Jayawardena was Overall Operational Commander (OOC) of the Sri Lanka Army.
Retiring from the Sri Lanka Army in 1998, Jayawardena was appointed Governor of North Eastern Province.
His predecessor Gamini Fonseka resigned from the office due to a difference of opinion with the President at the time.
He is known to be a close confidant of the President Chandrika Kumaratunga, and he is believed to be one of her principal military advisors.
Jayawardena was the first governor of the province to visit the Jaffna peninsula after the establishment of the North Eastern Provincial Council.