An exciting full time vacancy for a Head of Programme-South Central Area Office (SCAO) is now available at World Food Programme (WFP), Mogadishu. The role requires a skilled individual with 7 - 8 years of experience in Programme Affairs or a related field. Applications are open until Jul, 26. Don't miss this opportunity.
Vacancy Announcement No: JR124797
Job Title: Head of Programme-South Central Area Office (SCAO)
Contract Type/Grade: Fixed Term (NOC)
Duty Station: Mogadishu
Contract
Duration: 12 Months (Renewable)
Date of Issue: July 13, 2026, |
Closing Date: July 26,2026
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive, within delegated authority)
Under the overall supervision of the Head of SCAO and technical supervision from CO-Head of Program, the SCAO Head of Programme will be responsible
for strategic leadership, management, oversight, and coordination of WFP programme interventions within the Area Office's geographical area.
A. Provide Programme Strategy, Leadership and Coordination:
- Lead the development, implementation, monitoring, and periodic review of the SCAO Annual Performance Plan (APP), ensuring alignment with the
Somalia Country Strategic Plan (2026–2030), corporate priorities, and government development frameworks.
- Provide strategic programme leadership and policy guidance to Area Office management and programme teams on emergency preparedness and
response, human capital development (social protection, nutrition & school feeding), early recovery, livelihood and resilience programmes.
- Advise senior management on emerging food security, nutrition, resilience, and other operational challenges, proposing evidence-based strategic
responses.
- Identify opportunities for programme innovation, integration, scale-up, and operational efficiencies across emergency operations and resilience
programming.
- Ensure strong coordination between SCAO, CO technical units, Field Offices, government counterparts, and cooperating partners to promote
coherent programme implementation.
- Lead cross-functional programme planning and ensure alignment between programme priorities, operational capacities, and available resources.
- Facilitate regular programme review meetings and monitor implementation of agreed actions and management decisions.
B. Programme Design, Planning and Implementation:
- Oversee the design and execution of food assistance, resilience and human capital development programmes within SCAO.
- Ensure programme interventions are evidence-based, conflict-sensitive, gender-responsive, and informed by vulnerability, food security, nutrition,
market, and climate-risk analyses.
- Guide beneficiary targeting using vulnerability-based and community-based approaches, registration, vulnerability assessments, transfer modality
selection, programme planning, and implementation arrangements.
- Ensure programme activities are designed and delivered in accordance with corporate programme guidance, donor commitments, and government
priorities.
- Oversee cooperating partner engagement and implementation arrangements, ensuring quality delivery and adherence to approved plans and
agreements.
- Promote integrated programming approaches i.e. community engagement, gender, protection, accountability to affected population, and inclusion,
that maximize synergies across WFP activities and contribute to sustainable outcomes for vulnerable populations.
- Lead programme preparedness, contingency planning, and emergency response coordination within SCAO.
- Ensure programme readiness for emergency responses, including partner, resource, and operational preparedness.
C. Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting:
- Lead monitoring and performance management of SCAO programme activities against planned outputs, outcomes, and key performance indicators.
- D. Partnerships, Government Engagement and External Relations
- Build and maintain strategic partnerships with Federal Government of Somalia, State authorities, UN agencies, International and national NGOs and
Community stakeholders under SCAO area of responsibility
- Represent SCAO in sectoral and inter-agency coordination forums for example food security, nutrition, livelihoods, resilience or engagement in
humanitarian, transition and development contexts through direct participation, briefings, information products and other materials.
- Support governments led initiatives and provide technical assistance to strengthen national and sub-national food security and nutrition systems.
- Facilitate joint planning, implementation, monitoring, and review processes with government counterparts and partners.
- Strengthening WFP visibility, advocacy, and influence through strategic engagement, presentations, information products, and technical briefings.
- Support donor engagement efforts through field visits, programme updates, presentations, and documentation of programme achievements and
impact.
- Support partner selection, due diligence, proposal reviews, agreement management, performance monitoring, and partner capacity strengthening.
- Review CP performance and ensure implementation challenges are addressed in a timely manner.
- Ensure partnership arrangements contribute to effective, accountable, and results-based programme delivery.
E. Resource Management:
- Oversee SCAO programme budgets, operational plans and resource utilization, ensuring compliance with delegated authorities, best before dates
and terminal delivery dates.
- Monitor expenditure trends, delivery performance, resource requirements, and implementation rates to ensure efficient utilization of resources.
- Ensure efficient use of financial, human, and operational resources.
- Support preparation of programme budgets, concept notes, proposals and funding submissions.
- Identify funding gaps and emerging programme requirements and contribute to resource mobilization efforts.
- Ensure programme implementation plans are aligned with available financial, commodity, CBT, and operational resources.
- Promote cost-efficiency, value for money, and effective stewardship of programme resources.
F. Team Leadership and Capacity Building:
- Supervise, mentor and provide technical guidance to SCAO programme staff and consultants.
- Lead workforce planning and support recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and professional development processes.
- Foster a high-performing, inclusive, collaborative, and accountable team culture.
- Build the capacity of WFP SCAO staff, government counterparts, CPs and community stakeholders in programme design, implementation,
monitoring, reporting, and policy engagement.
- Promote knowledge sharing, peer learning, and documentation of best practices, innovations and lessons learned.
- Facilitate regular programme review, learning, and reflection sessions across SCAO and Field Offices.
G. Risk Management and Compliance:
- Ensure compliance with WFP policies, procedures, corporate standards, donor requirements, and applicable government regulations.
- Through SCAO risk register, identify, assess, and mitigate operational, fiduciary, security, safeguarding, protection, and reputational risks affecting
programme implementation.
- Monitor implementation of audit recommendations, management actions, and internal control measures.
- Promote fraud prevention, ethical conduct, safeguarding principles and accountability mechanisms.
- Ensure programme quality assurance processes are in place and regularly reviewed in line with CO and GHQ reassurance plan.
- Escalate significant programme risks, implementation challenges and compliance concerns to SCAO and CO leadership team.
- Perform other duties as required by the Head of South-Central Area Office and CO Head of Programme in support of WFP's mandate and operational
objectives in Somalia.
- Ensure effective use of monitoring findings, assessments, evaluations, and operational research to inform programme adjustments and strategic
decision-making.
- Lead preparation and quality assurance of donor reports, management reports, situation reports, briefing notes, talking points, and other strategic
information products.
- Support CO led evaluations, audits, monitoring missions, spot checks, assessments, and oversight exercises.
- Ensure lessons learned, best practices and recommendations are documented and incorporated into programme design and implementation.
- Promote accountability to affected populations (AAP) and ensure feedback and complaint mechanisms inform programme improvements.
About Mogadishu
Mogadishu, known locally as Muqdisho, is the capital of Somalia and the country's largest city. It serves as the political, economic, and cultural heart of the nation. The city hosts the headquarters of numerous UN agencies, international NGOs, and government institutions, offering diverse career opportunities for development and humanitarian professionals.
Ereyada Soomaaliga (Somali Keywords): Shaqo Cusub • Shaqo Muqdisho • Shaqo Buuxda