Head of Programme

Job Posting Organization:
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, established to save lives in emergencies and to use food assistance as a means to build pathways to peace, stability, and prosperity for individuals recovering from conflicts, disasters, and the impacts of climate change. WFP operates globally, with a mission to ensure that no one goes hungry, and it is committed to diversity and equal employment opportunities for all employees. WFP has a diverse workforce and operates in numerous countries around the world, focusing on delivering effective humanitarian assistance to millions of people in need. The organization was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020, recognizing its efforts in combating hunger and promoting peace. WFP emphasizes the importance of a healthy and inclusive work environment, where employees are encouraged to grow professionally and personally through various training and development programs.

Job Overview:
The Head of Programme at WFP will be responsible for managing a cross-functional team that includes programmatic, Results and Monitoring (RAM), and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) professionals. This role is crucial for overseeing the full programme cycle management of WFP’s Türkiye Country Office (TRCO) operational portfolio, which has an estimated annual budget of $12 million. The Country Strategic Plan (CSP) under which this programme operates will be implemented from 2026 to 2028 and focuses on meeting the basic food and non-food needs of crisis-affected populations, including refugees, as well as emergency preparedness and response (EPR) and social protection initiatives. The Head of Programme will ensure that the programme is delivered collaboratively with governmental, UN, and private sector partners, positioning WFP’s operations in Türkiye as complementary to the efforts of other actors. This role requires a strategic mindset, strong leadership skills, and the ability to foster relationships with various stakeholders to achieve national goals and strengthen country capacities.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Head of Programme will oversee the delivery of the programme portfolio of the TRCO CSP, leading the unit responsible for full programme cycle management at both operational and strategic levels. Key responsibilities include: leading a team with a focus on professional growth, ensuring compliance with WFP programmatic operations, participating in the Resource Management Committee and TRCO Leadership team, contributing to strategic decision-making, ensuring quality programme design informed by evidence and targeting measures, establishing monitoring, evaluation, and learning frameworks, fostering relationships with governmental stakeholders, coordinating with various stakeholders to leverage opportunities, communicating implementation progress and results, and leading the scale-up of operations during emergency responses. The role also involves ensuring the integration of cross-cutting expertise into programme design and implementation, and other duties as required.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree in International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Sciences, or a related field relevant to international development assistance. Alternatively, a first university degree with additional years of related work experience and/or training may be acceptable. Candidates should have at least seven years of relevant postgraduate professional experience in people management, programme design, implementation, and policy engagement. Experience in liaising with government partners, negotiation skills, and effective communication abilities are essential. Additionally, candidates should have experience in business development, project/programme design, and management, as well as engaging in policy discussions and providing input into policy decisions.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes an advanced university degree in fields such as International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Sciences, or other areas relevant to international development assistance. A first university degree combined with additional years of related work experience and/or training may also be considered acceptable. This educational foundation is critical for understanding the complexities of humanitarian assistance and program management.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of seven years of relevant postgraduate professional experience. This experience should encompass people management, programme design, implementation, and policy engagement. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of liaising with government partners, demonstrating good negotiation skills, and effectively communicating in policy discussions. Experience in business development and project/programme design and management is also essential, as is the ability to engage in policy discussions and provide valuable input into policy decisions.

Languages:
Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Turkish are mandatory for this position. Proficiency in Arabic is considered an asset, enhancing the candidate's ability to communicate effectively in a diverse environment and engage with a broader range of stakeholders.

Additional Notes:
This position is full-time and based in Ankara, Turkey. The role involves significant responsibilities and requires a seniority level commensurate with the leadership of a programme team. The contract duration aligns with the implementation of the Country Strategic Plan, which spans from 2026 to 202

• WFP is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. The organization emphasizes a diverse and inclusive work environment and does not charge any fees in connection with the application or recruitment process.