Senior Technical Adviser – Food Assistance and UN Grants Operations

Overview

Guide World Vision’s food assistance and UN grants portfolio.

You have:

• Bachelor’s degree required in Project Management, Business, Operations Management, Food Security & Livelihoods, Economics, or equivalent.
• Master’s degree in the same disciplines is an advantage.
• 10 years’ experience in humanitarian work (minimum 5 years in food and cash assistance management) as a manager or adviser in a country office food programming unit.
• Strong knowledge of major food/cash donors and regulations (WFP, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNOCHA, UNDP, FAO, USAID, USDA, EC, ECHO, etc.).
• Bilingual - excellent spoken and written Spanish & English communication skills.
• At least 60% travel required, including to fragile contexts and high-insecurity environments.
• Knowledge of emergency response guidelines and classification categories.
• Ability to analyze and express ideas sensitively within a humanitarian approach; excellent presentation skills.

With 75 years of experience, our focus is on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. We help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith.

Come join our 31,000+ staff working in nearly 100 countries and share the joy of transforming vulnerable children’s life stories!

Key Responsibilities:

Note:******Applications are encouraged from candidates residing in Latin America and the Caribbean Regional countries where World Vision is officially registered and operational.**

Job Purpose

The Senior Technical Advisor – Food Assistance and UN Grants Operations (LACR) plays a pivotal role in guiding World Vision’s food assistance and UN grants portfolio. The purpose of this role is to ensure that food resources, whether in‑kind or cash, are strategically leveraged to save lives, protect livelihoods, and address nutrition deficiencies in vulnerable communities. By combining technical expertise with strategic donor engagement, the Advisor strengthens WV’s positioning in a complex humanitarian landscape marked by rising food insecurity, malnutrition, and operational risks.

Strategic Leadership: The Adviser provides high‑level direction on how food assistance can be integrated into multi‑sectoral responses. This includes shaping WV’s regional portfolio to respond to emergencies and recovery needs, while ensuring food is used as both a safety net and a tool for resilience. Through oversight of UN grants, the role ensures that WV’s programming is aligned with global humanitarian priorities and that field offices are equipped to grow, diversify, and sustain their food assistance portfolios.

Technical Advisory Role: The Adviser offers direct technical guidance to WV Field Offices in the pre‑positioning, design, implementation, and close‑out of food assistance programs. This includes conducting risk analyses of operational environments, advising on accountability mechanisms, and ensuring compliance with donor and community expectations. By strengthening program quality and operational readiness, the Advisor helps field offices deliver assistance that is dignified, transparent, and effective.

Donor Engagement and Positioning: A critical part of the role is proactive engagement with UN agencies, bilateral and multilateral donors, and government stakeholders. The Adviser advocates for increased support to vulnerable populations, coordinates donor engagement strategies with Support and Field Offices, and ensures WV is positioned as a trusted partner in food and market‑based programming. This strategic engagement enhances WV’s influence, secures funding opportunities, and reinforces its reputation for operational excellence.

Cross‑Cutting Collaboration: The Adviser works across multiple technical sectors, including Food Security and Livelihoods, Humanitarian Affairs, Nutrition, WASH, Child Protection, and Education in Emergencies, to ensure food assistance is integrated into broader programming. By fostering collaboration between regional technical staff, resource development teams, and sector specialists, the role ensures that food assistance contributes to holistic, child‑focused humanitarian responses. This cross‑cutting approach strengthens WV’s ability to deliver comprehensive solutions that address both immediate and long‑term community needs.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Acquisition and Program Design 25%

• Lead resource mobilization strategies for UN Agencies and institutional donors (WFP, UNICEF, UNHCR, ECHO, USG, WB, etc.)
• Support Field and Regional Offices to identify opportunities, develop competitive proposals, and diversify portfolios.
• Lead pre‑positioning and pipeline development through donor intelligence and forecasting.
• Conduct quality assurance of proposals, budgets, and logical frameworks.
• Ensure programme designs meet WV standards, donor requirements, and global humanitarian principles.
• Promote integrated, multi‑sectoral programme design incorporating cash & vouchers, food, and market‑based approaches.

Programs Operations and Delivery Excellence 30%

• Provide oversight from start‑up through close‑out to ensure timely delivery.
• Strengthen operational coordination across programme, finance, supply chain, and MEAL teams.
• Standardise tools, systems, and SOPs for food, cash, and UN grants.
• Support financial oversight, budget management, and cost‑efficiency.
• Provide surge support during emergencies.

Risk Management, Compliance & Accountability 15%

• Lead risk identification, monitoring, and mitigation strategies.
• Ensure compliance with WV policies, donor regulations, and audit standards.
• Strengthen accountability systems including AAP and safeguarding.
• Support audits and ensure timely resolution of findings.
• Monitor risk trends and incidents to inform decision‑making.

Technical Leadership in Modalities & Market-Based Programming 12%

• Lead market assessments and modality selection (cash, vouchers, in‑kind).
• Guide transfer value calculations and delivery mechanisms.
• Support supply chain and commodity planning for in‑kind assistance.
• Establish and strengthen partnerships with FSPs, MNOs, and private sector actors.
• Promote digital solutions and innovation in programme delivery.
• Integrate CVP into humanitarian, recovery, and resilience programmes.

Capacity Strengthening & Knowledge Leadership 8%

• Design and deliver capacity building for FO and RO teams.
• Develop tools, guidance, and training materials.
• Provide mentoring and technical coaching.
• Document and share best practices, innovations, and lessons learned.
• Serve as technical lead and custodian of standards

External Engagement & Strategic Influence 10%

• Engage strategically with UN, donors, governments, and partners.
• Represent the organization in clusters and technical forums.
• Support leadership with strategic briefings and positioning.
• Promote partnerships with private sector and local actors.
• Influence sector policies and funding priorities.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND EXPERIENCE

Required Education, Training, License, Registration, and/or Certification

• Bachelor’s degree required in Project Management, Business, Operations Management, Food Security & Livelihoods, Economics, or equivalent.
• Master’s degree in the same disciplines is an advantage.
• 10 years’ experience in humanitarian work (minimum 5 years in food and cash assistance management) as a manager or adviser in a country office food programming unit.
• Familiarity with both relief and development settings is required.
• Formal training and specialist knowledge in Food Assistance, Cash Based Transfers, and UN agency partnership systems/procedures strongly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of major food/cash donors and regulations (WFP, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNOCHA, UNDP, FAO, USAID, USDA, EC, ECHO, etc.).
• Training in community mobilization and Train‑of‑Trainers/facilitators preferred.
• Ability to analyze and express ideas sensitively within a humanitarian approach; excellent presentation skills.
• Knowledge of emergency response guidelines and classification categories.

Required Professional Experience

• At least 10 years of humanitarian work, with a minimum of 5 years in project management, technical advisory services, grant management, program design, donor relations, and related fields.
• Minimum 5 years in management roles for food assistance/cash assistance/UN partnerships.
• Proven track record coordinating medium to large‑scale country operations.
• Extensive experience engaging with donors, governments, and stakeholders.
• Strong relationships with key food assistance stakeholders (WFP, UN agencies, NGOs, major donors).
• In‑depth knowledge of food assistance and UN grants programming in humanitarian and development settings.
• Experience in related sectors: Health & Nutrition, Food Security & Livelihoods, Child Protection, Education.
• Thorough understanding of regulatory environments and compliance requirements.
• Good knowledge of humanitarian industry standards, procedures, thematic priorities, and funding mechanisms.
• Experience in budget development and management, ensuring accountability and cost‑effectiveness.
• Professional maturity to provide counsel and expertise to Field and Regional Office professionals.

Required Language(s)

• Bilingual - excellent spoken and written Spanish & English communication skills.
• Ability to convey complex information effectively in verbal and written forms.
• Knowledge of an additional international language (French, Portuguese) highly preferred.
• Multilingual proficiency enhances engagement with diverse stakeholders and international contexts.

Required Travel and/or Work Environment Accommodations

• At least 60% travel required, including to fragile contexts and high‑insecurity environments.
• Must be willing and able to travel frequently to support regional and field offices.

Position’s Physical Requirements

• Must be able to pass Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT).
• Ability to work in remote and fragile contexts with limited amenities.

Applicant Types Accepted:

Local Applicants Only

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organisation with a mission centred on following Jesus Christ in service to the world´s most vulnerable children. Therefore, in all locations to the fullest extent legally permissible, the successful applicant will affirm our core documents, observe conduct compatible with Christian principles, serve at a high level of professional ethics and strive to act in accordance with cultural sensitivities. Furthermore, regular attendance with team and office devotions, chapel and prayer gatherings are expected in line with policies in the World Vision host location and its departments.

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Potential interview questions

Added 8 hours ago - Updated 4 hours ago - Source: wvi.org