The posting
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
12 November 2026-23:59-GMT+01:00 Central European Time (Rome)
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).
JOB TITLE: Emergency Coordination Officer TYPE OF CONTRACT: CST Level II UNIT/DIVISION: PRGE Service (ECC) / PRG Division DUTY STATION (City, Country): Rome, Italy DURATION: 6 months
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
The Emergency Coordination Cell (ECC) team, based in Rome, is tasked with coordinating emergency
support functions across the organization. The ECC team draws upon strategic analysis from across the
organization, and maintains regular communications across WFP’s emergency operations to provide proactive
and cross-functional emergency coordination support.
ECC responsibilities include:
• Critical Processes: Facilitate implementation of WFP’s corporate emergency systems and processes to
maximise their efficiency for COs in emergencies. Coordinate and/or facilitate GHQ support and
problem-solving for COs and operations, mitigating bottlenecks and maximising responsiveness and
coherence of the WFP’s systems. Expertly manage WFP’s corporate emergency activation processes,
ensuring appropriate and timely consultation, phase activation, support tracking and follow-up, phase
de-activation and after-action review processes.
• Ensure efficient cross-functional coordination and facilitation of Immediate Response Account (IRA)
processes including swift processing of requests and strategic management of the IRA as articulated in
WFP’s IRA Protocol. Manage WFP’s corporate coordination platforms, ensuring efficient planning,
implementation and follow-up of WFP STF, Operational Briefing and ECC fora. Ensure COs are linkedup
with prioritised cross-functional support and follow-up on delivery.
• Partnerships: Build effective working relationships and partner with other WFP functions and offices
and other stakeholders towards shared objectives of ensuring swift and effective support to COs in
emergencies. Work to ensure that WFP’s emergency protocols, tools and processes are well understood
and utilised across WFP. Plan, coordinate and implement communications activities including webinars,
meetings, and mixed-media products to ensure a common minimum working knowledge of critical
processes and corporate tools in emergencies. Where requested undertake mission travel in support of
WFP emergency preparedness and response at operational levels.
• Innovation: Identify strategic opportunities to simplify and optimise WFP’s internal processes in service
of operational speed and excellence. Engage with other PRGE units in consolidating, applying and acting
upon after action review, evaluation and other institutional learning from past and current responses to
inform improvements in WFP’s systems and processes. Where appropriate and agreed with PRGE
leadership, lead or engage in multi-stakeholder processes to improve WFP’s emergency response
processes and capacities. In coordination with PRGE management adjust workplan priorities as
necessary in response to evolving contextual developments, WFP strategic and CO/operational support
requirements.
ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Reporting to the PRGE Chief of Emergency Coordination, the coordination officer will:
2. Oversee programmatic management of WFP Immediate Response Account. Working in close
collaboration with WFP Programme Quality and Budget (PQB), Finance (CFO) and
Partnerships Innovation (PI) functions, provide a) strategic oversight and b) agile
implementation of the WFP IRA Directive and Technical Note, ensuring GHQ IRA management
activities are pro-active, agile, and in-line with established KPIs while prioritising field-focused.
support to emergency operations. Contribute to cross functional discussion on IRA management
and more broadly to flexible funding management.
3. Lead strategic development, internal consultation and communication/sensitization on WFP’s
Corporate Emergency Management System and corporate tools and initiatives including WFP’s
upcoming Access Management Framework, Expedited Processes for Emergencies and other
prioritized tools, structures and processes in support of WFP corporate and operational
response.
4. As required, facilitate WFP corporate support to country offices (COs) and oversight countries
in emergencies. Anticipate coordination requirements related to developing or ongoing
emergencies and engage with cross-functional teams and offices to support actions as necessary.
In collaboration with regionally-outposted EPR officers, act as a ‘concierge’ for COs and
emergency operations to connect with GHQ support services for follow-up on committed support
as necessary.
5. Manage coordination platforms including Operational Briefings and Emergency Coordination
Cell meetings, including scheduling, meeting preparation, venue preparation, attendance
tracking, note taking and dissemination, and tracking and follow up on action points and support
commitments.
6. Maintain regular formal and informal communication with GHQ regionally-outposted functions
(especially EPR) and CO focal points, maintaining updated lists of key contacts and focal points.
7. Regularly engage with colleagues functions throughout the organization to understand the
political, humanitarian, and policy landscape and continually strengthen engagement and
support to WFPs emergency responses. Maintain an informed holistic view of issues impacting
WFP existing and potential future emergencies in the region.
8. As required strengthen and disseminate cross-functional corporate learnings for emergency
preparedness and response through periodic After-Action Reviews (AAR) and support to
Evaluation processes.
9. Any other duties as requested by the Chief of Emergency Coordination.
DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:
As assigned by the Chief of Emergency Coordination:
Timely and accurate processing of country office IRA requests, including facilitation and support to the
CO in determining availability and eligibility, PRGE validation and timely availability for funds in
support of operations. Weekly reporting and strategic updates on IRA use and availability.
Efficiently administered WFP Operational Briefings and Emergency Coordination Cell meetings,
including preparatory documentation, agenda, attendance and circulation list management, in-meeting
support and timely production, clearance and circulation of NFR.
Strategic documentation delineating existing and proposed processes within WFP’s Corporate
Emergency Coordination and Management System.
Completed emergency After Action Review processes, including inception documents, focus group
discussions and interviews, draft and final reports.
Regular coordination meetings and documentation with regionally out-posted and cross-functional
counterparts.
Any other deliverables as requested by teh Chief of Emergency Coordination.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
Education: Advanced university degree in political/social sciences, international development, IHL,
IHRL, development economics, or related fields, or First University Degree with
additional years of related experience and/or trainings.
Experience: At least five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in the
humanitarian-development system, including a demonstrable track record of
responding to emergencies on behalf of a humanitarian agency.
Prior experience of working in WFP emergency response operations at field of CO level.
Knowledge
& Skills:
Humanitarian Coordination: Experience and knowledge of humanitarian
coordination structures within and outside of UN humanitarian system. Operational
experience in WFP programme or supply chain functions.
Emergency Programming: Demonstrate ability to lead a technical team through the
development and implementation of strategic initiatives and operations in highly
complex emergency situations.
Languages: Fluency in written and oral English is required. Working knowledge of an additional
UN language is 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.
