Programme Officer - School Feeding

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

6 November 2025-23:59-GMT+02:00 South Africa Standard Time (Maseru)

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 climate change.

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).

Design and lead the implementation of WFP’s school feeding program, working closely with internal teams and external partners. The role supports coordination, fosters collaboration, and helps shape strategic thinking around school feeding and its links to social protection, nutrition, and community resilience.

ABOUT XXX AT WFP [to be completed by the recruiter]

This position is based in Maseru and reports to DCD.

THE ROLE

To provide support to policy and programme activities that effectively meet food assistance needs.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive, within delegated authority):

• Lead the implementation of school feeding programme, including the roll out of Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF).
• Coordinate and manage the day-to-day School Feeding programme activities including Home grown school feeding activities, ensuring that food is delivered in a timely manner in close collaboration and coordination with Field Offices and Supply chain unit.
• Follow up on commodities` call forwards to ensure that the food commodities are sent in time to the schools in accordance with the requirements, and close follow-up of in country food stocks and pipeline with Supply Chain Unit and Budget and Programming Unit
• Coordinate closely with functional units (Nutrition, SAMS etc.) for effective integration, and with Field offices to ensure timely distributions.
• Provide technical support to government in the planning and implementation of a national school feeding programme.
• Coordinate and or mobilize technical expertise related to capacity building of government, and other actors to enhance their capacity to manage national school feeding programme.
• Explore and identify opportunities with other sectors (agriculture, nutrition, social protection, health) that can improve the quality of the school feeding programme.
• Conduct regular monitoring visits especially for the HGSF pilot to support field staff, partners including government.
• Advocate and liaise with government counterparts, donors, UN agencies and other counterparts at appropriate inter agency fora.
• Engage with potential donors to develop multiyear program proposals and budgets.
• Represent WFP in key strategic coordination platforms such as Local Education Group (LEG) ensuring that school feeding is adequately recognized.
• Ensure proper documentation of all program activities for accountability and transparency.
• Improve collaboration with WFP Field Offices, MOET (SSRFU),  FMU and other relevant ministries at district level.
• In collaboration with WFP Field Offices ensure that reports such as monitoring visits reports, and FMU/SSRFU Quarterly reports related to SFP are timely produced.
• Contribute to improvement of school feeding infrastructures such as latrines, storerooms and kitchens.
• Introduce environment-friendly activities and diet diversification activities at school level (creation of school gardens, tree planting, promote solar energy use in schools).
• Liaise with UNICEF, WHO, FAO and other UN agencies to implement joint activities in water and sanitation improvement at school level.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Education: Advanced University degree in International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Sciences or other field relevant to international development assistance, or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

• Has gained experience in implementing technical programs (i.e. nutrition, etc.).

• Has implemented programmes and provided input into designing operations.

• Has provided input into policy discussions and decisions.

Language: Fluency (level C) in English language and the duty station’s language, if different.

MORE ABOUT YOU
You have: [to be completed by the recruiter]

ADDITIONAL / NICE TO HAVE [to be completed by the recruiter]

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

• We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete, and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, language skills and UN Grade (if applicable).

• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

• Please make sure you upload your professional CV in the English language

• Kindly note the only documents you will need to submit at this time are your CV and Cover Letter

• Additional documents such as passport, recommendation letters, academic certificates, etc. may potentially be requested at a future time

• Please contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org in case you face any challenges with submitting your application

• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified

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.