With 75 years of experience, our focus is on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. We help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith.
Come join our 33,000+ staff working in nearly 100 countries and share the joy of transforming vulnerable children’s life stories!
Here’s where you come in:
This activity is an anticipated five-year USDA McGovern-Dole program in Timor-Leste, with an estimated value of approximately USD $32M–$35M, subject to final design, funding availability, and donor approval. The COP will provide overall strategic, technical, operational, financial, and compliance leadership for the program and will serve as the primary representative to USDA, the Government of Timor-Leste, municipal authorities, implementing partners, and other key stakeholders.
The COP will lead a continuity-and-upgrade strategy that protects prior school feeding investments, avoids disruption to schools and communities, leverages existing systems where appropriate, and strengthens the next phase of McGovern-Dole implementation through readiness-based school onboarding, predictable commodity management, MEQA-supported literacy coaching, targeted WASH and infrastructure improvements, controlled LRP, and progressive transition to government ownership.
Requirements include:
- Minimum of 10 years of professional experience managing and implementing large and complex international donor-funded programs
- Advanced degree in education, agriculture, nutrition, public health, business administration, development studies, international relations, or related field or equivalent qualifications in grant management and work history in developing countries
- Experience as a COP, Deputy COP, or Senior Project Manager
- Experience in leading and managing large grants in a complex/ fragile environment
- Experience managing USDA/FAS, McGovern-Dole, Food for Progress, USAID, or other U.S. Government-funded food security, school feeding, education, nutrition, or agriculture programs
- Demonstrated experience leading multi-sectoral programs that integrate school feeding, literacy or education, nutrition, WASH, local procurement, community engagement, and government systems strengthening
- Experience leading programs in remote, fragile, post-conflict, or low-capacity operating environments, preferably in Southeast Asia, Timor-Leste, or small island contexts
- Fluency in oral and written English is required
- Fluency in Tetum and/or Portuguese preferred; Bahasa Indonesia is helpful
- Ability to travel within Dili, Timor-Leste, with frequent travel to target municipalities, including remote/hard-to-reach areas such as Oecusse and Ainaro.
How to apply
Is this the job for you?
Find the full responsibilities and requirements for this position and apply online by the application deadline of 27 MAY 2026.
World Vision is dedicated to our team members’ development and their success. We aspire for all employees to be fulfilled through their work and their contributions to an organisation working to provide long-term sustainable solutions to the world’s most vulnerable people.
For more information on World Vision International, please visit our website: www.wvi.org.Our vision for every child, life in all its fullness. Our prayer for every heart, the will to make it so.