National Communications Specialist
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Dili
East Timor
December 5, 2025
Full-timeDecember 5, 2025
Programme Policy Officer (Home Grown School Feeding)
World Food Programme (WFP) About
Founded in 1961 and assisting 80 million people in around 80 countries each year, the World Food Programme (WFP) is the leading humanitarian organization fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience.
WFP’s efforts focus on emergency assistance, relief and rehabilitation, development aid and special operations. Two-thirds of its work is in conflict-affected countries where people are three times more likely to be undernourished than those living in countries without conflict.
In emergencies, WFP is often first on the scene, providing food assistance to the victims of war, civil conflict, drought, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, crop failures and natural disasters. When the emergency subsides, WFP helps communities rebuild shattered lives and livelihoods. WFP also works to strengthen the resilience of people and communities affected by protracted crises by applying a development lens in its humanitarian response.
WFP is the largest humanitarian organisation implementing school feeding programmes worldwide and has been doing so for over 50 years. Each year, WFP provides school meals to between 20 and 25 million children across 63 countries, often in the hardest-to-reach areas.
Job Description
Job Posting Organization:
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, dedicated to saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build pathways to peace, stability, and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impacts of climate change. Established in 1961, WFP operates in over 80 countries, employing thousands of staff members who are committed to the mission of eradicating hunger and ensuring security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security for all. WFP is recognized for its efforts and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020 for its work in combating hunger and promoting peace. The organization values diversity and inclusion, encouraging individuals from all backgrounds to apply for positions within its ranks. WFP is committed to creating a healthy and inclusive work environment that reflects the communities it serves, and it actively invests in the professional development of its employees through various training and mentorship programs.
Job Overview:
The Programme Policy Officer will be instrumental in designing and managing home-grown school feeding (HGSF) programs that aim to strengthen local food systems by connecting smallholder farmers with school meal initiatives. This role requires a nutrition-sensitive approach to ensure that the programs not only provide food but also contribute to the overall health and well-being of children. The officer will be responsible for contributing to policy formulation and implementing nutrition-sensitive social protection strategies, working closely with government counterparts to ensure that school feeding policies align with national priorities. The position also involves supporting agricultural value chains and agri-food processing initiatives to enhance food quality, safety, and accessibility, promoting food fortification and sustainable local production. The officer will work under the direct supervision of the School Feeding Team Lead and will receive overall functional guidance from the Head of Programme in the Country Office, making this a pivotal role in the WFP's mission to combat hunger and improve nutrition among school-aged children.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Required Qualifications:
Education: An advanced university degree in social policy, education, development studies, nutrition, agriculture, or other social sciences, along with project management or related qualifications is required. Alternatively, a first university degree in the same subjects with an additional two years of related work experience is acceptable. Experience: A minimum of one year of relevant professional work experience in project management and/or management of capacity building activities is required. Experience implementing similar programs is an added advantage. Proven ability to coordinate and manage capacity building and communication activities in partnership with government, UN, NGOs, and other stakeholders is essential. Proficiency in computer skills, particularly in word processing and spreadsheet applications (MS Word, Excel), is necessary. The candidate must demonstrate the ability to collaborate effectively as part of a team and maintain productive work relationships with counterparts. Additionally, the candidate should possess strong planning, management, and organizational skills to achieve set objectives in a resourceful manner.
Educational Background:
The position requires an advanced university degree in relevant fields such as social policy, education, development studies, nutrition, agriculture, or other social sciences. Alternatively, a first university degree in the same subjects with additional work experience is acceptable. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of food systems, nutrition, and social policies that impact school feeding programs.
Experience:
The candidate should have at least one year of relevant professional work experience in project management or capacity building activities. Experience in implementing similar programs is highly desirable, as it demonstrates the candidate's ability to navigate the challenges associated with managing school feeding initiatives. The role requires a proven track record of coordinating and managing activities in collaboration with various stakeholders, including government entities, UN agencies, NGOs, and community organizations.
Languages:
Fluency in English and Tetum is mandatory for this position, with a proficiency level of C. Knowledge of Portuguese is considered an advantage, as it may facilitate communication with various stakeholders and enhance the effectiveness of the programs being implemented.
Additional Notes:
The position is a fixed-term contract for one year, with the possibility of renewal based on performance and organizational needs. It is a full-time role based in Dili, Timor-Leste. The World Food Programme is committed to providing an inclusive work environment and encourages applications from individuals with disabilities. The organization does not charge any fees during the recruitment process and emphasizes the importance of a complete and accurate application profile. Selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks to ensure compliance with WFP's standards of integrity and professionalism.
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, dedicated to saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build pathways to peace, stability, and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impacts of climate change. Established in 1961, WFP operates in over 80 countries, employing thousands of staff members who are committed to the mission of eradicating hunger and ensuring security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security for all. WFP is recognized for its efforts and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020 for its work in combating hunger and promoting peace. The organization values diversity and inclusion, encouraging individuals from all backgrounds to apply for positions within its ranks. WFP is committed to creating a healthy and inclusive work environment that reflects the communities it serves, and it actively invests in the professional development of its employees through various training and mentorship programs.
Job Overview:
The Programme Policy Officer will be instrumental in designing and managing home-grown school feeding (HGSF) programs that aim to strengthen local food systems by connecting smallholder farmers with school meal initiatives. This role requires a nutrition-sensitive approach to ensure that the programs not only provide food but also contribute to the overall health and well-being of children. The officer will be responsible for contributing to policy formulation and implementing nutrition-sensitive social protection strategies, working closely with government counterparts to ensure that school feeding policies align with national priorities. The position also involves supporting agricultural value chains and agri-food processing initiatives to enhance food quality, safety, and accessibility, promoting food fortification and sustainable local production. The officer will work under the direct supervision of the School Feeding Team Lead and will receive overall functional guidance from the Head of Programme in the Country Office, making this a pivotal role in the WFP's mission to combat hunger and improve nutrition among school-aged children.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Programme Design and Strategy Development: Contribute to the design of locally produced school feeding programs, ensuring they align with WFP's policies and program directions. Research and analyze policy and operational issues to inform the formulation of HGSF policies and activities. Support the strengthening of the national HGSF program and policies, including strategies, action plans, protocols, and guidelines in line with national priorities. Contribute to initiatives that ensure a complete value chain with farmer organizations to increase production and processing, income, and capacity, aiming for long-term impacts in coordination with relevant units.
- Programme Implementation and Management: Implement and manage local production-based school feeding activities in specific areas of intervention according to identified funds and programs/projects of considerable size and complexity, in line with WFP standards and procedures. Prepare accurate and timely reports, publications, and information products for internal and external use. Liaise with internal and external counterparts for effective collaboration, monitor ongoing projects, and highlight potential risks to project implementation. Support capacity building of WFP staff, partners, government, and communities in preparing and responding to food assistance needs through training and provision of HGSF-related equipment.
- Coordination and Collaboration: Develop synergy with other ongoing WFP activities in Timor-Leste, including resilience, nutrition, humanitarian assistance, social protection, and gender. Identify, develop, and manage potential partnerships and collaborative working groups aimed at improving food assistance delivery. Represent WFP at appropriate meetings to contribute to discussions, exchange experiences, advocate for HGSF, and identify areas of potential collaboration. Accompany the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Forestry with support and technical expertise for the planning, formulation, and implementation of HGSF.
- Financial Management and Resource Mobilization: Contribute to resource mobilization efforts for WFP projects, articulating the need for home-grown school feeding program opportunities, and monitor the resource situation of projects, including food and cash availability. Ensure efficient use of financial resources to achieve objectives within a realistic budget.
- Capacity Building: Provide guidance and supervision to staff under your responsibility, while accompanying them in complex portfolio analyses. Respond to any other tasks requested by the supervisor, partners, government, and communities in preparing and responding to food assistance needs through training and provision of HGSF-related equipment. Perform other tasks within the technical area of work, as required.
Required Qualifications:
Education: An advanced university degree in social policy, education, development studies, nutrition, agriculture, or other social sciences, along with project management or related qualifications is required. Alternatively, a first university degree in the same subjects with an additional two years of related work experience is acceptable. Experience: A minimum of one year of relevant professional work experience in project management and/or management of capacity building activities is required. Experience implementing similar programs is an added advantage. Proven ability to coordinate and manage capacity building and communication activities in partnership with government, UN, NGOs, and other stakeholders is essential. Proficiency in computer skills, particularly in word processing and spreadsheet applications (MS Word, Excel), is necessary. The candidate must demonstrate the ability to collaborate effectively as part of a team and maintain productive work relationships with counterparts. Additionally, the candidate should possess strong planning, management, and organizational skills to achieve set objectives in a resourceful manner.
Educational Background:
The position requires an advanced university degree in relevant fields such as social policy, education, development studies, nutrition, agriculture, or other social sciences. Alternatively, a first university degree in the same subjects with additional work experience is acceptable. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of food systems, nutrition, and social policies that impact school feeding programs.
Experience:
The candidate should have at least one year of relevant professional work experience in project management or capacity building activities. Experience in implementing similar programs is highly desirable, as it demonstrates the candidate's ability to navigate the challenges associated with managing school feeding initiatives. The role requires a proven track record of coordinating and managing activities in collaboration with various stakeholders, including government entities, UN agencies, NGOs, and community organizations.
Languages:
Fluency in English and Tetum is mandatory for this position, with a proficiency level of C. Knowledge of Portuguese is considered an advantage, as it may facilitate communication with various stakeholders and enhance the effectiveness of the programs being implemented.
Additional Notes:
The position is a fixed-term contract for one year, with the possibility of renewal based on performance and organizational needs. It is a full-time role based in Dili, Timor-Leste. The World Food Programme is committed to providing an inclusive work environment and encourages applications from individuals with disabilities. The organization does not charge any fees during the recruitment process and emphasizes the importance of a complete and accurate application profile. Selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks to ensure compliance with WFP's standards of integrity and professionalism.
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We are not liable for any decisions or actions taken by applicants in response to this job listing. By applying, you agree that all application processes, interviews, and potential job offers are managed exclusively by the listed employer or organization.
Beware of fraudulent job offers. Do not provide sensitive personal information or make any payments to secure a job.
