Information Security Advisory Specialist

World Food Programme; United States; Remote; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

World Food Programme is seeking an Information Security Advisory Specialist to provide expert cybersecurity consulting across IT systems and AI solutions. The role focuses on risk assessments, ATO, and designing robust security architectures to protect sensitive data while meeting organizational standards.

You will leverage SDLC and enterprise architecture knowledge, collaborate with Country Offices and Regional Bureaus, and guide IT solution owners on security controls and data protection.

Qualifications

• Degree in Computer Science/Engineering or related STEM disciplines or equivalent working experience.
• At least 6 years of relevant work experience.
• Solid IT Security skills, with both academic background and professional experience.
• Solid IT SDLC expertise.
• Solid network experience.
• Understanding of IT architecture and design concepts.
• Managed stakeholder relationships, aligning cybersecurity risk strategies with business objectives.
• Understand cybersecurity risk concepts to assess threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigation strategies.
• Good project management skills.
• Experience in multinational organizations.
• Desirable: IT Security and IT Audit certifications.
• Desirable: Security architecture in the cloud.
• Desirable: ISO, NIST, HIPAA or PCI compliance process.

Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive risk assessments and manage the Authorization to Operate (ATO) process for IT systems, ensuring security controls meet requirements.
• Design and oversee the security architecture for applications, ensuring protection of data and compliance with policies.
• Lead the design, implementation and maintenance of cybersecurity procedures and services.
• Produce proposals around technologies to improve cybersecurity posture with sound research.
• Propose and maintain new security standards, procedures and guidelines to raise security maturity.
• Provide advisory services to Country Offices and Regional Bureaus for cybersecurity challenges.
• Provide cybersecurity advisory services for AI solutions, including threats, data protection risks, access controls, and supply-chain security.
• Conduct third-party risk assessments and ensure cybersecurity compliance.
• Guide IT solution owners to design and implement cybersecurity measures and data protection per classification.
• Identify opportunities to innovate and enhance service delivery.
• Maintain records of decisions and assessments with Advisory team.
• Identify improvements to existing processes and documentation.

Skills

IT Security

SDLC

Network security

Security architecture

Stakeholder management

Risk assessment

Project management

Education

CS/Engineering degree

IT security certifications

Job description

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

16 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: INFORMATION SECURITY ADVISORY SPECIALIST

TYPE OF CONTRACT: CST2

UNIT/DIVISION: TECI

DUTY STATION (City, Country): REMOTE WORK

DURATION: 11 months

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Under the general supervision of the Chief Information Security Officer and supervision of the Head of Cybersecurity Advisory Services, the incumbent will conduct consulting activities to the business, including, but not limited to:

• Authorization to Operate and security compliance
• Application security
• Network security
• Security architecture
• Third Party Risk Management
• Securing beneficiary management systems
• Azure and Active Directory security
• Identity and access management

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

1. 1.Conduct comprehensive risk assessments and manage the Authorization to Operate (ATO) process for IT systems, ensuring that all security controls are effectively implemented and maintained to meet organizational and regulatory requirements.
2. 2.Design and oversee the security architecture for new and existing applications, ensuring robust protection measures are in place to safeguard sensitive data and maintain compliance with organizational policies and industry standards.
3. 3.Lead the design, implementation and maintenance of cybersecurity procedures and services, aimed at protecting IT systems and sensitive data.
4. 4.Produce proposals around technologies to improve the cybersecurity posture of the organization, with sound research to ensure these produce value.
5. 5.Propose and maintain new security standards, procedures and guidelines to help raise the current security maturity level of the organization. In close collaboration with the Architecture branch, perform regular baseline and hardening reviews of WFP security solutions and technologies.
6. 6.Provide expert support and advisory services to County Offices and Regional Bureaus to address cybersecurity challenges and maintain compliance with organizational security standards.
7. 7.Provide cybersecurity advisory services for AI solutions, including assessing AI-specific threats, data protection risks, access controls, model and supply-chain security and compliance with organizational security requirements.
8. 8.Conduct third-party risk assessments, ensuring cybersecurity compliance and effective risk management.
9. 9.Provide guidance to IT solution owners across the organization to:
   • Properly design the needed measures to ensure the cybersecurity of the solution.
   • Protect data as appropriate for their classification by following SDLC and enterprise architecture.
10. 10.Consistently find opportunities to innovate, extend and enhance service delivery wherever possible.
11. 11.Maintain a record of decisions taken and assessments performed, in cooperation with other members of the Advisory team.
12. 12.Identify and execute improvements to existing processes, through solutions to address recurring problems and enhancements to existing solutions or documentation.
13. 13.Become Subject Matter Expert (SME) on platforms and applications for which consultant is assigned to review.
14. 14.Produce high quality reports.
15. 15.Provide leadership and advice to more junior colleagues.
16. 16.Manage cybersecurity related projects.
17. 17.Additional duties as requested.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT

Comprehensive reports detailing the risk assessments conducted for IT systems, including identified risks, mitigation measures, and residual risks.

Complete documentation for the Authorization to Operate (ATO) process, including security controls, compliance status, and any necessary remediation actions.

Detailed design documents for the security architecture of new and existing applications, ensuring robust protection measures are in place.

Well-researched proposals for technologies and strategies to improve the organization’s cybersecurity posture.

Updated security standards, procedures, and guidelines to raise the corporate security maturity level, including baseline and hardening reviews.

Repeatable, high-level methodologies to set expectations to the business of what cyber security requirements must be addressed related to software development.

High-quality reports on cybersecurity challenges, solutions, and advisory services provided to Country Offices and Regional Bureaus, including records of decisions taken and assessments performed.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Education: Degree in the field of Computer Science/Engineering or related STEM disciplines or equivalent working experience

Experience: At least 6 years of relevant work experience

Knowledge & Skills:

Solid IT Security skills, with both academic background and professional experience Solid IT SDLC expertise

Solid network experience

Understanding of IT architecture and design concepts.

Managed stakeholder relationships, aligning cybersecurity risk strategies with business objectives

Understand cybersecurity risk concepts to assess threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigation strategies.

Good project management skills

Experience in multinational organizations Desirable: IT Security and IT Audit certifications Desirable: Security architecture in the cloud.

Desirable: experience in ISO, NIST, HIPAA or PCI compliance process

Languages: Fluency in oral and written English is mandatory with an intermediate knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) or Portuguese (one of WFP’s working languages) 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: [e-mail]

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.

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.