DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS8 October 2025-23:59-GMT+03:00 Eastern European Time (Damascus)
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 worldโs 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).
Organizational context:
Syria remains one of the worldโs most complex and protracted humanitarian crises. Over a decade of conflict, economic collapse, and climate-induced shocksโincluding drought, fire, and earthquakesโhave significantly weakened national systems and exacerbated vulnerabilities. Humanitarian needs are immense, with over 14 million people estimated to require assistance, including 3 million facing severe food insecurity.
Although early signs of stabilisation are beginning to emerge, the operating environment remains highly volatile and susceptible to sudden-onset emergencies, political shifts, and recurring natural disasters. The recent increase in rates of returnees, both internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugee returnees, is placing additional strain on already overstretched services and communitiesโfurther escalating needs at a time when humanitarian funding is in decline.
These dynamics underscore the urgent need for robust emergency preparedness and response systems that are agile, anticipatory, and responsive to the evolving context.
As the leading humanitarian agency providing food assistance in Syria, and the sole actor delivering school meals, the World Food Programme (WFP) plays a pivotal role in addressing food insecurity and supporting resilience-building efforts. In partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), WFP co-leads the Food Security Sector (FSS); a coordination platform that brings together UN agencies, international and national NGOs, and other stakeholders to ensure a coherent, effective, and principled response to food security needs across the country
Job Purpose:
The role of the National Food Security Sector Coordinator is to lead and oversee operational and strategic coordination of partners to ensure a timely, coherent, and effective food security response in line with this roleโs competencies, responsibilities, and set standards.
The coordination architecture has evolved over the years in Syria, and as of June 2025, transitioned from a three-hub coordination model (Humanitarian Country Team, Northeast Syria, and Northwest Syria) under the Whole of Syria umbrella, into a unified coordination model led nationally from Damascus, and supported by six sub-national coordination teams across Syria.
The National Coordinator will operate in a complex, dynamic environment that requires strong leadership, diplomacy, and a deep understanding of the humanitarian-development nexus. The sector coordinator will work impartially with all sector members, represent the interests of the group, and ensure collaboration across UN agencies, international and local NGOs, and donors.
The Sector Coordinator will work closely with key counterparts: the FAO contracted Sector Coordinator and with the NGO Contracted Coordinator/or government counterparts, based on the agreed set-up for sector coordination with the authorities in the coming months.
The Sector Coordinator will be accountable to WFP and FAO as Sector Lead Agencies, and the incumbent will directly report to the WFP Deputy Head of Programme.
The position is based in Damascus with frequent travel to the field to support the subnational coordination teams as required.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES (not all-inclusive):
The Sector Coordinator will provide overall leadership for the implementation of the six IASC core functions of the sector throughout Syria:
To drive service delivery:
- Facilitating a timely, coherent, effective and coordinated food security response by mobilizing stakeholders in a strategic manner.
- Providing and maintaining a platform for a humanitarian coordination mechanism that ensures cross-functional coordination with Food Security Sector partners and other sectors to ensure emergency preparedness and response is delivered in a coherent, integrated, and efficient manner, and is driven by the Humanitarian Response Plan and relevant specific response plans.
- Impelmenting common mechanisms to elimitnate duplication and harmonization of service delivery.
- Actively promote the application of common standards and harmonisation of programmatic responses amongst all sector partners.
- Ensure that the sector covers all identified needs of the population when possible, with priority on the food-insecure households and vulnerable groups.
To inform the Humanitarian Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordination Teamโs strategic decision-making:
- Lead FSS contributions to the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) and Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) processes, ensuring partner consultation and data-driven analysis.
- Provide strategic direction on food security priorities.
- Track and advise on evolving dynamics (economic crisis, displacement, policy shifts) and their implications for food security programming.
- Support inter-sector level food security needs assessments as required.
- Identifying and finding solutions for emerging gaps, obstacles, duplication, and cross-cutting issues.
Coordinate, plan, and implement sector strategies:
- Provide transparent direction to the development of common funding criteria, resources mobilization, and prioritization within the sector for inclusion in appeals and pooled funds processes.
- Ensure an oversight and strong implementation of sectoral strategies, and advocate for coordinated common guidelines, such as for common prioritization and targeting approach, linkages amongst food assistance and livelihood interventions, referral processes amongst partners, amongst other emerging topics as required.
- Strengthen subnational coordination by providing guidance, strategy and practical processes to manage a coordinated environment for the response.
- Coordinate food security assessments and support the validation of findings through partner consultations and triangulated analysis.
- Provide oversight to 5Ws collection and dissemination of IM products to partners, issuance of situation reports, and dashboards.
To monitor and evaluate performance:
- Periodically assess the performance of the Food Security Sector through the utilization of the Cluster Performance Monitoring Tool and ensure the information generated is then shared with partners for further learning and knowledge management.
- Monitor implementation of FSC strategy and adjust coordination approaches based on learning, partner input, and field realities.
- Ensure adequate reporting and effective information sharing, with due regard for age and sex disaggregation.
- Ensure timely, inclusive, and regular information sharing and discussion with the sector partners through various modalities, including sector meetings, email dissemination of sector products and oversight of relevant sectoral working groups.
Build national capacity in preparedness and contingency planning:
- Drawing lessons learned from past experiences and revising implementation accordingly, strategy and approaches accordingly.
- Serve as a forum for developing operational coordination and problem-solving within the various food security coordination groups.
- Ensure contingency planning and preparedness ahead of new emergencies and seasonal adaptations of responses with key stakeholders and counterparts, including OCHA and local authorities.
Advocacy and resource mobilization:
- Identify concerns that contribute to HC and HCT messaging and briefs.
- Oversee the development of an advocacy plan and issue regular advocacy products and schedule regular meetings with donors.
- Undertake advocacy on behalf of the sector, sector members, and affected people.
- Represent the sector in meetings with sectoral and external interlocutors.
- Secure from sector partnerships, minimum commitments on participation in activities.
- Initiate measures to ensure that the Principles of Partnership are fully respected in managing coordination mechanisms.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
Education
- Masterโs degree in International Affairs, Economics, Humanitarian Assistance, Food Security, Agriculture, Social Sciences, or a related field. Or Bachelorโs degree with (2) additional years of relevant professional work experience.
Experience
- With Masterโs: At least (3) years of relevant professional experience in humanitarian programming and coordination, including in food security or sector/cluster-like coordination roles.
- Proven experience coordinating complex responses in emergencies.
Knowledge & Skills
- Knowledge and expertise in food security modalities,
- Excellent analytical and writing skills,
- Excellent teamwork and management skills,
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills,
- Excellent negotiation and problem-solving skills.
Languages
- Fluency in English and Arabic (oral and written) is required.
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.
- Fluency in English and Arabic (oral and written) is required.
- Masterโs degree in International Affairs, Economics, Humanitarian Assistance, Food Security, Agriculture, Social Sciences, or a related field. Or Bachelorโs degree with (2) additional years of relevant professional work experience.