Programme Policy Officer (Technical and Administrative Coordinator)

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

13 October 2026-23:59-GMT+08:00 Philippine Standard Time (Manila)

WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of extreme weather shocks.

At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok.

WHY JOIN WFP?

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.
• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.
• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.
• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

In the Philippines, WFP’s efforts are guided by its work outlined in the Philippines Country Strategic Plan (CSP) 2024-2028. WFP focuses on strengthening government systems at the national, local government unit and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) levels to further build the resilience of vulnerable individuals and communities.

The CSP is aligned with national strategies and policies as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Framework and is guided by three interrelated outcomes:

• By 2028, communities exposed to shocks and stressors in the Philippines are better able to meet food, nutrition and other essential needs with inclusive and equitable emergency preparedness and response capacity at the national and local levels.

• By 2028, communities vulnerable to food and nutrition insecurity in the Philippines are more resilient and can better manage risks affecting human capital gains and food systems, inclusively and equitably.

• The Government and partners in the Philippines access WFP services that augment their interventions, upon request.

These strategic objectives are framed within the context of the Philippines being on the verge of becoming and upper-middle income country, while at the same time being one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries. Disasters remain a leading cause of hunger, affecting all aspects of food security: economic and physical access to food, availability and stability of supplies, and nutrition. 

While WFP Philippines maintains a strong capacity to respond directly when significant shocks occur, the overall emphasis of the Country Office lies on systems strengthening (disaster risk management, social protection and food systems) at national, LGU and BARMM levels. WFP utilizes its field operations expertise to support the Government in delivering on key food programmes linked to its mandate and the CSP, including supporting the conceptualization and roll out of national priority programmes such as Walang Gutom 2027 and LAWA (Local Adaptation to Water Access) at BINHI (Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished) and modelling globally proven programmes such as home-grown school feeding – linking local smallholder farmers production to the institutional demand of school meals programmes. WFP engages at the national level on policy dialogue, supporting legislative advances in areas such as school meals, anticipatory action and rice fortification.

POSITION DETAILS

JOB TITLE: Programme Policy Officer (Technical and Administrative Coordinator)

CONTRACT: Special Service Agreement (SSA)
JOB GRADE: SSA-8
DUTY STATION (City, Country): Manila Philippines

DURATION: Three (3) months

CONTEXT
The School Meals Coalition (SMC) is a multilateral mechanism for collaboration, innovation and learning which has grown to 113 governments and over 150 partners, driving the most rapid expansion of school meals ever across the globe. The SMC global and regional summits provide a platform to exchange evidence and good practices, align policies and financing, and mobilize partners around government priorities and policies.

The Philippines will host the Second Southeast Asia Regional School Meals Coalition Summit from 18-20 November 2026. It will emphasize the role of local governments and communities and the contribution of local food systems to sustainable, nutritious, inclusive and localized school meals. It will mobilize knowledge, practical learning, expertise, partnerships and regional cooperation to support the scale-up of school meals and sustainable investments. The Summit aims to develop a shared regional agenda and roadmap; showcase progress, innovations and commitments; exchange policy and implementation solutions on governance, financing, monitoring systems and localized delivery models; and mobilize partnerships, investments and regional cooperation among governments and partners.

The indicative programme has a deliberate three-day progression.

• Day 1 will set the vision and build political commitment through a high-level opening, regional and Philippine landscape presentations, and discussions on governance, sustainable financing, and local government engagement and decentralized models.

• Day 2 will move from evidence and strategic priorities to scalable action through four parallel Solution Labs, a Solutions Marketplace, a Partnership and Investment Forum, reporting of recommendations, and a facilitated process toward a shared Southeast Asia agenda and roadmap.

• Day 3 will provide practical learning through visits to local government-led and Department of Education-led school feeding implementation.

This design requires integrated coordination of high-level dignitaries and government delegations; plenary and parallel sessions; country and partner exhibits; side events and bilateral meetings; media activities; a welcome dinner; partnership and investment conversations; synthesis of Solution Lab outputs; commitment-setting and roadmap development; and off-site field visits.

WFP Philippines therefore requires dedicated national expertise to connect substantive programme design with government liaison, protocol, participant management, venue and supplier readiness, risk management, documentation and real-time event operations.

JOB PURPOSE
The purpose of this consultancy is to coordinate the technical, administrative and operational preparation, delivery and close-out of the Second Southeast Asia Regional School Meals Coalition Summit in the Philippines. The PPO will translate the Summit objectives and three-day programme into an integrated delivery plan, coordinating the high-level and technical agenda; speakers, moderators and participating governments; and all related protocol, logistical and operational requirements.

The PPO will serve as the central coordination point across WFP, Government, School Meals Coalition partners, participating delegations and service providers. The Consultant will operate with a high degree of independence within delegated authority, while maintaining close consultation with the Head of Programme, the Head of Social Protection and School Meals, the Senior Programme Policy Officer for School Meals, and the Department of Education.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES (not all-inclusive nor exhaustive):
The Consultant will work under the supervision of the Head of Programme and in close coordination with the School Feeding team, relevant Country Office and Sub-Office units, The School Meals Coalition Secretariat, and the Department of Education.

Work planning and coordination

• Develop and maintain a comprehensive workplan, for approval by the WFP Head of Programme and the Department of Education, covering technical, logistical, administrative, procurement, communication, security and protocol requirements, with milestones, responsibilities, dependencies and decisions.

• Coordinate end-to-end delivery of the workplan and contribute as key part of the operations team composed of WFP and the Department of Education during implementation, acting as the central point for troubleshooting and escalation.

• Provide coordination and secretariat support for all task forces and technical working groups for preparation and delivery of the event, to monitor progress, resolve issues and escalate as needed for decision-making.

• Lead regular coordination meetings for event preparation and delivery, and maintain action trackers, decision logs, contact lists, records and an integrated document repository.

• Maintain a live risk register covering security, travel, health, weather, infrastructure, reputational issues and other relevant risks.

Technical programme and agenda planning

• Support the Department of Education and WFP main focal points coordinate the high-level opening, regional and Philippine landscape presentations, panels on governance, sustainable financing, and local government engagement and decentralized models, country exhibits, the possible system launch, closing plenary and related programme elements.

• In coordination with the Summit Event and Methodology leads of WFP and the Department of Education, support coordination of the Solutions Marketplace and Partnership and Investment Forum so country experience, government priorities, financing and technical assistance needs, evidence gaps and potential partner support are presented coherently.

• In coordination with the Summit Event and Methodology leads of WFP and the Department of Education, support coordination of speakers, moderators, facilitators and resource persons and prepare session briefs, moderator guidance, run-of-show documents and consolidated technical materials.

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Administration, protocol and participant support

• Prepare administrative and protocol outputs before and after the Summit, in coordination with the Department of Education and WFP, including invitee list management, RSVP tracking, visa support documentation, administrative and logistical notes and thank-you letters.

• Support the Department of Education and WFP in defining and developing differentiated arrangements for heads of delegation, ministers and senior officials, speakers, facilitators, country delegations, partners, exhibitors, media and field-visit participants.

• Coordinate registration, accreditation, travel, accommodation, transport, protocol sequences, seating and movements across ceremonies, plenaries, parallel sessions, bilateral meetings, media activities and support dinner and field visit arrangements.

• Maintain accurate participant, delegation and VIP information and ensure controlled handling of personal and operational data.

Venue readiness and event operations

• Lead venue set-up and readiness to accommodate guests, plenaries, parallel Solution Labs, exhibits, the marketplace and investment forum, side events, bilateral meetings, media activities and the welcome dinner.

• Coordinate suppliers contracted by WFP or Government, including catering, external communications, registration and accreditation, branding and event materials, travel, transportation, audio-visual services, interpretation and translation, security and related services.

• Coordinate room layouts, branding, signage, registration, interpretation, audio-visual systems, connectivity, transportation interfaces, security measures and participant flows.

• Develop operations plans, staffing and duty rosters, contact and escalation trees, checklists and daily briefings; coordinate event-day operations and end-of-day reflections.

• Support the planning of the Day 3 field visits, including site readiness, delegation grouping, transport routes and manifests, briefings, host coordination, safety and security interfaces, interpretation, contingencies and return movements.

Documentation, evaluation and follow-up

• Maintain accurate event records and comprehensive documentation throughout planning, implementation and close-out.

• Establish a structured process to capture and synthesize outputs from panels, Solution Labs, the Solutions Marketplace, the Partnership and Investment Forum, the roadmap plenary, commitments and field visits.

• Prepare a post-event report covering delivery against objectives, participation, lessons learnt, and recommendations.

• Coordinate participant feedback, debriefs, post-event correspondence and a complete close-out package and organized archive.

DELIVERABLES

• Workplan and checklist based on update of existing Masterfile. Includes: workstreams, milestones, responsibilities, decisions; task force and working group arrangements, calendar, action tracker, decision log, issue reports and progress updates; risk register, mitigation actions, scenarios, escalation matrix, contacts.

• Invitation tracker and RSVP workflow; delegation, speaker and VIP trackers; participant note; protocol and movement plans.

• Technical programme package including final agenda; speaker and facilitator tracker; session briefs; field-visit programme; run-of-show; consolidated materials.

• Venue, field-visit and operations readiness plan, including plans for plenaries, parallel sessions, exhibits, side events, bilaterals, media and dinner; supplier matrix; registration, transport, security and communication; field-visit plan; checklists and readiness status.

• Event delivery daily briefings, issue and decision logs, operational updates and end-of-day reflection notes.

• Post-event report and close-out package: synthesis of event development, participant evaluations, lessons learnt and final versions of all documents prepared and used for the summit preparation and development.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in programme management, public affairs, public administration, international relations, communications, development studies or a related field.

• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) with additional relevant professional experience may be considered.

Experience:

• Minimum of one (1) year of relevant professional experience , in event management and conference management or a related fields with an advanced university degree or three (3 ) years of relevant experience with a first university degree

• Demonstrated experience planning and delivering complex, multi-stakeholder events involving government institutions and high-level participation.

• Experience working with governments, institutional stakeholders and international organizations.

• Experience liaising with VIPs and high-level stakeholders and supporting official protocol.

• Proven ability to manage multiple workstreams and coordinate multidisciplinary teams, committees, suppliers and partners.

• Experience in the Philippines and familiarity with government coordination processes is an asset.

• Knowledge of school meals, education, food systems or social protection is desirable.

Knowledge and skills

• Excellent planning, organization, coordination and follow-up skills with strong attention to detail.

• Operational problem-solving skills.

• Ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams and engage effectively with government counterparts.

• Strong judgement, diplomacy and interpersonal skills, including engagement with senior officials and diverse stakeholders.

• Strong analytical, drafting, facilitation, negotiation and presentation skills.

• Ability to work independently under pressure, manage changing priorities and resolve problems promptly and systematically.

• Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and maintain accurate, accessible and controlled documentation.

Language: Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behavior that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact: global.inclusion@wfp.org

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruiting system. We do not consider CVs or applications sent by email, LinkedIn, or any other channel.

• We strongly recommend that your Workday profile is accurate and complete, and that all sections are filled in, including your employment history, academic qualifications, language skills, and UN grade (if applicable). Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

• If you experience technical issues while submitting your application, you may contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org. Please note that this email is only for technical issues with an application - unsolicited applications or documents sent to this inbox will not receive a reply.

• At the application stage, the only required documents are your CV and Cover Letter. Additional documents (passport, certificates, recommendation letters, etc.) may be requested later in the process.

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.

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Working with WFP

Our greatest strength is the people working around the world providing access to nutritious food and promoting lasting solutions to those we serve. WFP provides its staff with meaningful and impactful careers, continuous learning and training, and a multicultural and stimulating work environment.

WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status, physical or mental disability.

About WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme is the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. We are the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impact of climate change.

Read more about WFP’s history here, and WFP’s mission here

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Integrity, collaboration, commitment, humanity, inclusion. These values inspire everything we do every day, allowing us to work towards a world with zero hunger. You can read more about the values here.

Our behaviour guides us in how we accomplish our mission. All WFP employees are expected to demonstrate the standards of behaviour described in the WFP Leadership Framework. Learn more about the WFP Leadership Framework here.

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