Senior Urban Specialist
World Bank
Niamey
Niger
December 5, 2025
Full-timeDecember 5, 2025
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, 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 conflict, disasters, and the impacts of climate change. WFP operates globally, with a mission centered around the belief that food is a fundamental human right. The organization is committed to diversity and inclusion, ensuring equal employment opportunities for all employees, regardless of race, gender, or background. WFP has received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020, highlighting its significant contributions to humanitarian efforts worldwide. The organization fosters a healthy and inclusive work environment, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and collaboration to achieve its goals. WFP invests in the professional development of its employees through various training and mentorship programs, and it operates in numerous countries, providing a dynamic career path for its staff.
Job Overview:
The Staff Counsellor position at WFP is crucial for supporting the mental health and well-being of employees. The role involves developing and implementing a wide range of wellness initiatives and programs that align with the WFP Wellness Strategy. The Staff Counsellor will provide culturally sensitive counselling services to staff and their dependents, manage wellness programs, and conduct training sessions aimed at improving team dynamics and morale. This position requires frequent travel to various country and field offices, often on short notice, to address the operational needs of the organization. The Staff Counsellor will work closely with multidisciplinary teams to identify and mitigate psychological risks, ensuring a supportive work environment for all staff members. The role also includes managing the content of the Wellbeing app and engaging in innovative wellness programs to enhance staff support.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree (Doctorate, Masters, or equivalent) in Clinical or Counselling Psychology, Psychiatry, or a related field from a recognized institution. Active licensure/registration as a mental health professional with a recognized governing association is mandatory. Additional training or certification in areas such as substance abuse, resilience, cross-cultural communication, conflict resolution, and trauma is advantageous. Candidates should demonstrate a commitment to ethical standards in psychological services and adhere to the Wellness Division Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct.
Educational Background:
An advanced degree in Clinical or Counselling Psychology, Psychiatry, or equivalent studies is required. The candidate must hold active licensure/registration as a mental health professional and be a member in good standing with a recognized governing association. Additional certifications in related fields will be considered a plus.
Experience:
At least five years of progressively responsible professional postgraduate experience in the field of mental health is required. Experience working in hardship locations or providing counselling services in difficult and insecure environments is highly desirable. Candidates should demonstrate a strong understanding of the unique challenges faced by staff in such settings.
Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory, and proficiency in French is highly desirable, given the operational context of the position in Niger. Knowledge of additional languages may be considered an asset, enhancing communication with diverse staff members.
Additional Notes:
This position is full-time and may require international travel. The contract duration and specific compensation details will be provided in the Terms and Conditions section of the vacancy announcement. WFP is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. All employment decisions are based on organizational needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, ensuring an inclusive work environment free from discrimination and harassment.
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 conflict, disasters, and the impacts of climate change. WFP operates globally, with a mission centered around the belief that food is a fundamental human right. The organization is committed to diversity and inclusion, ensuring equal employment opportunities for all employees, regardless of race, gender, or background. WFP has received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020, highlighting its significant contributions to humanitarian efforts worldwide. The organization fosters a healthy and inclusive work environment, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and collaboration to achieve its goals. WFP invests in the professional development of its employees through various training and mentorship programs, and it operates in numerous countries, providing a dynamic career path for its staff.
Job Overview:
The Staff Counsellor position at WFP is crucial for supporting the mental health and well-being of employees. The role involves developing and implementing a wide range of wellness initiatives and programs that align with the WFP Wellness Strategy. The Staff Counsellor will provide culturally sensitive counselling services to staff and their dependents, manage wellness programs, and conduct training sessions aimed at improving team dynamics and morale. This position requires frequent travel to various country and field offices, often on short notice, to address the operational needs of the organization. The Staff Counsellor will work closely with multidisciplinary teams to identify and mitigate psychological risks, ensuring a supportive work environment for all staff members. The role also includes managing the content of the Wellbeing app and engaging in innovative wellness programs to enhance staff support.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Provide culturally sensitive counselling services to staff and their dependents, including case management and referrals to other resources as necessary.
- Conduct pre and post-deployment briefings for staff assigned to emergency or hardship duty stations.
- Collaborate with partners to develop wellness initiatives tailored to the operational context.
- Analyze data trends to create training programs focused on team building, resilience, and cross-cultural sensitivity.
- Address psychological risks at individual, unit, and organizational levels through collaborative efforts.
- Work with managers to improve the working atmosphere within their units.
- Manage the Wellbeing app content relevant to the region.
- Provide timely counselling services during emergencies and follow up with staff after critical incidents.
- Supervise the Wellness Support Volunteer Program and disseminate training materials. 1
- Identify local and regional mental health resources for referrals during crises. 1
- Collaborate with the Staff Wellness Division to ensure continuity of care and adherence to ethical standards. 1
- Participate in UNSSCG and CISMU activities and working groups. 1
- Complete administrative duties, including maintaining statistics and reporting requirements. 1
- Coordinate with the Regional Staff Counsellor on regional initiatives and provide necessary support.
Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree (Doctorate, Masters, or equivalent) in Clinical or Counselling Psychology, Psychiatry, or a related field from a recognized institution. Active licensure/registration as a mental health professional with a recognized governing association is mandatory. Additional training or certification in areas such as substance abuse, resilience, cross-cultural communication, conflict resolution, and trauma is advantageous. Candidates should demonstrate a commitment to ethical standards in psychological services and adhere to the Wellness Division Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct.
Educational Background:
An advanced degree in Clinical or Counselling Psychology, Psychiatry, or equivalent studies is required. The candidate must hold active licensure/registration as a mental health professional and be a member in good standing with a recognized governing association. Additional certifications in related fields will be considered a plus.
Experience:
At least five years of progressively responsible professional postgraduate experience in the field of mental health is required. Experience working in hardship locations or providing counselling services in difficult and insecure environments is highly desirable. Candidates should demonstrate a strong understanding of the unique challenges faced by staff in such settings.
Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory, and proficiency in French is highly desirable, given the operational context of the position in Niger. Knowledge of additional languages may be considered an asset, enhancing communication with diverse staff members.
Additional Notes:
This position is full-time and may require international travel. The contract duration and specific compensation details will be provided in the Terms and Conditions section of the vacancy announcement. WFP is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. All employment decisions are based on organizational needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, ensuring an inclusive work environment free from discrimination and harassment.
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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.
