Job Opening at the United Nations World Food Programme

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to end global hunger. Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Country Director

Requisition #: 17061
Location: Abuja, Nigeria

Key Accountabilities
Not all-inclusive:

• Develop and oversee the implementation of country strategies, policies and plans, aligned with government, WFP and wider national and UN strategies, policies and processes as appropriate. Ensure timely and effective responses to meet changing food security and nutrition needs.
• Contribute to the development of wider WFP strategies and policies ensuring that operational realities inform planning.
• Demonstrate ownership of, promote and deploy WFP corporate initiatives and strategies.
• Hold accountability for effective management of WFP operations within the area of assignment to ensure timely and effective delivery of food assistance.
• Provide effective leadership to a Country Office to ensure the continued development of a cohesive and high performing WFP country team.
• Identify and build productive relationships with partners at a national level, and at regional and global levels as appropriate, to raise resources for WFP and enable the effective positioning of WFP to achieve country goals.
• Actively work with government agencies to build knowledge and capacity to meet food assistance needs within the country and to prepare for and respond to hunger related emergencies.
• Under the guidance and coordination of the Resident Coordinator (RC), participate and actively contribute, as a member of the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) and Humanitarian Country Team (including Cluster Agency responsibilities), to strengthening of UN country coherence and promoting of joint planning to meet the zero hunger challenge.
• Build productive relationships with beneficiaries, civil societies, and national NGOs.
• Positively represent WFP in the media to build awareness and advocate for WFP activities in fighting hunger in the country.
• Take lead to ensure that evaluation, audit and compliance recommendations are efficiently implemented within the CO.
• Take responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives in all areas of work, to ensure equal participation of women and men.
• Develop and maintain appropriate emergency preparedness plans and activities to ensure readiness and ability to take timely and appropriate actions in the event of a food assistance emergency.
• Other duties as required.

Standard Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Advanced University Degree in Economics, International Development, Social Sciences or other relevant field, or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or advanced training/courses.
• Language: Fluency (level C) in English language. Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and/or WFP’s working language, Portuguese.

Desired Experiences for Entry into the Role

• At least 15 years of relevant professional experience
• Led strategy planning and operations within a large and complex country or equivalent environment
• Gained broadening experiences through various roles in HQ, RB or CO, including as a Deputy Country Director
• Gained significant experience in management of a number of large scale, diverse and complex programmes in diverse emergency and developmental contexts
• Led in managing the finances and other support services of an office or Division
• Significant experience in developing and implementing internal controls and exercising delegation of authority in a variety of contexts
• Gained significant people leadership and management experience, effectively uniting large and diverse multi-national and multi-discipline teams by delivering on country workforce plans
• Led significant and complex negotiations with donors/ government officials, partners, media outlets, etc. on a diverse range of issues
• Given media statements and leading news briefings to ensure appropriate representation of WFP externally in high profile situations of acute sensitivity
• Led large and complex fundraising initiatives which have had a significant positive impact within area of responsibility
• Led a large and highly complex emergency-oriented operation, in a hardship duty station

Terms and Condition

• The selected candidate will be employed on a Fixed Term appointment, renewable.
• WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package, including basic salary, post adjustment, 30 days’ annual vacation, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, pension plan and medical insurance.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online