Programme Assistant SC5 (anuradhapura)

Organizational Context

WFP Sri Lanka is implementing a USD 7.5 million program to assist 87,000 people affected by increasing natural disasters. This initiative combines cash transfers for irrigation rehabilitation, anticipatory cash support, pre-positioning of essential items, and strengthened disaster preparedness through coordinated risk assessments and digital systems.

Job Purpose

The Programme Assistant (Field) will support the implementation of WFP's disaster response and resilience-building programs in Sri Lanka, specifically in Anuradhapura. This role involves close collaboration with government counterparts and cooperating partners to ensure effective project delivery, monitoring, and coordination at the field level. The assistant will contribute to data collection, analysis, and reporting to inform decision-making, resolve operational issues, and facilitate communication. Key responsibilities include verifying field-level movements and distributions, suggesting process improvements, and providing training to partners. The position plays a crucial role in ensuring timely and accountable humanitarian assistance reaches vulnerable communities, enhancing their preparedness for future shocks and supporting recovery efforts.

Responsibilities

The Program Assistant (Field) plays a crucial role in supporting World Food Programme (WFP) operations at the local level. Key responsibilities include fostering strong collaboration with government counterparts and actively participating in coordination meetings relevant to WFP's Country Strategic Plan. The role involves providing essential monitoring, implementation, and coordination support for all WFP projects within the field location. This includes verifying the movement and distribution of food and non-food items, resolving on-site issues, and ensuring compliance with WFP standards. Data management is also a significant aspect, requiring the collection, compilation, and analysis of field-level program data to generate reports that inform decision-making. The assistant acts as a liaison with cooperating partners, community leaders, and internal counterparts to gather feedback, discuss distribution and capacity-building efforts, and maintain effective communication. They are responsible for suggesting improvements to field monitoring processes and operational procedures to enhance program efficiency. Furthermore, the role involves organizing and participating in meetings with stakeholders on commodity pipelines and food entitlements, allocating tasks to field staff, and providing guidance and training. The assistant also delivers training to cooperating partners on WFP operational practices and monitoring tools, ensuring accurate data recording and acting as a primary point of contact for operational queries. They support communication and coordination with local partners, NGOs, and government institutions to ensure smooth program implementation, prepare detailed field mission reports, follow emergency preparedness procedures, and facilitate timely financial data sharing and reconciliation with partners to ensure accountability.

Work Experience

Requires five years of progressive experience, including one year at a lower grade. Must have experience facilitating communication with technical teams, contributing to program implementation, observing or assisting with policy discussions, and engaging in field coordination.

Skills

Field Coordination, Program Monitoring, Data Analysis, Report Preparation, Liaison with Stakeholders, Operational Support, Emergency Preparedness, Financial Reconciliation, Training Delivery, Communication Skills

Explore related opportunities