Programme Policy Officer - GCF Project Manager - CST II

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

9 September 2026-23:59-GMT+03:00 Arabian Standard Time (Baghdad)

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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.

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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).

JOB TITLE: Programme Policy Officer - GCF Project Manager

TYPE OF CONTRACT: Consultant II - Regular

UNIT/DIVISION: Iraq Programme

DUTY STATION (City, Country): Remote – Homebased (with a total of 4 months short missions to Duty station in Basra)

 

Job Purpose:

The World Food Programme (WFP) in Iraq is committed to strengthening food security and enhancing resilience to climate change. Under its Country Strategic Plan (CSP) 2026–2029, WFP implements a range of interventions aimed at mitigating climate risks, promoting sustainable livelihoods, and supporting vulnerable communities. In line with Strategic Outcome 2—ensuring that targeted populations in Iraq have more resilient livelihoods and benefit from improved food systems by 2029—the Country Office is currently implementing a four-year Green Climate Fund (GCF) project, titled “Promoting Climate-Resilient Livelihoods for Food-Insecure People in Southern Iraq (SAP 060).” The project targets smallholder farmers and vulnerable households in Thi Qar, Basra, and Qadisiyah, enhancing their capacity to withstand climate shocks and secure sustainable livelihoods.

Under the supervision of the Resilience and Climate Change Coordinator, the incumbent will lead in the provision of strategic, technical and operational role in the implementation of GCF project activities. This includes effective and timely delivery of project outputs, outcomes, compliance with GCF policies, WFP procedures and fiduciary standards.  This includes providing strategic and technical guidance to the Project Management Unit (PMU) and Project Steering Committee (PSC), ensuring effective coordination with implementing partners, and delivering institutional support to the National Designated Authority (NDA) to strengthen its capacity to plan and implement climate adaptation initiatives.

Responsibility:

Coordination and project management

·       Lead the overall planning, implementation and management of the GCF -SAP 060 project activities.  

·       Develop and oversee annual workplans, activity budget and implementation schedules

·       Ensure timely delivery of outputs in line with the approved project scope and compliance with FAA.

·       Providing technical guidance to all relevant staff and units key thematic outcomes and outputs related to the project.

·       Coordination with key government stakeholders including NDA and relevant line ministries ensuring project activities align sectorial priorities

·       Lead the establishment and coordination of the project management unit (PMU)

·       Provide strategic advisor to the project steering committee on the implementation of project activities as per the workplan.

·       Ensure compliance and reporting with GCF requirements including; ESS , Gender and M&E frameworks.

·       Lead the preparation of Annual performance reports coordinate with relevant units on the financial and evaluation reports.

·       Identify and manage operational and implementation risks related to project activities.

Key areas of technical leadership

Climate resilient agriculture and irrigation systems

·       Provide technical oversight on the design, deployment and scaling of climate resilient agricultural practices.

·       Oversee the implementation of efficient irrigation technologies ensuring alignment with agro climatic conditions and water availability

·       Supervise the establishment of demonstration sites and farmer learning for stress tolerant crops varieties

·       Ensure the integration of soil and water conservation techniques, including salinity and land restoration practices

·       Guide technical partnership with agricultural directorates , research institutions to ensure evidence based interventions.

Water resource management and efficiency

·       Lead the technical planning and implementation of water efficient systems including irrigation optimization and household level water harvesting solutions

·       Ensure alignment of project interventions within national and governorate water strategies.

·       Support the strengthening of water users associations and community based water governance systems

Climate information and institutional systems

·       Provide technical leadership in the development and operationalization of climate information systems.

·       Oversee installation and integration of automatic agrometeorological weather stations and climate data infrastructure in coordination with national institutions.

·       Guide the design of use centred climate advisory services, ensuring accessibility for farmers, extension workers and local authorities.

Livelihood Diversification and financial inclusion.

·       Lead technical design and implementation of climate resilient diversification models

·       Oversee deployment of income generating activities based on market and climate suitability.

·       Ensure delivery of skills development, entrepreneurship training and business incubation support to beneficiaries.

·       Guide the establishment of innovative financing mechanisms, including blended financing models and asset replacement schemes.

·       Facilitate partnership with microfinance institutions (MFIs) to improve access to credit and tailored financial products for smallholders

·       Promote financial literacy, inclusion and risk sharing mechanisms to enhance long term sustainability of livelihoods

Qualification and Experience:

·       University Degree in Environmental science, climate change, sustainability or related field with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses or Advanced University degree.

·       Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in climate change adaptation, resilience-building, disaster risk reduction, or related fields.

·       Proven experience managing donor funded climate projects such as GCF, Adaptation fund, GEF, etc

·       Strong technical expertise in climate change science, Climate finance, climate information systems, carbon accounting, adaptation strategies, and resilience-building approaches, with knowledge of international frameworks and best practices.

·       Experience working in Iraq or similar contexts, with a good understanding of the socio-economic, political, and environmental dynamics in the region.

·       Proven ability to provide technical support, capacity building, and advisory services to diverse stakeholders, including government agencies.

·       Excellent communication, interpersonal, and facilitation skills, with the ability to work effectively in a multicultural and multidisciplinary team.

 

LANGUAGES

· Fluency in English (Level C)

· Proficiency in Arabic

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.