DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

17 June 2026-23:59-GMT+03:00 East Africa Time (Nairobi)

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.

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).

1. General Information
Title: UN Fellow
Orientation Workshop: May 2026 (tbc)
Assignment in the field: May 2026 – May 2027 (tbc)
Duty Station: Nairobi, Kenya
Sector of assignment: Social Protection

2. Supervision
Name of the Supervisor: Ms. Sheila Nkunika
Title of the Supervisor: Regional Social Protection Advisor -ESARO

3. Background information
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian agency with
operations in over 80 countries. WFP is well known for its ability to deliver food assistance rapidly to
people in need and help governments and communities build long-term food security and resilience
against crises like conflict and climate change. In 2020, WFP was the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize
awarded for “…its efforts to combat hunger; for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in
conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon
of war”.

WFP implements its programmes across the globe to achieve five corporate strategic outcomes which
are:
1. People are better able to meet their urgent food and nutrition needs
2. People have better nutrition, health and education outcomes
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3. People have improved and sustainable livelihoods
4. National programmes and systems are strengthened
5. Humanitarian and development actors are more efficient and effective

WFP aims to not only respond to shocks like conflicts, climate crises, and economic downturns, but to
also proactively build resilience and reduce the impact of these events on food and nutrition security.
This is achieved by designing and implementing interventions such as social protection in collaboration
with governments, local actors, and communities to ensure ownership and long-term sustainability.

The Regional Office for East and Southern Africa (ESARO) is responsible for supporting country offices in
developing and implementing programs that contribute to these objectives, as well as to UN Sustainable
Development Goals 2 and 17. The regional office provides strategic guidance, technical support and
direction to WFP country offices across the region.1 Currently the regional office supports 22 countries.

The ESARO Social Protection Unit is part of the Regional Programme Unit in Nairobi. Social protection is
a growing portfolio of work in the region, with all 22 countries engaged in support of national social
protection systems. The Regional SP team is the first line of support for COs with regards to their SP
operations and plays a key role in identifying opportunities to further key regional strategic shifts and to
improve the quality of WFP social protection programming. The unit seeks to meet Country Offices
support needs in ways that enhance the quality of engagement in national and subnational social
protection dialogues, system strengthening, and direct cash-based assistance working through and in
complement to national systems. The team also has a strong capacity building and knowledge
management agenda

4. Duties, responsibilities and output expectations:
Under the supervision of the regional social protection advisor, the selected Fellow will be a key player
in providing technical support to country offices and in social protection knowledge
management. Specifically, the fellow will have the following responsibilities:

Provide social protection technical support to country office (CO) teams

• Contribute towards the development of CO projects and plans, ensuring alignment with corporate policies and guidance relevant to social protection.
• Provide project management support to specific and defined social protection programmes and projects,
• Ensure a coordinated approach with wider programmes that complies with WFP standards and procedures.
• Support the development of concept notes and proposals related to social protection initiatives and strategies.
• Participate in CO level capacity assessments such as the scoping studies and provide support to report writing.
• Support the development and review of social protection related strategic and operational documents such as strategies guidelines, manuals, among others for corporate guidance, COs and government.
• Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reports relevant to the social protection portfolios (e.g. programme status, performance) that will support WFP’s decision-making at country and HQ level.

Provide Support to Social Protection Knowledge Management

• Document and disseminate lessons learned, best practices, and innovations from SP activities to inform programme adjustments and strategic planning.
• Support generating and applying evidence directly linked to WFP programme implementation, including operational research, pilot assessments, etc.
• Support programme-related data consolidation and analysis to support policy advocacy.
• Contribute to the development of knowledge products such as dashboards, briefs, and reports tailored to different audiences.
• Maintain and update SP data repositories and ensure accessibility for internal and external stakeholders.
• Support learning events such as webinars and community of practice by planning and facilitating the events.
• Support coordination of ongoing unit research pieces and studies by closely monitoring progress and quality against the TOR deliverables as well as provide any related administrative support as may be needed; take part in studies on gender and cash to improve the quality of cash programming.
• Act as the team’s focal point on KM by working with the regional KM team and ensuring high quality KM support is provided at regional and country level.

Provide support to Social Protection Capacity Strengthening Initiatives

• Support identification of CO capacity building needs
• Work with team members to identify and implement/ appropriate training initiatives
• Support and coordinate South to South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) working closely with COs to develop ToRs , identify key learning objectives and the appropriate approach
• Closely collaborate with other relevant units within RBN such as CAM, KM, partnerships to facilitate their support to SSTC missions
• Support compilation and documentation of SSTC mission related information and ensure adequate dissemination.

Support regional Socia Protection Partnerships

• Participate in partnership activities at regional level and support country level partnership engagements with various partners including government, donors, UN agencies, and other key stakeholders.
• Perform other related duties as required.

5. Qualifications and Experience
Education
Advanced university degree in Social Sciences, Public Policy, Public Administration, International
Development, International Relations, Sociology, or other fields relevant to social protection.
Work experience
Previous work or internship experiences within the development sector.
Languages
Excellent written and spoken English is required (proficiency/level C). Working knowledge of another
official UN language (French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian plus Portuguese) is an advantage.
Other skills
• Strong analytical, written and oral communication skills, including the ability to write in an
engaging and informative manner, and conceptualize and clearly synthesize information.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and team leadership skills.
• Ability to plan and organize work with minimum supervision.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines, while managing multiple priorities
simultaneously.
• Initiative, enthusiasm, creativity and flexibility with excellent interpersonal skills and team spirit
Competencies

Professionalism
• Shows pride in work and in achievements.
• Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter.
• Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and
• achieving results.
• Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns.
• Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges.
• Remains calm in stressful situation

Teamwork
• Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals.
• Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from
• others.
• Places team agenda before personal agenda.
• Builds consensus for task purpose and direction with team members.
• Supports and acts in accordance with final group decisions, even when such decisions
• may not entirely reflect own position.
• Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team
• shortcomings.

Planning & Organising
• Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies.
• Identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required.
• Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work.
• Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning.
• Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary.
• Uses time efficiently

6. Learning Elements
At the end of the assignment the Fellow will be able to:
• A solid practical and conceptual understanding of social protection and its role in enhancing food
and nutrition security
• Exposure to a diverse range of social protection programmes and systems across the region.
• Familiarity with the operations of the United Nations in a dynamic and evolving development
context.
• A comprehensive understanding of WFP’s operations and activities within the region.

The selected candidate is expected to be able to:
• Apply social protection knowledge to provide technical advice for the design and implementation
of national social protection programmes.
• Engage and work effectively with various stakeholders on key social protection policy and
operational issues, particularly within the context of middle- and low-income countries in Sub-
Saharan Africa.
• Undertake good quality social protection research and evidence generation.
5
• Support the development of good quality social protection advocacy and communication
materials

7. Content and methodology of the supervision
Under the direct supervision of the Regional Social Protection Advisor, the incumbent will receive close
mentoring and technical guidance. Upon arrival, the fellow will receive a briefing and background
documents and will be introduced to the relevant working counterparts within and outside WFP. The
social protection fellow will also be exposed to the overall WFP programming framework through
collaboration with other technical teams. The fellow will be fully integrated in social protection team and
involved in the day-to-day activities of the team. The supervision approach for the incumbent will include
performance planning and reviews, as well as regular learning and development discussions. Support will
be provided through daily interactions and a detailed annual work plan that clearly outlines key priorities,
activities, and expected outputs. The fellow’s work plan will be derived from the broader unit work plan
to ensure alignment and contribution to the unit’s overall annual goals. To monitor progress and provide
continuous feedback, quarterly review sessions will be held. These sessions will help ensure the
incumbent remains on track to achieve their objectives and receives timely support where needed.

8. Living conditions in the country
The WFP Regional Office for East and Southern Africa is located within the UN Compound in Nairobi,
Kenya. Kenya is widely recognized for its friendly and welcoming atmosphere, vibrant culture, and
energetic lifestyle. Strategically positioned on the East African coast, it serves as a central gateway to the
region. Nairobi offers a range of advantages that make it an attractive destination for expatriates and
international organizations, including several UN agencies—some of which have recently relocated or
plan to establish their headquarters in Kenya.

The city features affordable modern housing, excellent flight connectivity, well-developed
telecommunications and road infrastructure. Kenya also boasts high-quality healthcare, particularly in
private hospitals located in major cities, which provide reliable medical services. For families, the country
offers a selection of reputable international schools that meet global education standards. Despite the
many positive attributes there are a number of concerns. High rates of crime, such as theft and muggings,
are a significant concern, requiring precautions like living in secured communities. Inconsistent provision
of utilities like electricity can be a major inconvenience, back-up power is encouraged. Heavy traffic
congestion, particularly during peak hours, can make getting around cities like Nairobi difficult.

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.