DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
5 December 2025-23:59-GMT+02:00 Central Africa Time (Juba)
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.
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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: Deputy Head of Access
TYPE OF CONTRACT: International Consultancy Level II
UNIT/DIVISION: Access Unit
DUTY STATION (City, Country): Juba, South Sudan
DURATION: 11 months
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
In September 2018, after more than five years of civil war, the Republic of South Sudan signed a peace agreement with several opposition parties, including the SPLA-IO. Yet implementation of the peace agreement has stalled, and South Sudan continues to present a wide array of challenges to the secure, principled and predictable delivery of humanitarian assistance. Armed conflict continues in several parts of the country. Sub-national and local violence has increased in Jonglei and Unity states, resulting in the killing of civilians, large scale displacement and contributing to widespread food insecurity and malnutrition. Civilian authorities and security forces also persistently compromise humanitarian space through illegal taxation, bureaucratic impediments and interference in the implementation of humanitarian activities. South Sudan also remains one of the most dangerous countries for humanitarian personnel to work, with consistent attacks on aid workers, humanitarian convoys and the looting of relief.
To effectively deliver humanitarian assistance in a complex context like South Sudan, WFP needs to ensure the safeguarding of its humanitarian principles, advocate and negotiate for adequate humanitarian space with all relevant stakeholders on all levels.
ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Provide oversight of national access officers day-to-day access notifications and clearances for WFP and Logistics Cluster Road, river and air movements, and assist them in solving ad-hoc challenges facing WFP and Logistics Cluster movements through liaising with relevant unit within the CO and FOs.
2. Assist in analyzing the context and key actors and contribute to regular and ad-hoc reports, including detailing the current and potential impact of constraints are on WFP’s operations.
3. Build and maintain strong working relationships with key stakeholders that can influence WFP’s and its cooperating partners’ access, by engaging in meetings, communication by phone and email, and by engaging in regular field missions.
4. In consultation with the Head of Unit, advocate and negotiate for adequate humanitarian space and humanitarian principles, such as multi-stakeholder windows of peace to facilitate the implementation of WFP operations and efficient and effective clearance procedures and systems to enable the safe and unhindered movement of WFP and partner staff and assets.
5. In consultation with the Head of Unit, provide advice, recommendations, and strategies to Senior Management for negotiations with higher-level authorities. Negotiate for Senior Management/Field Offices on their behalf when requested.
6. Lead the Access Unit’s activities to support the training staff on humanitarian negotiation policies and advocate for similar/consistent practices with humanitarian partners.
7. As part of the WFP Conflict Security and Access Team, support efforts to respond to emergencies by analyzing, advising, conducting crisis negotiations and coordinating the response.
8. Contribute to institutional memory by documenting missions, key meetings and negotiations, and by collating and documenting information relevant to humanitarian operations including ground dynamics, humanitarian needs, environmental conditions, conflict dynamics, and their interplay with WFP activities. Provide input to strategic reports to donors, OCHA, UN Security Council etc.
9. In the absence of the Head of Unit, assume the role of Officer in Charge.
10. Perform other related duties as required.
DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:
Under the immediate supervision of the Head of Access Unit and the overall supervision of the Country Director the staff member will develop and use contextual expertise, engagement and negotiation skills to facilitate safe, principled and unhindered humanitarian access for WFP programmes and operations.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
Education:
University degree with course work in political science, law, history, international relations, anthropology or a related field.
Experience:
- For candidates with a master’s degree or higher: At least 5 years of postgraduate experience, with significant humanitarian programming with demonstrated experience in operational humanitarian access, civil military coordination in deep-field locations, and an ability to conduct rigorous, self-sufficient fieldwork
- For candidates with a bachelor’s degree: A minimum of 7 years of the above experience is required.
- High familiarity with WFP / UN programming and ways of working, operationalization of humanitarian principles, as well as armed conflict and food security in South Sudan.
Knowledge & Skills:
• Strong knowledge and understanding of humanitarian response in complex emergencies and persistent national, sub-national, and local violence
• Demonstrated experience in humanitarian access, engagement and negotiation, as well as civil-military coordination.
• Strong initiative and independence, maturity of judgement, tact and interpersonal skills
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing
• Ability to deliver on responsibilities with minimal guidance
• Ability to establish and work within teams and build effective working relationships with persons of many national and cultural backgrounds
• Demonstrated ability and willingness to cope with emergency situations and to live in challenging environments
• General knowledge of humanitarian principles, UN rules, regulations and procedures
• Relevant contextual knowledge is desirable. Good knowledge of WFP programming.
• Flexibility in accepting work assignments outside normal desk description or outside Terms of Reference
Languages:
Working knowledge of English (level C); knowledge of Arabic is advantageous.
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: [email protected]
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 [email protected] 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.
More Information
- Job City South Sudan
