Field Programme Assistant – Ditwa Response

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 improving nutrition. WFP's core values include Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion, and it strives to create a diverse and inclusive work environment. WFP has been recognized for its efforts, being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020 for its work in combating hunger and promoting peace. The organization emphasizes the importance of personal and professional development for its employees, offering various training and mobility opportunities across its global offices.

Job Overview:
The Field Programme Assistant – Ditwa Response will play a crucial role within the emergency surge team, directly supervised by the Deputy Country Director. This position is integral to the humanitarian response framework, specifically aimed at delivering timely and effective assistance to communities impacted by Cyclone Ditwa and subsequent flooding. The incumbent will be responsible for supporting field operations, ensuring that program activities are executed efficiently and in accordance with WFP's operational standards and emergency protocols. The role requires close collaboration with program and operational teams to maintain service continuity, facilitate coordination, and uphold accountability throughout the emergency response efforts. The Field Programme Assistant will also be involved in evidence-based program management, data collection, and analysis to inform management decisions and enhance program quality.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the Field Programme Assistant include ensuring effective oversight of planned food and non-food assistance operations by verifying commodity movements and distributions, addressing routine operational issues, and escalating risks as necessary. The incumbent will support evidence-based program management by collecting, validating, and consolidating monitoring and implementation data from field locations and cooperating partners. They will conduct basic analysis and prepare high-quality field mission reports, program summaries, and monitoring outputs to inform management decisions. Regular coordination with cooperating partners, community structures, and internal units will be essential to facilitate effective information exchange and coherent program implementation. The Field Programme Assistant will organize and participate in coordination meetings regarding distribution arrangements, commodity pipelines, entitlements, and beneficiary feedback. Additionally, they will contribute to strengthening monitoring systems by assessing field practices, identifying gaps, and proposing improvements to monitoring tools and processes. Providing guidance and on-the-job support to field staff to enhance performance and ensure effective execution of monitoring responsibilities is also a key responsibility. The role includes delivering standard training to cooperating partners on WFP operational procedures, monitoring methodologies, and reporting requirements to reinforce their capacity for independent self-monitoring and high-quality program delivery.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires candidates to have completed secondary school education, with a post-secondary certificate in a related functional area being desirable. A minimum of 5 years of related work experience is required, demonstrating a solid understanding of program management and operational procedures within humanitarian contexts. Candidates should possess strong analytical skills and the ability to communicate effectively with various stakeholders.

Educational Background:
Candidates must have completed secondary school education. A post-secondary certificate in a relevant functional area is considered desirable, indicating a level of specialized knowledge that can enhance the candidate's ability to perform the duties of the role effectively.

Experience:
The role requires a minimum of 5 years of related work experience, particularly in collecting program output and outcome data, conducting quantitative and qualitative analyses, and reporting findings to management teams and partners. Experience with WFP monitoring and evaluation systems and standards is also highly valued, as it demonstrates familiarity with the organization's operational frameworks and expectations.

Languages:
Fluency in both oral and written communication in English is mandatory, along with proficiency in either Sinhala or Tamil. This language requirement is particularly important for effective communication with local communities and stakeholders in Sri Lanka.

Additional Notes:
This position is specifically open to Sri Lankan nationals. The application deadline is set for 18 February 2026, at 23:59 GMT+05:30 (India Standard Time, Colombo). WFP is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. The organization does not charge any fees in connection with the application or recruitment process, and all applications must be submitted through the online recruitment system. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified, and all employment decisions are made based on organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications.