Learning Development Specialist

TERMS OF REFERENCE
FOR SHORTTERM/CONSULTANCY CONTRACTS

JOB TITLE: Learning & Development Specialist

TYPE OF CONTRACT: CST II

UNIT/DIVISION: POS Staffing coordination and capacity service

DUTY STATION (City Country): Rome Italy

DURATION: 11 months

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the worlds largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes. Every day WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable particularly women and children can access the nutritious food they need.

Reporting to the AED for Programme Operations the newly created Staffing Coordination and Capacity Service(POS) works to streamline talent management across Programme Operations functions ensuring optimal staffing: aligning the right people with the right roles and right skills to support workforce management and capacity development. The work of this service strongly influences WFPs approach to talent management and in turn plays a key role WFPs overall effectiveness.

POS manages cross functional learning initiatives within the Programme and Operation department to enhance quality programme delivery and to develop and upskill knowledge and capabilities across functional areas including crossskills development ensuring staff have the adequate skills to perform their function and move within the organization.

To support in this mission WFP is seeking a learning and development advisor to:

• Identify strategic learning and development priorities for the Programme and Operation department employees;
• design crossfunctional learning initiatives that will ensure WFP employees are equipped with the right skill and knowledge to perform their duties including:
  • a comprehensive learning journey for programme and policy staff;
  • learning and development paths for specific roles (Head of field offices heads of supply chain Head of programme);
  • learning and development paths to move upwards to more senior roles or to transition to different functions

The individual will be collaborating with a dynamic team which works on a variety of initiatives including learning and development internal reassignment diversity and inclusion and workforce management in general. S/he will work in close collaboration with the staffing coordination teams to ensure that learning activities respond to needs and gaps identified strategically through reviews exercise.

The position reports to the Lead of Learning and Development within POS and it can be home based or based in WFP HQ in Rome Italy.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

• • Key POD crossfunctional priorities identified through a participatory evidencebased approach that analyzes current gaps and challenges;

  • A comprehensive learning journey for programme and policy staff at various career stages using diverse approaches such as inperson training online courses workshops blended initiatives mentoring and job swapping/shadowing;

  • Advisory services provided to POD technical areas particularly Programme and Policy to ensure the learning approaches and initiatives are needdriven highquality relevant costefficient and include success measurement.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education:

Advanced university degree in Learning & Development Human Resources Social Sciences or related field

Experience:

Minimum of 7 years of experience in working across all phases of learning design development and delivery.

Demonstrated experience in leveraging learning and associated technologies and modern learning platforms in the design development and delivery of learning and development solutions.

Proven experience in L&D with a strategic focus ideally within WFP or other similarly sized UN organization.

Experience in developing crossfunctional learning paths (and/or curricula) is considered a distinct advantage particularly around development and emergency response programming.

Experience in working with subject matter experts to build learning solution and performance support tools preferably across a range of different business areas is desirable.

Experience in a UN agency or international NGO would be an asset.

Knowledge & Skills

Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects at the same time and accomplish tasks with followthrough to completion.

Expertise in instructional design learning technologies and facilitating both inperson and virtual training.

Strong ability to engage and manage multiple stakeholders with excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Ability to analyze design and deliver learning solutions that foster growth and measurable results.

Familiarity with diversity equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in learning environments including understanding application of reasonable accommodations.

Excellent interpersonal skills to collaborate and influence internally with various stakeholders and subject matter experts across business functions levels and geographical areas.

Strong stakeholder and client relationship skills. Ability to quickly build knowledge and understanding of stakeholders functional/organizational strategy and translate to learning requirements of employees.

Confidence and mental agility to assimilate different perspectives and formulate recommendations.

Up to date knowledge of the latest trends in learning design delivery and learning technology.

Strong creative problems solving skills; agile flexible and patient; ability to work with ambiguity constructive approach to overcoming challenges and build consensus across diverse and global teams.

Ability to analyse qualitative and quantitative data to analyse the impact of the different learning initiatives

Languages:

Fluency in oral and written English is essential. Good working knowledge of a second UN language preferably French Spanish or Arabic is desirable.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behavior that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.