JPO Human Resources Officer Workforce Planning & Strategy Branch HQ Rome, Italy

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 WFPs 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 WFPs 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

• WFPs 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 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 WFPs 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 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 WFPs 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 WFPs 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 WFPs onboarding programme including mandatory corporate trainings and tailored documentation to understand WFPs 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 WFPs 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