Consultant Human Resources

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

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 world’s 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 extreme weather shocks.

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).

Terms of Reference (ToR)

Human Resources Officer (P2) / CST

Strategic HR Operations and Talent Management Support

Duty Station: Rome, Italy (HQ)
Unit: Office of the Deputy Director, Human Resources (DDHR)
Reports To: Deputy Director, Human Resources (DDHR) /HR Staffing Coordinator

1. Background

The Human Resources Division continues to strengthen workforce planning, talent management, organizational alignment, and HR operational capability across GHQ and the field. The Office of the DDHR requires dedicated professional support to coordinate strategic talent initiatives, enhance workforce visibility, strengthen surge deployment readiness, and build sustainable HR operational capability.

This position will provide strategic and operational support to the DDHR Office, working with HR Operations Chiefs, Workforce Planning, Talent Acquisition, and other HR stakeholders to support talent mapping, emergency deployment readiness, organizational alignment implementation, and structured capacity building across HR Operations. The role aligns with the broader objective of ensuring that HR capabilities, talent pipelines, and operational excellence support WFP's evolving organizational and operational needs. This includes supporting talent mapping and roster management activities that enable effective deployment and workforce planning across GHQ and field operations

2. Purpose of the Assignment

To provide strategic, analytical, and coordination support to the DDHR Office by:

• Supporting talent mapping initiatives across GHQ and field-based HR functions.
• Enhancing visibility of HR talent pools and deployment readiness.
• Coordinating learning and capability-building initiatives through the establishment of an HR Operations Sprint Academy.
• Strengthening emergency response readiness through maintenance and analysis of experienced HR deployment rosters.
• Supporting organizational alignment implementation through skills identification and workforce capability assessments.
• Preparing presentations, briefing materials, and strategic reports for DDHR leadership.

3. Key Responsibilities

A. Strategic Talent Mapping and Workforce Planning

• Support the Staffing Coordinator function in the design and implementation of talent mapping initiatives for HR professional roles across GHQ and field operations.
• Coordinate talent review sessions with P2 and P3 HR professionals to:
  • Identify critical talent.
  • Assess readiness for mobility and development opportunities.
  • Map skills against current and future organizational needs.
• Consolidate information on key HR talent pipelines, career trajectories, and critical skills gaps to inform strategic decision-making.

B. Emergency Deployment and HR Talent Roster Management

• Conduct periodic reviews of experienced Human Resources Officers (HROs) available for emergency deployment.
• Maintain an updated roster that includes:
  • Previous emergency assignments.
  • Geographic experience.
  • Language proficiency.
  • Technical HR specialization.
  • Leadership and coordination experience.
  • Availability and mobility status.
• Identify HR professionals possessing specialized skills required for:
  • Organizational Alignment implementation.
  • Talent management.
  • Change management.
  • Emergency surge support.

C. HR Operations Sprint Academy Coordination

• Lead the establishment and coordination of the HR Operations Sprint Academy, a structured learning and capability-building platform designed to strengthen HR Operations competencies and support employee mobility and career development.
• Collaborate with HR Operations Chiefs and subject matter experts to define:
  • Learning objectives.
  • Core curriculum.
  • Competency pathways.
  • Certification requirements.
• Coordinate the consolidation and curation of self-learning materials, including:
  • Standard operating procedures.
  • Learning guides.
  • Knowledge repositories.
  • Good practice documentation.
  • Recorded learning sessions.
• Organize and coordinate:
  • Instructor-led training.
  • Face-to-face workshops.
  • HR systems certification programmes.
  • Practical learning assignments.
  • Communities of practice.
• Develop and facilitate a "Training of Trainers" (ToT) programme to create an internal pool of HR Operations trainers capable of onboarding and supporting new colleagues.
• Establish monitoring mechanisms to measure participation, certification completion, knowledge transfer, and operational impact.
• Support initiatives that promote:
  • Functional mobility.
  • Career development.
  • Cross-unit exposure.
  • Staff rotation opportunities.

E. Executive and Strategic Support to DDHR Office

• Prepare high-quality presentations, briefing notes, talking points and reports for the DDHR.
• Support the preparation of senior leadership meetings, resource group sessions, and strategic HR discussions.
• Coordinate data collection and analysis for strategic HR initiatives managed by the DDHR Office.
• Facilitate follow-up actions arising from leadership meetings and strategic discussions.
• Support special projects and corporate HR initiatives as assigned.

4. Expected Deliverables

• Talent mapping framework and updated HR talent database.
• Emergency HR deployment roster with experience, language, and specialist skills profiles.
• HR Operations Sprint Academy implementation plan.
• Consolidated HR Operations learning repository.
• HR Systems Certification framework.
• Training-of-Trainers programme and participant roster.
• Quarterly capability-building progress reports.
• Strategic presentations, briefing packs, and leadership materials for the DDHR Office.

5. Qualifications and Experience

Education

Advanced university degree in Human Resources Management, Organizational Development, Business Administration, Public Administration, Psychology, or related field.

Experience

• At least three (3) years of progressively responsible professional experience in human resources management.
• Experience in workforce planning, talent management, organizational development, learning and development, or HR operations.
• Experience coordinating projects involving multiple stakeholders.
• Exposure to headquarters and field operations environments is desirable.
• Experience supporting emergency operations or organizational change initiatives is an advantage.

Knowledge and Skills

• Strong analytical and organizational skills.
• Excellent stakeholder coordination and influencing abilities.
• Knowledge of talent management and workforce planning methodologies.
• Experience developing training and learning programmes.
• Strong presentation and report-writing skills.
• Excellent proficiency in Microsoft Office and HR information systems.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Languages

Fluency (Level C) in English is required. Knowledge of an additional UN language is desirable.

6. Core Competencies

• Strategic Thinking
• Planning and Organizing
• Collaboration and Partnership
• Results Orientation
• Learning Agility
• Client Orientation
• Communication
• Change Management and Adaptability

This role serves as a strategic enabler for the DDHR Office, bridging workforce planning, talent management, learning, and operational readiness to strengthen HR's ability to deliver organizational priorities across headquarters and field operations.

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:  [email protected]

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

• 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.

• We strongly recommend that your Workday profile is accurate and complete, and that all sections are filled in, including your employment history, academic qualifications, language skills, and UN grade (if applicable). Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

• If you experience technical issues while submitting your application, you may contact us at [email protected]. Please note that this email is only for technical issues with an application - unsolicited applications or documents sent to this inbox will not receive a reply.

• 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.