DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
7 October 2025-23:59-GMT-05:00 Eastern Standard Time (Panama)
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).
JOB TITLE: Field Coordination Associate
CONTRACT TYPE AND LEVEL: Service Contract SC 6
UNIT/DIVISION: LACRO
WORKPLACE (City, Country): MetetÃ, Darién (Panama)
DURATION: 12 months
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT AND PURPOSE OF THE POSITION:
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian agency, dedicated to saving and transforming lives. We respond to emergencies to save lives and use food assistance as a key tool to promote peace, stability, and prosperity in communities affected by conflict, natural disasters, and climate change.
In this context, the WFP Regional Office in Panama is promoting an initiative to strengthen food systems in the Darién province and the Emberá Wounaan region. The objective is to promote resilient, inclusive, and sustainable food systems that efficiently integrate the production, distribution, and consumption processes of fresh and nutritious foods. To this end, the project “Strengthening the Agri-Food System and Food Security in Darién” is being launched. Funded by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), the project seeks to empower local producers by strengthening key value chains, thereby improving access to healthy foods in the region. The main activities include a detailed study of key food value chains, a diagnostic of local producer associations, and the design of a sustainable model for integrating local markets. This, along with training and community engagement opportunities, will contribute to fostering a more efficient and equitable food system.
Under the direct supervision of the Project Coordinator based in Panama City, the Coordinating Associate will be responsible for ensuring the effective implementation of the project on the ground. They will be responsible for directly supervising activities, maintaining an active presence in the communities, and ensuring that interventions are carried out in a coordinated, contextualized, and adapted manner to local dynamics. To this end, they will foster and maintain close relationships with key stakeholders in the region, including government institutions, producer associations, small-scale producers, UN agencies, NGOs, and other relevant entities in the region. They will also maintain fluid and constant communication with the Project Coordinator, facilitating technical and operational monitoring of implementation progress.
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Support coordination for the development and implementation of field activities, ensuring alignment with the established plan as well as the intervention’s general guidelines, taking into account both donor and WFP internal requirements.
- Provide technical support to various field stakeholders, such as producers, associations, local governments, and others, to improve the local supply chain and access to fresh food, in accordance with the intervention strategy defined by the project coordinator. This includes supporting capacity-building activities for small producers and their associations to increase market access.
- Support the monitoring of project activities, ensuring accurate and timely recording of data that allows for monitoring of project indicators.
- Prepare periodic internal and external monitoring reports defining the activities and results obtained.
- Coordinate partnerships with local partners, agencies, NGOs, and government institutions to identify avenues for collaboration that could contribute to improvements in the intervention.
- Manage the systematic collection of field data for the execution of baselines, studies, diagnoses, and evaluations, among others, ensuring the quality, relevance, and usefulness of the information generated.
- Act as WFP’s operational focal point on the ground, facilitating interaction with stakeholders in the intervention areas and ensuring clear and effective communication at all levels.
- Perform any other tasks that may be required for the benefit and proper development of WFP’s activities and programs.
DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:
The Coordinating Associate will make a key contribution to the generation of the following deliverables, working regularly with the Project Coordinator and other relevant stakeholders:
- Study of value chains
- Operational and logistical analysis
- Diagnosis of associations
- Strategic and operational plan of the associations
- Food systems strengthening strategy in Darien
The coordinating associate will be responsible for preparing the following documents:
- Periodic activity reports
- Monthly schedule of activities
- Quarterly reports on results and status of indicators
MINIMUM STANDARD QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:
Formación:
Hold a secondary school completion certificate or post-secondary education certificate in rural engineering, agroecology, food technology, agricultural economics, or other relevant disciplines. Additional years of work experience, a university degree, and/or other related training will be considered a plus.
Experience:
Minimum 6 years of relevant experience in food systems, value chains, supply chains, market access, rural development, and project cycle implementation.
Knowledge and skills:
Knowledge of fresh food value chains and markets, the agricultural association sector, marketing of fresh food by family farmers, and access to small farmers’ markets.
Languages:
Spanish proficiency (level C), knowledge of Emberá and Wounaan will be valued.
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
- 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 global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org 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.
How to apply
If your are interested in applying for this role, please click on the link below: