Programme Policy Officer (DRF & Operations)

World Food Programme; United States; Remote; USD 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The World Food Programme seeks a Programme Policy Officer (DRF & Operations) to support macroinsurance and disaster risk financing across COs and HQ. The role focuses on updating Operational and Final Implementation Plans, delivering FIP simulations, and building capacity through trainings in priority countries.

Strong emphasis on gender-responsive design and cross-country knowledge sharing is required. Based at home with in-country missions, the consultant will organize workshops, provide

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in an area related to social sciences, economics or similar is required.
• Between 6 and 10 years of experience in programme management and implementation support.
• At least 5 years of work experience in the climate risk insurance space (inclusive/ microinsurance, mesoinsurance or macroinsurance).
• Specific knowledge of gender and climate microinsurance initiatives in developing countries would be an asset.
• Experience of designing and facilitating trainings would be an asset.
• Knowledge of WFP or UN procedures a plus.
• Fluency and excellent writing skills in both English and French is required.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical assistance to country offices in updating and aligning their Operational Plan and Final Implementation Plan (FIP) with macro-level climate risk financing mechanisms and emergency food assistance interventions. Facilitate the integration of ARC Replica preparedness measures into COs’ broader contingency planning and response frameworks, including AA and Social Protection. Support COs in conducting FIP simulation workshops and applying standardized tools and templates for payout preparedness and reporting. Participate in the review and quality assurance of Mali’s Operational and Final Implementation Plans.
• Contribute to the development, refinement, and dissemination of standardized tools and guidance for ARC Replica preparedness, including: Facilitator Guide for FIP Simulation Exercises; Workshop materials and templates for payout preparedness planning and reporting; Operational Plan and Final Implementation Plan templates.
• Organize and deliver FIP simulation workshops and Training of Trainers (ToTs) in priority countries.
• Provide remote and in-country support to COs in implementing simulation exercises and preparedness planning.
• Support efforts to ensure ARC Replica programming is gender-responsive, including: Supporting gender analyses with a climate lens in selected countries; Translating findings into actionable recommendations for response planning and implementation; Facilitating cross-country learning and integration of gender-smart practices into ARC Replica workplans.
• Report on these activities and support evidence generation.

Job description

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

31 October 2026-23:59-GMT+01:00 Central European Time (Rome)

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: Programme Policy Officer (DRF & Operations)

TYPE OF CONTRACT: WAE CST level II

UNIT/DIVISION: DRF, PRGR

DUTY STATION (City, Country): Home based, with in country missions as relevant

DURATION: 120 days, 11 months

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

For a decade, WFP has been utilizing risk transfer tools to advance the protection and resilience of communities affected by extreme climate events. More recently, it has become a priority to integrate these tools into a broader bundle of risk financing instruments that are accessible for governments and smallholders in climate risk hot-spots. Work has developed around two major areas: Inclusive Risk Financinag as part of an integrated risk management approach embodied by the former R4 Rural Resilience Initiative; and macro/sovereign insurance through programmes like the Africa Risk Capacity (ARC) Replica initiative.

On the macroinsurance side, WFP is purchasing drought risk insurance through the sovereign risk pools to enable quicker responses after climate shocks. In 2025, WFP provided financial protection to 3 million people living in vulnerable communities across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). WFP supports Governments in index customization, choice of risk transfer parameters and the design of more rapid and effective mechanisms to deliver support to affected people. Complementary to these efforts, WFP supports governments in designing and implementing more robust disaster risk financing systems. This requires action in terms of capacity building of national stakeholders, as well as staff in WFP country offices.

Within this effort, as the ARC Replica program (Africa) continues to grow, the support to country offices in developing relevant contingency plans (Operational Plans and Final Implementation Plans) increases. The same is true for other regions like LAC where WFP expands its national-level climate riks insurance approach. A key added value WFP provides is the FIP simulation exercise. As the number of countries in the overall programme increases, more facilitators are needed to effectively design, support and deliver these workshops, along with specific trainings of trainers to help mainstream the approach. To support the sustainability of its disaster risk finance (DRF) programs, WFP aims to better integrate its efforts with complementary tools and programs such as the Anticipatory Action program, Emergency Preparedness and Response, and Adaptive Social Protection to ensure a more comprehensive approach to climate and disaster risk financing.

In line with the above, the consultant will provide flexible support to the WFP disaster risk finance team at headquarters and country offices implementing the macroinsurance program.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Provide technical assistance to country offices in updating and aligning their Operational Plan and Final Implementation Plan (FIP) with macro-level climate risk financing mechanisms and emergency food assistance interventions. Facilitate the integration of ARC Replica preparedness measures into COs’ broader contingency planning and response frameworks, including AA and Social Protection. Support COs in conducting FIP simulation workshops and applying standardized tools and templates for payout preparedness and reporting. Participate in the review and quality assurance of Mali’s Operational and Final Implementation Plans.

2. Broader accountabilities:

3. Contribute to the development, refinement, and dissemination of standardized tools and guidance for ARC Replica preparedness, including: Facilitator Guide for FIP Simulation Exercises; Workshop materials and templates for payout preparedness planning and reporting; Operational Plan and Final Implementation Plan templates.

4. Organize and deliver FIP simulation workshops and Training of Trainers (ToTs) in priority countries.

5. Provide remote and in-country support to COs in implementing simulation exercises and preparedness planning.

6. Support efforts to ensure ARC Replica programming is gender-responsive, including: Supporting gender analyses with a climate lens in selected countries; Translating findings into actionable recommendations for response planning and implementation; Facilitating cross-country learning and integration of gender-smart practices into ARC Replica workplans.

7. Report on these activities and support evidence generation.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

1. Adapt and develop a facilitator’s guide and relevant workshop materials for the Simulation Exercise in another context

2. (FIP) simulation conducted in at least 2 countries

3. At least one (1) Training of trainers conducted

4. Ensure the gender-smart ARC Replica workplan is on track and provide support to across activities/deliverables

5. Contribute to Reporting on gender responsive exercise

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education:

• Advanced degree in an area related to social sciences, economics or similar is required

Experience:

• Between 6 and 10 years of experience in programme management and implementation support.
• At least 5 years of work experience in the climate risk insurance space (inclusive/ microinsurance, mesoinsurance or macroinsurance).
• Specific knowledge of gender and climate microinsurance initiatives in developing countries would be an asset.
• Experience of designing and facilitating trainings would be an asset.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Demonstrated ability to present information and ideas and to communicate technical content effectively to non-technical audiences.
• Ability to conduct effective meetings, listen to others and engage in dialogue on complext, context specific matters.
• Experience working in developing countries.
• Demonstrated analytical and writing skills and data collection experience.
• Experience in establishing contacts and liaising with partner organisations.
• Ability to take initiative and work independantly while in a team.
• Proficiency in Windows, MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Knowledge of WFP or UN procedures a plus.

Languages:

• Fluency and excellent writing skills in both English and French is required.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

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.