Junior Professional Officers are young professionals (under the age of 32) who are selected by their governments through a rigorous recruitment process to work for WFP (or other United Nations agencies).

The government pays the JPO’s salary and benefits for two to three years, depending on WFP’s contractual agreement with the donor country.  JPOs work either in Headquarters in Rome, Italy, or in one of the WFP’s 80 Country Offices.

Excellent Introduction

Every year, 25-30 JPOs start working at WFP.  They will have an excellent introduction to the field or international humanitarian assistance.

After the JPO term has ended, the young professionals typically take one of three options:

• they continue working for WFP;
• they return to work for their own government;
• they find work with another organization in humanitarian development and assistance.

To find out more about this Programme from individual donor countries, please visit this link of where to apply or contact us at JPO@WFP.org. 

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