Strong writing and analytical abilities, with proven organisational, facilitation, and training skills.

• Ability to present complex concepts clearly to both technical and non‑technical audiences.

• Experience synthesizing lessons learned into operational guidelines, policy briefs, or donor reports.

3. Communication & Collaboration

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

• Ability to work effectively with communities, partners, and multidisciplinary teams.

• Experience developing and facilitating capacity‑strengthening materials and technical training.

4. Digital & IT Proficiency

• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and standard operating systems.

• Working knowledge of digital monitoring tools (GIS, Kobo, ODK) considered an asset.

5. Institutional Experience

• Prior experience working with relevant government departments and ministries is desirable.

STANDARD MINIMUM ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

Advanced University degree or equivalent in civil engineering, irrigation, environmental engineering, land and water development, irrigation water management, environmental sciences, disaster risk management, or resilience studies; or First University Degree or equivalent with additional years of related work experience and/or training/courses.

Language:

National Professional: Fluency (level C) in English language and the duty station’s language, if different.

Position Title: Programme Policy Officer - Community Infrastructure SC8

Contract Type: Service Contract

Duty Station: Colombo, Sri Lanka

Nationality: Nationals Only

Date of Publication: 26.08.2026

Deadline of Application: 09.09.2026

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.