DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS31 July 2025-23:59-GMT+03:00 Turkey Time (Istanbul)
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 worldโs 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).
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT:Tรผrkiye hosts one of the largest refugee populations in the world, with approximately 2.7 million people. Around 60,000 of the most vulnerable reside in eight camps in the southeast, while the vast majority live in urban and rural areas across the country. Since June 2014, the Temporary Protection regime has enabled Syrian refugees to access essential services such as healthcare and education. Asylum seekers from other countries continue to benefit from International Protection status.
The World Food Programme (WFP) supports over 35,000 of the most vulnerable refugees through monthly e-vouchers and cash transfers to help them meet their food needs. Following the devastating earthquakes of February 2023, WFP provided emergency food assistance to 1.6 million people in southeastern Tรผrkiye. As markets resumed functioning, an additional 600,000 earthquake-affected individuals received cash assistance to meet their basic needs.
As food security conditions stabilized, WFP shifted its focus to revitalizing the local food value chain in earthquake-affected regions. Through strategic investments in small food businesses, WFP aims to restore livelihoods and ensure long-term food security.
Tรผrkiye holds critical strategic importance for WFPโs global operations. The country plays a key role in the procurement and transportation of food commodities, serving as a vital corridor from the Black Sea into Syria. WFP is exploring opportunities to expand its grain reserves and milling capacity in Tรผrkiye, leveraging the countryโs advanced infrastructure.
Where feasible, WFP prioritizes local procurement of food and other goodsโan approach that supports farmers, boosts agricultural incomes, promotes land use, and generates employment.
As part of its strategic plan, WFP is increasingly positioning itself as the leading UN agency in Tรผrkiye for coordinating emergency preparedness efforts. In close collaboration with the Government of Tรผrkiye (GoT), WFP aims to support the development and implementation of emergency preparedness strategies and policies. Given Tรผrkiyeโs geographic location and exposure to natural disastersโincluding earthquakes, floods, and wildfiresโstrengthening national resilience and response capacity remains a top priority.
In 2020, WFP is embarking upon a new partnership and engagement strategy, which focuses on cooperation with the business sector, foundations and individuals to drive progress towards zero hunger. WFP is focusing its efforts over the next strategic period (2020-2025) around three key pillars:
Impact: partnerships that provide expertise and skills to support capacity strengthening for WFP and local governments
Income: investing in and growing fundraising
Innovation: identifying areas for innovation โ particularly with businesses โuniquely able to drive change at Scale.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES (not all-inclusive nor exhaustive):
Under the direct supervision of the Head of Partnerships and the OIM and with functional supervision from the Regional Communications Officer to ensure the CO communications activities serve WFP needs in the country by taking into consideration the overall regional communication plan and WFPโs corporate communications goals,
the Communication Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
1. Implement country specific communication work plans and strategy designed to maintain and enhance the visibility and reputation of WFP, as well as support fundraising activities, ensuring alignment with overall communications and WFP strategies.
2. Contribute to communications through good research, analysis of assigned area of work and timely preparation and distribution of information products to target audience(s).
4. Support the social media plan by developing social media content, and utilising platforms, networks and partners to enhance coverage and support of WFPโs activities.
5. Generate donor specific visibility content including, text, photos, videos and audio for use across a range of integrated online platforms, in order to support global and country fund-raising activities, ensuring consistency with corporate messages. Preparing when needed media mission, events calendar and events preparation for special occasions ( TRT World Forum, Antalya Diplomacy Forum, World Food Day and other field visits for instance)
6. Collate outreach data contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reports, Support communications activities that enable informed decision making and ensures consistency of information presented to the media and other stakeholders.
7. Liaise and interact with WFP staff and external counterparts to support aligned activities and a coherent approach to communications within WFP.
9. Follow standard emergency preparedness practices to support WFP to quickly respond and deploy food and needed resources to affected areas at the onset of a crisis.
10. Interacting with UN agencies as part of the UN Communication Group and collaborating when needed to UN events.
11. Other as required.
ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:
Education:
- Advanced University degree in Journalism, International Relations, Public
- Relations, Communications or other relevant field, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.
Experience:
- At least five years of postgraduate progressively responsible professional experience in international context, in the communication sector or other related fields; previous experience with fundraising, negotiations, public relations/advocacy and work experience within the private sector are an asset
Knowledge and Skills
- Demonstrates ability to build and sustain effective collaborative relationships with key media contacts and influencers in area of expertise to raise the profile of WFP, build relationships and further organisational aims;
- Applies advanced understanding of WFP communications strategy and best practice to effectively develop strategies to engage with media and other significant external stakeholders within area of responsibility. Oversees implementation, providing recommendations for improvement;
- Demonstrates deep understanding of the multilateral/interagency environment and the dynamics in which WFP operates which influences approach to working, policy development and decision making;
- Excellent team player;
- Excellent communication, diplomatic and negotiation skills;
Language:
- Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Turkish (oral and written)
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.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Turkish (oral and written)
- At least five years of postgraduate progressively responsible professional experience in international context, in the communication sector or other related fields; previous experience with fundraising, negotiations, public relations/advocacy and work experience within the private sector are an asset