DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS6 November 2025-23:59-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 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).
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.
JOB TITLE: Programme Policy Officer (Market Systems and Livelihoods)
TYPE OF CONTRACT: Fixed-Term Appointment
JOB GRADE: NOA
DUTY STATION (City, Country): Cotabato, Philippines
DURATION: 12 months with possible extension
This position is open to Filipino nationals only.
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT:
Smallholder farmers and fisherfolk in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have limited resources, information, and training to increase their yield and undertake value- adding activities necessary to improve their livelihoods. The economic insufficiencies deprive them of resources to spend on food security, nutrition, housing, education, healthcare, and other non-food essentials. Moreover, inadequate agricultural infrastructure, poor soil and water management practices and land tenurial issues impedes smallholders’ abilities to become self-reliant. Improved climate-smart agricultural practices and equitable inclusion of women and men smallholder farmers and fisherfolk into value chains is a crucial missing link to sustainably solve the prevalent poverty index and quell the low nutritional indicators that have affected the BARMM region for decades.
WFP, along with its partners, has successfully supported the creation of Bangsamoro Food Security Task Force (BFSTF) which brings together 21 Government Ministries to facilitate innovation, convergence, reforms, and increase investments toward a sustainable food system in the region. It is tasked to carefully coordinate a holistic and comprehensive approach to achieving food security and nutrition of the BARMM.
WFP works with the BFSTF and other key partners to implement an integrated package of interventions designed to increase the food security, resilience and self-reliance of target populations. Specifically, WFP:
Contributes to smallholders’ economic sustainability by promoting their inclusion in value chain through the development and formation of farmer and fisher associations/cooperatives and strengthening access to markets such as the Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF) Programme and other institutional markets.
Supports resilience-building initiatives by engaging vulnerable communities in the creation of farm-to-market roads; irrigation canals, reforestation, soil conservation and water harvesting structures, climate-smart practices and development of post-harvest facilities.
Strengthens climate risk management by using climate forecasts and other related information to trigger action before a shock occurs, mitigating the impact of disasters on the food security and nutrition of the most vulnerable populations.
Empowers the community and food producers through Social and Behavioural Change (SBC) initiatives to positively enable behavior change towards self-reliance and healthy diets.
JOB PURPOSE:
The Programme Policy Officer (Market Systems and Livelihoods) will lead the implementation of the WFP Philippines’ integrated resilience approach, with a particular focus on enhancing the inclusion of smallholder farmers and fisherfolk in market systems to strengthen their livelihood strategies in BARMM. The holder will be directly reporting to the Head of Integrated Resilience with technical guidance from the Country Office Climate and Resilience Unit.
With strategic oversight from the Head of Integrated Resilience, the holder is expected to oversee and coordinate the linking of economically disadvantaged farmers engaged in community livelihood strategies, with more established farmer groups to foster sustainable livelihoods, enhance local economies, and position communities with greater resilience and economic independence.
The Programme Policy Officer (Market Systems and Livelihoods) will provide technical assistance to the BARMM Government, develop joint strategies, and contribute to capacity building of partners. This role involves team management and professional development of staff members.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Programme Policy Officer (Market Systems and Livelihoods) will provide technical support to conduct analysis, oversee coordination, build capacities internally and of partners, oversee timely and high-quality implementation of interventions, and support the