DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

30 October 2026-23:59-GMT+01:00 Central European Time (Rome)

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 climate change.

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).

Junior Professional Officer (JPO) - Programme Human Resources Officer Workforce Planning & Strategy Branch Headquarters Rome, Italy The JPO will be part of a dynamic, high performing as well as collaborative global team of workforce planning and organizational alignment experts located across multiple regions, while the position itself will be based at WFP’s Global Headquarters in Rome, Italy. This role contributes to a critical priority by enabling WFP to proactively plan and align its workforce and organizational structures to meet operational demands in an increasingly complex humanitarian environment. The role will be exposed to strategic HR practices, organizational design, and data-driven decision-making in a complex international environment.

GENERAL INFORMATION

- Title of Post: Human Resources Officer
- Grade: P2
- Supervisor: Chief of Workforce Planning & Strategy
- Unit: Workforce Planning & Strategy
- Duty Station: Rome, Italy
- Duration of assignment: Two years

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Workforce Planning & Strategy, the JPO will:

Support Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP):

- Contribute to the design, delivery, and monitoring of workforce plans across Global Headquarters and Country Offices
- Assist in analysing workforce supply and demand, identifying gaps, and proposing solutions
- Use forecasting tools and scenario modelling to inform strategic decisions
- Coordinate data collection and validation for workforce analytics, ensuring quality and compliance

Organizational Alignment (OA):

- Support reviews of organizational structures including the application of innovative practices to ensure alignment with WFP’s strategic priorities and operational realities.
- Assist in developing proposals for structural adjustments and change management plans
- Contribute to harmonization of functional structures across Global Headquarters and Country Offices.

Capacity Building & Knowledge Sharing:

- Prepare communication materials and guidance notes to engage stakeholders on SWP and OA.
- Support training sessions for HR colleagues and managers on SWP and OA concepts and tools.
- Participate in internal and external forums to share best practices and learn from peers,

Project Management & Reporting & Optimization:





- Monitor implementation of SWP and OA initiatives.
- Prepare progress reports, dashboards, and presentations for senior management and donors.
- Identify opportunities to automate processes and improve efficiency in SWP and OA workflows.
- Undertake occasional missions to Country Offices to support SWP roll-out, OA reviews, and capacity-building activities

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

- Education: Advanced University degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, Economics, or related field.
- Experience: Minimum 2 years of relevant post-graduate experience in HR, workforce planning, organizational design, or related areas.

·Skills:

- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Ability to interpret data and present insights clearly
- Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills
- Proficiency in MS Office; knowledge of data visualization tools is an asset
- Languages: Fluency in English (Level C).
- Other: Ability to work in a multicultural environment, adaptability to fast-paced settings, and willingness to travel occasionally.

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

- Exposure to the international arena either by direct work for an international institution/organization or by interacting with international stakeholders
- Intermediate level of one, or more, of the following official languages: French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Portuguese
- WFP’s international professionals are required to serve in different locations around the world during their career (including in hardship duty stations); willingness to be mobile would maximise opportunities for long-term retention into the Organization

SUPERVISION The JPO will be directly supervised by the Chief of Workforce Planning & Strategy Branch at WFP Global Headquarters in Rome, Italy. The JPO will work closely with other team members located across multiple regions and maintain regular contact with HR colleagues both in Global Headquarters and Country Offices to provide timely support on strategic workforce planning and organizational alignment initiatives. In addition, the JPO will be an active member of the wider WFP HR community, participating in global HR knowledge-sharing platforms, networks, and collaborative initiatives. Using WFP’s corporate performance management tools, a detailed work plan will be developed at the start of the assignment and updated throughout the period. Formal and documented performance reviews will be conducted every six months, complemented by frequent informal feedback and guidance to ensure continuous learning and development.

TRAINING COMPONENTS The JPO will be fully integrated into a global team of workforce planning and organizational alignment experts and will actively contribute to day-to-day exercises under the supervision of the Chief of Workforce Planning & Strategy. The assignment offers significant career development through progressive responsibilities and exposure to strategic HR initiatives at global and country levels.

WFP applies the 70-20-10 learning model to ensure continuous professional growth:

·On-the-job learning (70%)

- Hands-on involvement in strategic workforce planning and organizational alignment exercises
- Practical experience in collecting, analysing and utilizing workforce analytics
- Exposure to innovative HR practices and data-driven decision-making at global scale
- Participation in missions to Country Offices to support SWP/OA roll-out and reviews

·Learning from others (20%)

- Mentorship from senior HR professionals and subject matter experts across WFP
- Exposure to WFP’s senior stakeholders such as Division and Country Directors
- Collaboration with cross-functional teams within WFP and networking across the broader UN system
- Engagement in global HR forums and knowledge-sharing platforms

·Formal learning (10%)

- Access to WFP’s Learning Management System and the HR Foundation Programme




- Attendance at the JPO Induction Briefing and Seminar organized by WFP in Rome.
- Opportunities to participate in professional development courses relevant to the role.

Upon arrival, the JPO will undergo WFP’s onboarding programme, including mandatory corporate trainings and tailored documentation to understand WFP’s organizational culture and operating environment. Throughout the assignment, the JPO will have access to continuous learning resources and may be offered stretch assignments to broaden experience.

LEARNING ELEMENTS

At the end of the assignment, the JPO should have:

- Gained a solid understanding of WFP’s strategic framework and its global workforce planning priorities, including how they translate into operational requirements at Global Headquarters and Country Offices
- Acquired practical experience in designing, developing, and implementing innovative workforce planning models and organizational alignment solutions, leveraging data analytics and scenario forecasting
- Developed in-depth knowledge of workforce supply-demand dynamics and organizational alignment challenges in a large, complex humanitarian organization
- Strengthened skills in stakeholder engagement and change management, through collaboration with senior HR professionals and managers across multiple regions/countries
- Built proficiency in using advanced HR tools and data visualization techniques, contributing to evidence-based decision-making and innovative approaches to workforce planning

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.

📌 JPO Human Resources Officer - Workforce Planning & Strategy Branch - HQ Rome, Italy (Roma)
🏢 World Food Programme
📍 Roma