Programme Policy Officer (Anticipatory Action) - CST II - Peshawar

World Food Programme; Peshawar City Tehsil; On-site; PKR 1,674,000 - 2,344,000; Full time

Job summary

World Food Programme seeks a skilled professional to design and operationalize an Anticipatory Action framework for KP Pakistan. The role involves developing trigger-based guidelines, coordinating with provincial disaster management authorities, and integrating AA with early warning systems to advance climate resilience and food security.

The consultant will lead capacity-building activities, draft standard operating procedures, and contribute to a governance roadmap for sustainable AA

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in Anticipatory Action.
• Experience designing and operationalizing trigger-based AA systems.
• Experience integrating AA with early warning and impact-based forecasting systems.
• Knowledge of climate risk management and disaster risk financing.
• Experience working with government institutions in developing country contexts.
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Responsibilities

• Design and operationalize an Anticipatory Action framework.
• Develop operational guidelines and trigger mechanisms.
• Coordinate with provincial/district disaster management systems.
• Lead capacity development and training on AA concepts.
• Deliver costed action menus, governance and institutionalization plans.
• Ensure integration of AA with EW systems and forecasting insights.

Skills

Anticipatory Action

Impact-Based Forecasting

Flood Trigger design

Climate risk management

Policy advisory

Education

Advanced degree in Disaster Risk Management

First-level university degree + 5 years relevant experience

Job description

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

22 September 2026-23:59-GMT+05:00 Pakistan Standard Time (Karachi)

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.

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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).

About Job

Job Title: Programme Policy Officer (Anticipatory Action)

Grade: CST II

Type of contract: Consultancy

Duration: 3 months

Duty Station: Peshawar

Date of Publication: 24 September 2026

Deadline of Application: 29 September 2026

TERMS & CONDITIONS

WFP offers a competitive benefits package including salary, medical insurance, among other benefits.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT:

The World Food Programme (WFP) has been operational in Pakistan with a focus on humanitarian assistance, food security, resilience building, and climate risk management. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), WFP programming supports disaster management strengthening, climate-resilient livelihoods, and improved early warning systems for vulnerable communities.

As Implementing Entity of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), WFP is implementing the project titled: “Integrated Climate Risk Management for Strengthened Resilience to Climate Change in Buner and Shangla Districts, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.”

The project further aims to strengthen integrated climate risk management through the convergence of anticipatory action, climate change adaptation (CCA), disaster risk reduction (DRR), impact-based forecasting, and climate-resilient planning approaches.

A core pillar of the project is the development and institutionalization of a government-owned, trigger-based Anticipatory Action system on flash floods linked to impact-based flood forecasting, enabling early release of resources and early actions before disaster impacts fully materialize.

JOB PURPOSE:

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Provincial Office and close collaboration with the Programme Policy Officer (Project Coordinator), based in Peshawar, the International Anticipatory Action Specialist will provide high-level technical advisory support to design an anticipatory action framework and develop operational guidelines, including trigger mechanisms, while providing recommendations for its integration with Early Warning Systems and government disaster management systems at provincial and district level.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:

1. Contribute to formulation of WFP-wide programme policies in line with both organizational strategy and the practical realities of operating in the field; or translate programme policy into Regional/Country level practices. Developing programme guidance and implementation modalities and operations, to ensure a clear and strong connection between HQ and field operations.
2. Provide advice and support to COs on moderately complex issues to clarify ambiguities and ensure that policy and programme operations are consistent with WFP policies, Executive Board decisions, and other relevant guidance.
3. Provide technical advice or mobilise technical expertise on programme and policy issues including assessment and analysis, the choice of objectives, activities, transfer modalities and appropriate food products, the deployment and testing of innovative approaches and the development of strategies to support government efforts to reduce hunger and malnutrition.
4. Assist counterparts in governments and other partners in identifying where food assistance can be usefully employed and provide support and technical expertise for the planning, formulation and implementation of moderately complex food assistance programmes to strengthen government and community ownership and effectiveness of food security and nutrition programmes at national and sub-national levels.
5. Establish and maintain operational partnerships to identify opportunities for collaborative approaches and initiatives that improve assistance packages and support advocacy work.
6. Enhance WFP’s leadership status in forums relating to area of specialism, for example food security, nutrition, livelihoods, resilience or engagement in humanitarian, transition and development contexts through direct participation, briefings, information products and other materials.
7. Manage operational research and evidence building on issues relevant to food assistance.

OTHER SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS:

A. Design and Operationalization of Anticipatory Action Framework

• Conduct a technical review of existing disaster management systems, contingency plans, and forecast-action linkages at provincial and district level and provide entry points of AA in provincial and district DRM structure.
• Lead in the development of a comprehensive Flash flood Anticipatory Action Framework aligned with provincial and national systems.
• Validation of AAP
• Lead in design trigger mechanisms based on:
• Forecast thresholds
• Impact-based forecasting outputs
• Exposure and vulnerability analysis
• Lead in developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for:
• Trigger activation
• Decision-making workflows and communication chain (information flow)
• Pre-arranged financing mechanism
• Define anticipatory actions linked to specific trigger levels.
• Anticipatory action implementation
• Lead the integration of flood modelling and impact-based forecasting into EW systems to inform AA.
• Lead in the development of costed early action menus and pre-agreed financing activation mechanisms.

B. Institutionalization and Governance

• Lead in mapping institutional mandates and coordination mechanisms at provincial and district levels.
• Lead integration of AA into:
• Provincial Disaster Management frameworks
• District Contingency Plans
• Flood preparation planning
• Lead in defining governance structures for trigger validation and early action authorization.
• Lead in developing accountability, documentation, and transparency mechanisms.
• Lead in sustainable financing and budgetary allocation pathways for AA institutionalization.

C. Capacity Development and Systems Strengthening

• Lead in developing and delivering technical training modules on:
• Anticipatory Action concepts and global standards
• Forecast-based financing (FbF)
• Trigger design and validation
• Early action costing and prioritization
• Simulation and stress-testing exercises
• Provide support for Training-of-Trainers (ToT).

D. Community-Centered and Inclusive Anticipatory Action

• Ensure AA protocols are gender-responsive and socially inclusive.
• Define differentiated early actions for vulnerable groups, including women, persons with disabilities, and marginalized communities.
• Align early actions with livelihood protection and food security objectives.
• Lead integration of community feedback mechanisms into AA activation cycles.

E. Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

• Lead in developing an AA performance monitoring framework including:
• Trigger accuracy
• Lead time
• Cost-efficiency
• Timeliness of activation
• Impact reduction indicators
• Establish methodologies for post-activation review and learning.
• Document lessons learned, good practices, and replication models.
• Provide periodic technical progress reports and a final completion report.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

• Anticipatory Action Framework Design
• Operational Guidance Note for application and system alignment
• Capacity Development Package (training materials and guidance notes)
• Institutionalization Roadmap and Sustainability Recommendations
• Develop a phased Institutionalization Roadmap (with immediate, medium-term actions) and actionable Recommendations final Technical Completion Report.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education:

• Advanced degree in Disaster Risk Management, Climate Change Adaptation, Hydrology, Meteorology, Environmental Sciences, Development Studies, or related field OR first-level university degree with additional 5 years of relevant experience.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in:
• Anticipatory Action
• Impact-Based Forecasting
• Flood Trigger designing
• Climate risk management
• Flood risk management
• Demonstrated experience in designing and operationalizing trigger-based AA systems.
• Experience integrating AA with early warning and impact-based forecasting systems.
• Familiarity with resilience programming approaches
• Experience working with government institutions in developing country contexts.
• Experience working in Pakistan or in South Asia will be an advantage.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Strong expertise in Anticipatory Action global frameworks and standards.
• Familiarity with hydrometeorological forecasting systems and trigger modelling.
• Knowledge of disaster risk financing and shock-responsive mechanisms.
• Strong institutional capacity-building and facilitation skills.

Languages:

Excellent written and spoken English (level C)

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

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REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

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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.