Human Resources Officer - Performance Management

This position is located in the Career Management Branch within the Division of Human Resources at WFP Headquarters in Rome, Italy. The Career Management Branch is responsible for providing strategic guidance, operational support, and capability development to enable employees across the organisation to perform effectively and deliver on WFP’s mandate.

To provide strategic guidance and technical expertise on WFP's performance management framework, ensuring alignment with WFP HR strategic objectives, consistent application across the organization and coherent linkages with related talent initiatives. To serve as the organizational subject matter expert on performance management, advising senior stakeholders on complex cases, strengthening guidance and capability-building, and improving processes so that performance outcomes can better inform talent decisions.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive, within delegated authority):

• Lead the delivery of WFP's performance management cycle, ensuring timely implementation, quality execution, and continuous improvement.

• Act as a trusted advisor to senior managers and HR leadership on performance management matters, including high-risk or sensitive cases.

• Oversee global operational support for performance management processes and systems, ensuring requests are received and addressed promptly, and escalated as needed.

• Oversee underperformance case management, providing expert guidance to HR colleagues/case managers, and coordinating with the Legal Office and HR Staff Relations Branch as required, to ensure consistent, well-documented, procedurally fair case outcomes.

• Guide performance-based separation processes for International Professional Staff, and Administrative Staff in HQ/WFP Offices, in close collaboration with the HR Leadership, HR Staff Relations, HR Global Services Branches, and the Legal Office, to ensure due process, timely execution, and appropriate documentation.

• In collaboration with HR Policy and Compliance Branch and other stakeholders, develop policies and procedures that can further the impact and effectiveness of performance management, and translate them into operational resources (toolkits, templates, SOPs).

• Oversee performance management communication and outreach initiatives, including HR/manager upskilling and targeted outreach.

• Strengthen HR capability globally to handle performance management matters more independently, working closely with the HR Business Partners.

• Implement and develop innovative approaches to performance management, to improve compliance at all levels, and strengthen the credibility of performance outcomes for talent decisions.

• Lead on the management of WFP's corporate platforms for individual performance management, partnering with the HR Technology and Analytics Branch to coordinate systems implementation and maintenance.

• Ensure performance management reporting and insights are available and fit for purpose, including monitoring completion and data quality, and translating findings into recommendations and targeted actions.

• As a senior member of the branch, contribute to integrated talent and learning processes, ensuring coherent linkages with performance management.

• Support and manage other HR processes that aim to improve efficiency and effectiveness of WFP's workforce.

• Lead and motivate a team, monitor performance, providing coaching, training and guidance to ensure appropriate development and enable high performance.

• Represent WFP in internal and external engagements related to performance management, and contribute to related talent initiatives as required.

• Assist with other projects and initiatives within the team, as required.

Education: Advanced university degree in Human Resource Management, Public or Business Administration, Industrial Psychology or other relevant field, or First University degree with two additional years of related work experience.

Experience: at least eight years (of which three international) of postgraduate progressively responsible professional experience in Human Resources with a strong focus in performance management and significant experience with managing teams.  

MORE ABOUT YOU:

You have:

• Sound theoretical understanding of HR concepts and principles with a broad knowledge of best practices, techniques and processes.

• Deep expertise and demonstrated experience in the area of performance management and related policies/procedures, including end to end management of underperformance cases and managing proposed performance-based separations

• Excellent knowledge of systems supporting performance management, with a demonstrated ability to map and improve process workflows, support users and diagnose issues, develop user guidance, and work effectively on fixes and enhancements.

• Demonstrated ability to maintain strict confidentiality in handling sensitive performance management and underperformance cases, paired with sound judgment in engaging and coordinating relevant stakeholders as appropriate.

• Ability to lead, coach and motivate a large team.

• Good communication skills with the ability to persuade, influence, negotiate with the wide range of key stakeholders, including at the most senior levels and adapt communication style to different situations.

• Knowledge of common business principles and processes and the ability to quickly assimilate UN/WFP specific processes and systems.

• Business acumen and commercial understanding.

• Excellent project management skills.

• Strong initiative-taker and demonstrated ability to take independent decisions.

• Analytical and problem solving skills.

Language: Fluency (level C) in English language. Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and/or Portuguese (a WFP working language).

• This is an International Professional position and is open to all nationalities.

• Mobility is and continues to be a core contractual requirement in WFP. This position is however classified as “non-rotational” which means the incumbent shall not be subject to the regular reassignment process unless the position is reclassified as rotational.

• The selected candidate will be employed on a fixed-term contract with a probationary period of one year.

• This position is open to both internal and external candidates.

• WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package in line with ICSC standards (http://icsc.un.org [link removed]) including basic salary, post adjustment, relocation entitlement, visa, travel and shipment allowances, 30 days’ annual leave, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, a pension plan, and medical insurance.

• The selected candidate will be required to relocate to Rome, Italy to take up this assignment.