The posting
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
4 November 2026-23:59-GMT+03:00 Eastern European Time (Syria) (Damascus)
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).
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT
As Syria navigates a new chapter marked by historic opportunities and enduring challenges, the scale of humanitarian needs remains overwhelming. Only 18 percent of the population is food secure; some 7.2 million people face acute food insecurity, including 1.6 million facing severe conditions. Approximately 5.5 million people remain internally displaced. Since December 2024, more than 1.6 million Syrians have returned from abroad, many to communities where homes and infrastructure have been destroyed, livelihood opportunities remain limited and access to basic services is severely constrained. Sustained support is essential to help returning families meet their immediate needs, rebuild their livelihoods and reintegrate into their communities.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the largest humanitarian agency operating in Syria since 1964 and is uniquely positioned to support Syrian communities in their recovery through its expansive reach and scale. WFP’s interventions prioritize emergency relief and resilience-building efforts focused on the most severely food insecure populations. Additionally, WFP is a key actor in the country’s social protection sector also plays a vital role in strengthening Syria’s social safety-net systems.
Operating under its 2022-2026 Interim Country Strategic Plan (iCSP), WFP addresses the growing food and nutrition needs livelihood, resilience and early recovery, and reviving food systems, in close collaboration with the Syrian government, humanitarian and development stakeholders.
CONTRACT DETAILS:
Contract type: Service Contract (SC5)
Duration: 12 Months
Duty station: Damascus
Number of required employees: 1
JOB PURPOSE:
To strengthen the implementation, coordination, and oversight of Delivery Unit activities at Country Office (CO) level, WFP Syria seeks a Programme Assistant to support the transition from in-kind assistance to Cash-Based Transfer (CBT) modalities, including e-vouchers and cash assistance. The position will support planning, implementation, monitoring, reconciliation, and reporting processes related to CBT operations while ensuring compliance with WFP corporate procedures and standards. The incumbent will contribute to effective coordination between the Country Office, Area Offices, Functional Units, Financial Service Providers (FSPs), and cooperating partners to facilitate timely and efficient delivery of assistance to beneficiaries. Under the direct supervision of the Programme Associate (Delivery Unit), the Programme Assistant will provide operational, analytical, and administrative support for CBT and delivery-related activities and contribute to strengthening programme quality, accountability, and operational efficiency.
ACCOUNTABILITIES:
The incumbent will be responsible for supporting the Delivery Unit in the following areas:
- Support the preparation, consolidation, and finalization of monthly assistance delivery plans in coordination with Area Offices, Activity Managers, and relevant programme units.
- Assist in the setup, validation, and closure of monthly CBT cycles through WFP corporate systems, including beneficiary verification, payment list generation, entitlement uploads, and reconciliation processes.
- Support the management and monitoring of CBT implementation activities, ensuring timely delivery of assistance in accordance with approved plans and operational timelines.
- Maintain and update operational databases, trackers, and dashboards to monitor implementation progress, caseload movements, transfer values, redemption rates, and operational performance indicators.
- Support data quality assurance, reconciliation, and validation exercises across SCOPE and other corporate systems to ensure completeness and accuracy of programme data.
- Coordinate regularly with Area Offices, Finance, TEC, Supply Chain, Procurement, RAM, and other relevant units to address operational issues affecting programme implementation.
- Support engagement with Financial Service Providers (FSPs) and other service providers regarding operational implementation, payment processing, liquidity management, redemption monitoring, and issue resolution.
- Assist in the preparation and review of Purchase Requisitions (PRs), Purchase Requisitions for Cash to Beneficiaries (PRCBs), Service Entry Sheets (SESs), fund commitments, and related operational documentation.
- Support programme assurance activities, including implementation monitoring, reconciliation exercises, exception reporting, and follow-up on audit and assurance recommendations.
- Assist in tracking dormant accounts, failed payments, unredeemed entitlements, beneficiary complaints, and payment-related issues in accordance with approved SOPs and operational procedures.
- Support the preparation of operational reports, management updates, presentations, analytical briefs, and ad hoc information requests.
- Organize and document coordination meetings, maintain action trackers, follow up on agreed actions, and support communication with internal and external stakeholders.
- Participate in field missions, operational reviews, monitoring visits, and other programme activities as required.
- Contribute to process improvement initiatives, digitization efforts, and operational efficiency measures related to delivery and CBT implementation.
- Perform any other duties as required to support the effective implementation of WFP delivery operations.
STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education: Completion of secondary school education. A university degree in Business Administration, Economics, Information Management, Statistics, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or a related field is desirable.
EXPERIENCE:
At least five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in programme implementation, cash-based transfers, humanitarian assistance, food security, emergency response, monitoring, operations, data management, or related fields.
Experience in one or more of the following areas is desirable:
- Cash-Based Transfers (CBT)
- Food Assistance Programmes
- Emergency Operations
- Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)
- Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (VAM)
- Programme Delivery and Operations
- Beneficiary Data Management and SCOPE
- Previous experience with WFP, UN agencies, NGOs, Financial Service Providers, or humanitarian organizations is an advantage.
KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS
- Good knowledge of CBT operational processes and Programme delivery mechanisms.
- Experience in Programme data analysis, reconciliation, and reporting.
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Power BI, and corporate reporting tools.
- Familiarity with beneficiary management systems, preferably WFP SCOPE.
- Ability to coordinate with multiple stakeholders and manage competing priorities.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to work under pressure and meet tight operational deadlines.
- Good communication and teamwork skills.
LANGUAGE:
Fluency in both oral and written communication in both English and Arabic.
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.
