Project Coordinator & Technical Lead - Financial Inclusion (CST II)

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

13 October 2026-23:59-GMT+03:00 Arabian Standard Time (Aden)

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ABOUT WFP

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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).

GENERAL INFORMATION
JOB TITLE: Project Coordinator & Technical Lead (Financial Inclusion) CST ll
TYPE OF CONTRACT/LEVEL: Consultancy Contract ll
SUPERVISOR: Programme Officer
UNIT/DIVISION: Programme
DUTY STATION (City, Country): Aden, Yemen

DURATION: 6 months

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

In January 2026, the World Bank and IFC announced the intent to rollout a large-scale multi-year agribusiness project in Yemen. The first phase of the project (2027-2030) will focus on dairy value chain development, with a total envelope of USD 100 million (see concept note attached) to be presented to the WB Board for approval in September 2026. The World Bank has invited WFP and FAO to jointly prepare a Project Implementation Plan. The full project package has been appraised, negotiation of financing agreements are under finalization and the approval by the World Bank Board is expected in October 2026. Project implementation is planned to start from January 2027.

Following bilateral exchanges, WFP and FAO agreed on the allocation of responsibilities for the design and implementation of the three components of the project, with Components A (Productive and Climate-Smart Agriculture Support) and B (Strengthening Market Access and Value Chain Integration) to be delivered by FAO and component C (Facilitation of access to financial services and building financial capability) by WFP. Component C includes highly specialized workstreams such as the design and operationalization of a Partial Portfolio Credit Guarantee (PPCG); financial product development with banks and MFIs; digital payments and financial capability for dairy producers and MSMEs; coordination with IFC and private sector partners etc.

Given the technical complexity and strategic importance of Component C—particularly the PPCG—it is critical for WFP to deploy a dedicated senior Technical Lead / Project Coordinator who can ensure end-to-end continuity from design to implementation, and who can engage credibly with World Bank, IFC, financial institutions, and private sector stakeholders.

Purpose of the Assignment

The purpose of the assignment is to provide technical leadership and end‑to‑end coordination and oversight of WFP’s role in the Yemen Dairy Agribusiness Project, covering project set‑up and operational readiness throughout 2026, and implementation oversight for Component C (Facilitation of access to financial services and building financial capability) during the project onset from January 2027.

The Project Coordinator will ensure continuity between project design and implementation, lead WFP’s engagement with the World Bank, IFC and FAO, and oversee the translation of approved project documentation into operational systems, partnerships, and field‑level delivery arrangements.

The role combines technical leadership, strategic coordination, and operational leadership, ensuring that Component C is designed and implemented in line with agreed objectives, fiduciary standards, safeguards requirements, and expected results.

ACCOUNTABILITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the supervision of Yemen CO Programme, the selected candidate will perform the following roles:

• Lead WFP’s contribution to the finalization of the Project readiness measures, ensuring Component C is implementation‑ready and aligned with World Bank requirements.

• Provide technical leadership on the design and preparations for set up of the Partial Portfolio Credit Guarantee (PPCG), including definition of target segments, guarantee structure, risk-sharing parameters, eligibility criteria, pricing principles, alignment with IDA/IFC market development objectives.

• Act as WFP’s primary focal point with the World Bank (IDA and IFC), FAO, and national counterparts throughout project preparation, set‑up, and implementation, representing WFP in technical, coordination, and review meetings.

• Coordinate WFP’s internal technical, operational, fiduciary, safeguards, and risk management inputs to support project effectiveness, operational readiness, and compliance during the project set‑up phase.

• Oversee the strategic and operational coordination and implementation oversight of Component C, ensuring coherence between financial inclusion mechanisms, capacity‑building activities, partnerships, and the broader dairy value‑chain interventions led by FAO.

• Support adaptive project management through regular progress monitoring, risk identification, coordination of implementation support missions, and preparation of briefing materials and recommendations for WFP senior management.

• Anchor WFP Yemen’s positioning on financial inclusion, private sector engagement, and risk-sharing instruments under the Yemen resilience and recovery strategy. Providing strategic advice to WFP management on financial inclusion, credit guarantees, and private sector engagement; contribute to learning, documentation, and positioning of WFP Yemen as a credible technical partner on inclusive finance and agribusiness finance; and supporting identification of opportunities for scale-up, replication, and donor engagement beyond YIDAP.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT

• Component C operational readiness and start‑up package, including inputs to staffing plans, TORs, partnership arrangements, and procurement and contracting processes.

• Regular coordination briefings, technical notes, and presentations prepared for World Bank missions, joint WFP‑FAO engagements, and WFP senior management.

• Annual Component C inputs to work plans, implementation progress reports, and results reporting, including documentation of risks, mitigation measures, and agreed adjustments.

• Consolidated implementation lessons and knowledge products drawn from Component C experience to inform learning, accountability, and potential scale‑up in future phases.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• Education: Advanced University Degree (master's or equivalent) or University Degree in International Relations, Development Studies, Economics, Social Sciences, Business Administration, or another relevant academic field.
• Experience: At least 5 years professional experience with Financial Inclusion, Business and Financial Skills development, digital payment platforms, partial portfolio credit guarantee (PPCG) mechanisms, design of tailored financial services to smallholder farmers and MSMEs; prior experience with design of World Bank-funded operations, PIPs, POMs, or similar implementation packages, working knowledge of WB requirements; demonstrated experience supporting the set‑up and/or early implementation of large‑scale development projects, including operational readiness, staffing, procurement orientation, partnership arrangements, and coordination with fiduciary and safeguards teams; demonstrated capacity to lead cross-functional, multi-agency coordination and stakeholder management; prior experience working in fragile and conflict‑affected settings (FCV), with demonstrated ability to manage delivery risks, institutional capacity constraints, and evolving operational contexts; excellent drafting skills, ability to manage pressure, short timelines, and complex political environments.
• Languages: Fluency (Level C) in spoken and written English is mandatory. Working knowledge or intermediate proficiency in Arabic is highly desirable.

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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: [email protected]

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

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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.

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• 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.