Programme Policy Officer (Deputy Head of Programme)

Programme & Policy

Overview

Provide strategic leadership and oversight for WFP Armenia’s program portfolio.

You have:

• Advanced university degree in Economics, Social Sciences, Disaster Risk Management, Public Policy, or related fields.
• At least 7 years of postgraduate experience in the design, implementation, and coordination of programmes and projects focused on government capacity strengthening, institutional development, and systems reform.
• Demonstrated ability to foster partnerships and work effectively with diverse teams.
• Fluency (level C) in English and Armenian languages. Additional languages will be desirable.
• Strong familiarity with the UN humanitarian system; experience in emergency preparedness and response is desirable.
• Strong analytical, planning, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills; knowledge of government structures and humanitarian coordination mechanisms.
• Ability to deliver high-quality work under pressure and tight deadlines.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

17 August 2026-23:59-GMT+04:00 Armenia Standard Time (Yerevan)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.

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:

The United Nations (UN) World Food Programme (WFP) has been working in Armenia since 1994 to improve food security and resilience. What began as an emergency operation, transitioned to resilience building and recovery programming to reduce humanitarian needs by supporting food security, nutrition and rural livelihoods. Starting form 2010, WFP Armenia has embarked on a comprehensive set of activities related to food systems, school meals, social protection and disaster risk reduction. The upcoming WFP Country Strategic plan 2026-2030 (CSP) focuses on institutionalization of key capacities, models, methodologies and tools by 2030. This means that WFP will gradually transition its interventions, knowledge, skills to the government, with major key milestones to be achieved under the government capacity strengthening outcomes. This transition will support national ownership of initiatives related to emergency preparedness and response, school-based programmes, shock-responsive social protection, and food systems transformation. To advance these efforts and ensure strategic oversight of the programme portfolio, the World Food Programme (WFP) Armenia is recruiting a dedicated Programme Policy Officer (PPO) to serve as Deputy Head of Programme.

Purpose of the Assignment

The assignment provides strategic leadership and oversight of WFP Armenia’s programme portfolio, ensuring interventions are aligned with corporate priorities, national strategies, and operational needs. The Programme Policy Officer (Deputy Head of Programme) plays a key role in programme design, implementation and oversight of programmes ensuring their effective delivery while maintaining strong focus on results and accountability. The role strengthens coordination across teams and partners, while promoting evidence‑based and innovative approaches to programming.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

Under the overall guidance of the Country Director and direct supervision of the Head of Programme, the Programme Policy Officer (Deputy Head of Programme) will be responsible for the following duties:

Programme Design, Planning and Implementation

• Support the Head of Programme in the development, planning and implementation of programmes in alignment with WFP’s strategic objectives and the country office's priorities
• Provide project management support to defined projects ensuring a coordinated approach with field offices and compliance with WFP standards.
• Provide technical expertise and guidance to programme teams to ensure effective and efficient implementation of activities, including the design of intervention strategies, workplans, and budgets.
• Monitor programme progress, identify challenges, and proactively propose solutions to optimize programme delivery and achieve desired outcomes
• Oversee programme delivery, progress against objectives, and ensuring accountability systems are in place.
• Coordinate and oversee the operations of Field Offices ensuring alignment with the Programme Unit Implementation Plan.
• Support the Head of Programme in defining transition pathways to government ownership and sustainability.
• Identify potential risks and vulnerabilities in programme implementation and develop risk mitigation strategies to ensure the safety, security, and effectiveness of operations.
• Ensure compliance with WFP policies, procedures, and donor requirements, including adherence to budgetary constraints, procurement rules, and reporting deadlines.

Capacity Strengthening and Transfer

• Support capacity transfer initiatives for implementing partners and stakeholders to enable effective programme implementation and ensure long‑term transition of knowledge and capacity to nationally owned systems.
• Support the implementation of transition pathways and institutional learning by embedding best practices, tools, and methodologies within government owned systems and frameworks

Reporting and Accountability

• Conduct analysis on policy and operational issues to support the Head of Programme in shaping programme strategies, transition frameworks, and evidence‑based decision‑making.
• Strengthen accountability frameworks by enhancing reporting processes across programme teams and field offices, ensuring alignment, transparency, and compliance with organizational standards.

Partnership, Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

• Support to foster and maintain effective partnerships with government counterparts, UN agencies, donors, NGOs, and other stakeholders to enhance collaboration and coordination in programme implementation.
• Contribute to resource mobilization efforts by providing technical input, evidence and strategic guidance for the development of concept notes and reports that reflect programme priorities.

• Enhance visibility and advocacy/communication by leading communication and OIM workflows within the Programme Unit.

  Team Support and Coordination

• Provide clear guidance and mentorship to support staff, acting as a trusted point of referral for programme‑related queries and analysis.

• Foster collaboration and knowledge sharing across teams, encouraging joint problem‑solving and alignment in programme design and delivery.
• Promote continuous learning by supporting staff development, building technical capacity, and encouraging innovative approaches to programme implementation.
• Ensure consistency and accountability in team outputs by reviewing deliverables, offering constructive feedback, and reinforcing adherence to programme standards.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

• Programme plans, project documents, and implementation approaches reviewed and aligned with WFP strategic priorities and corporate standards.
• Transition pathways and sustainability measures are integrated into programme design and annual workplans.
• Effective oversight of programme implementation, ensuring activities are delivered on time, within scope, and in line with approved plans.
• Regular programme performance reviews conducted, with corrective actions identified and implemented where required.
• Quality assurance mechanisms applied to programme outputs, ensuring consistency, accountability, and adherence to WFP standards.
• Coordinated support provided to Field Offices, ensuring alignment with Programme Unit priorities and implementation plans.
• Capacity strengthening initiatives designed and implemented for implementing partners, and Programme team.
• Timely and accurate donor, management, and corporate reporting delivered in compliance with organizational requirements
• Concept notes and funding proposals developed to support resource mobilization efforts and programme growth.
• Communication, visibility, and advocacy products coordinated and delivered to enhance programme awareness and stakeholder engagement.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education:

Advanced university degree in Economics, Social Sciences, Disaster Risk Management, Public Policy, or related fields.

Experience:

• At least 7 years of postgraduate experience in the design, implementation, and coordination of programmes and projects focused on government capacity strengthening, institutional development, and systems reform.
• Has taken leadership of implementing programmes
• Demonstrated ability to foster partnerships and work effectively with diverse teams.
• Strong familiarity with the UN humanitarian system; experience in emergency preparedness and response is desirable.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Strong analytical, planning, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills; knowledge of government structures and humanitarian coordination mechanisms.
• Ability to assimilate a range of information and make basic analyses to support the development of efficient solutions.
• Demonstrated communication skills and ability to adapt communication style to different situations and individuals.
• Knowledge of common business principals and processes and the ability to quickly assimilate UN/WFP specific processes and systems.
• Ability to deliver high-quality work under pressure and tight deadlines
• High capacity for organization and cross-functional coordination, with a high degree of independence.

Languages:

Fluency (level C) in English and Armenian languages. Additional Languages will be 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: [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.

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Potential interview questions

Added 7 hours ago - Updated 7 hours ago - Source: wfp.org