The World Food Programme (WFP) is recruiting a Finance Assistant SC5 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Service Contract position is open to nationals and involves finance, budgeting, cash-based transfers, reconciliation, reporting and financial compliance. Applications close on 4 September 2026.
The World Food Programme (WFP) Finance Assistant SC5 Recruitment 2026 offers an opportunity for qualified finance and accounting professionals in Sri Lanka to join the United Nations humanitarian organization. Based in Colombo, the position supports WFP’s financial operations, with responsibilities covering payments, budget monitoring, financial reporting, cash-based transfers, reconciliations, vendor claims and compliance with WFP financial procedures.
According to the official vacancy announcement, the position is a full-time Service Contract role for nationals only. The vacancy was published on 21 August 2026, and the application deadline is 4 September 2026 at 23:59 Sri Lanka time (GMT+05:30).
WFP Finance Assistant SC5 Recruitment 2026 – Overview
| Job Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Organization | World Food Programme (WFP) |
| Position | Finance Assistant SC5 |
| Requisition ID | JR126143 |
| Contract Type | Service Contract |
| Duty Station | Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| Employment Type | Full-time |
| Eligibility | Nationals Only |
| Date Published | 21 August 2026 |
| Application Deadline | 4 September 2026 |
| Deadline Time | 23:59 GMT+05:30 |
| Education | Secondary school completion |
| Desirable Qualification | Post-secondary certificate in a related functional area |
| Language | Fluency in English required |
About the World Food Programme
The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization and works to save lives during emergencies while using food assistance and related interventions to support peace, stability and recovery.
WFP operates in complex environments affected by conflict, disasters and climate-related shocks. The organization states that its workforce is built around the values of Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity and Inclusion.
Working for WFP can provide employees with exposure to international humanitarian operations and opportunities for professional development through training, accreditation, coaching, mentoring and internal mobility.
About the Finance Assistant SC5 Position
The Finance Assistant will work under the direction of the Head of Finance and support financial and budget-related activities within WFP Sri Lanka operations.
At the SC5 level, the role involves completing a range of finance and budget processes that require the interpretation and application of established guidelines and procedures. The position holder may also recommend courses of action to staff at different levels and allocate tasks to other support personnel.
The position is particularly relevant to candidates with experience in financial administration, accounting operations, project finance, reporting and financial data analysis.
Why WFP Is Recruiting for This Role
The vacancy is linked to WFP’s work in Sri Lanka, where communities face significant risks from floods, cyclones, landslides and drought.
The vacancy announcement explains that Cyclone Ditwah in November 2025 affected 22 districts and approximately 2 million people, causing serious damage to homes, croplands and irrigation systems.
WFP is implementing a USD 7.5 million programme designed to support approximately 87,000 people, or 21,750 households. The programme combines cash transfers for irrigation rehabilitation, anticipatory cash support, pre-positioning of essential non-food items and strengthened disaster preparedness.
The Finance Assistant will therefore operate in a context where accurate financial processing, expenditure monitoring and timely payments are important to humanitarian programme delivery.
Key Responsibilities
The selected Finance Assistant will be responsible for a range of financial and administrative duties.
Finance and Budget Support
The role involves providing procedural and technical support to staff on finance and budget matters while ensuring that transactions and activities comply with WFP financial rules, policies and procedures.
The Finance Assistant will also monitor monthly expenditure forecasts and prepare expenditure reports to support management decision-making.
Processing Financial Transactions
Responsibilities include processing and reviewing:
- Payments
- Receipts
- Journal entries
- Vendor claims
- Advances
- Other receivables
The successful candidate must ensure that these transactions are processed according to established procedures.
Cash-Based Transfers
An important element of the position involves supporting cash-based transfer (CBT) activities.
The Finance Assistant will liaise with financial service providers, including issuing payment instruction letters, receiving and processing invoices and supporting first-level reconciliation of beneficiary payments.
The position will also help with late payment returns and coordinate closely with the CBT team.
Financial Reporting
The role requires gathering financial information from different sources and preparing reports relating to:
- Budgets
- Accounting
- Finance
- Statistics
The Finance Assistant will also retrieve, format and validate information from financial systems and identify discrepancies or inaccuracies for corrective action.
Assets and Operational Expenditure
The successful applicant will perform administrative duties involving fixed assets and monitor expenses related to items such as:
- Fuel
- Vehicle spare parts
- Generators
Accurate database maintenance and recording will be an important part of these responsibilities.
Who Can Apply?
The position is specifically identified as Nationals Only.
Applicants should therefore ensure they meet the nationality requirement before submitting an application.
The vacancy is designed for candidates with practical finance experience and the ability to work with financial data and stakeholders. The announcement particularly identifies experience collecting and monitoring financial information on projects and programmes, assessing financial health and status and reporting findings to senior leaders as desirable experience.
Education Requirements
The standard minimum academic requirement is:
Completion of secondary school education.
A post-secondary certificate in a related functional area is desirable.
The vacancy does not state that a university degree is mandatory for the role. Candidates should therefore assess their qualifications against the official minimum requirements rather than assuming that a bachelor’s degree is required.
Language Requirements
Applicants must have Fluency in English at level C.
Depending on the location or responsibilities, knowledge of another official language may also be required. For General Service field positions, WFP states that fluency in both oral and written communication in the UN language used at the duty station and in the duty station’s language, where different, may be required.
Experience for the Finance Assistant Role
The listed desired experience focuses on financial monitoring and reporting.
Candidates should ideally have experience with:
- Collecting financial data
- Monitoring project or programme expenditure
- Assessing financial health and status
- Preparing financial information for management
- Reporting financial findings to senior leaders
Experience involving financial service providers, cash-based transfers, reconciliation or humanitarian programmes could also be relevant to the duties described in the vacancy.
Skills That Could Be Relevant
The responsibilities described in the announcement make skills in the following areas particularly relevant:
Financial administration: processing payments, receipts and journal entries.
Budget monitoring: tracking expenditure against approved budgets and monitoring forecasts.
Reconciliation: reviewing payments and identifying discrepancies.
Financial reporting: compiling and validating data for management reports.
Compliance: applying financial policies, procedures and controls.
Stakeholder coordination: communicating with financial service providers, colleagues and programme teams.
Data accuracy: retrieving, formatting and validating information from financial systems.
Contract and Duty Station
The position is based in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and is offered as a Service Contract.
The vacancy is full time.
The official announcement does not provide a specific salary figure in the information supplied. Applicants should therefore avoid assuming a particular salary or benefits package unless this is stated in the applicable terms and conditions.
How to Apply for WFP Finance Assistant SC5 Recruitment 2026
Applications must be submitted through the official WFP online recruitment system.
WFP specifically states that applications submitted by email, LinkedIn or other channels will not be considered.
Applicants should:
- Create or update their WFP Workday profile.
- Complete their employment history.
- Add their academic qualifications.
- Include their language skills and other relevant information.
- Prepare an updated CV.
- Prepare a tailored cover letter.
- Apply through the official WFP vacancy page.
- Review the application carefully before submitting it.
At the application stage, WFP states that the required documents are a CV and cover letter. Additional documentation, such as passports, certificates or recommendation letters, may be requested later in the recruitment process.
Application Deadline
The closing date for the WFP Finance Assistant SC5 position is:
4 September 2026 at 23:59 GMT+05:30 (Colombo time).
The vacancy was published on 21 August 2026.
Candidates should not wait until the final hours to submit their applications. Completing a Workday profile and preparing a strong cover letter in advance can help reduce the risk of technical or submission problems.
How to Prepare a Strong WFP Application
A strong application should clearly connect your experience to the duties described in the vacancy.
For example, candidates with financial administration experience should explain their involvement in processing transactions, monitoring expenditure, preparing reports or reconciling accounts.
Applicants should also demonstrate their ability to work accurately with financial information and follow established procedures.
The cover letter should focus on relevant achievements and experience rather than repeating the entire CV.
Where possible, applicants should explain the scale and impact of previous responsibilities, such as the number or type of transactions handled, projects monitored, reports prepared or stakeholders supported.
Important WFP Recruitment and Fraud Notice
WFP states that the United Nations does not charge application, processing, training, interviewing or testing fees.
Applicants should never pay someone who claims to be able to secure a WFP position.
WFP also warns about fraudulent employment offers and advises applicants to exercise caution when providing personal or banking information.
Applications for this position should be submitted through the official WFP recruitment platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the WFP Finance Assistant SC5 job?
It is a finance and accounting support position with the World Food Programme in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The role supports budgeting, financial transactions, reporting, cash-based transfers, reconciliation and compliance.
Where is the Finance Assistant SC5 position based?
The duty station is Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Who is eligible to apply?
The vacancy is listed as Nationals Only, meaning applicants should meet the applicable Sri Lankan nationality requirement.
What education is required?
The minimum requirement is completion of secondary school education. A post-secondary certificate in a related functional area is desirable.
Is the job full time?
Yes. The position is listed as full time.
What type of contract is offered?
The position is offered under a Service Contract.
What experience does WFP want?
The vacancy highlights experience collecting and monitoring financial data on projects and programmes, assessing financial status and reporting findings to senior leaders.
What are the key duties?
The main responsibilities include processing financial transactions, monitoring expenditure forecasts, preparing reports, supporting cash-based transfers and reconciliation, reviewing vendor claims and maintaining financial and asset records.
When is the application deadline?
Applications close on 4 September 2026 at 23:59 GMT+05:30 Colombo time.
Does WFP charge an application fee?
No. WFP states that the United Nations does not charge application or recruitment fees.
Final Thoughts
The WFP Finance Assistant SC5 Recruitment 2026 is a relevant opportunity for finance and accounting professionals seeking to work in an international humanitarian environment in Sri Lanka.
The position combines traditional finance functions such as transaction processing, expenditure monitoring and reporting with programme-specific responsibilities involving cash-based transfers, beneficiary payment reconciliation and humanitarian operations.
Candidates should carefully review the official requirements, ensure that their WFP Workday profile is complete and submit a tailored CV and cover letter through the official recruitment system before 4 September 2026.
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