Staff Development Officer (P3)

WFP - World Food Programme; Roma; In loco; EUR 65.000 - 90.000; Tempo pieno

Descrizione del lavoro

World Food Programme, based in Rome, seeks a Learning and Development Specialist to lead global Programme Operations learning initiatives and ensure high-quality learning experiences for staff worldwide. The role reports to the Staffing Coordinator within POS and collaborates with HR and regional teams to align learning with operational priorities.

The position oversees the development of strategic learning structures, measures impact, and advances capacity development across Programme

Competenze

• University degree in learning and development, adult education, human resources, instructional design or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of post-graduate, professionally relevant experience.
• Experience leading and developing training events for diverse audiences in international organizations.
• Experience developing online/virtual and simulation-based trainings in humanitarian contexts.
• Experience in coaching and mentoring approaches.
• Knowledge of commercial Learning Management Systems and authoring tools.
• Familiarity with UN procurement processes and vendor management.
• Knowledge of a second UN official language would be an advantage.

Mansioni

• Lead global Programme Operations learning initiatives and ensure effective learning experiences.
• Oversee technical, cross-cutting and soft skills trainings for cohesive learning across teams.
• Coordinate with internal experts, trainers, instructional designers and vendors.
• Develop guidelines for streamlining learning processes for HQ and field colleagues.

Descrizione del lavoro

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

28 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 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).

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian organization fighting hunger and supporting progress towards Zero Hunger. Through its global operations, WFP works to ensure that vulnerable people can access the food and nutrition they need. The Programme Operations Staffing Coordination and Capacity Service (POS), reporting to the Assistant Executive Director for Programme Operations, supports staffing coordination, workforce planning, talent management and capacity development across Programme Operations. POS helps align people, roles and skills to strengthen programme delivery and organizational effectiveness. POS also coordinates cross-functional learning initiatives within the Programme Operations Department to strengthen staff capabilities, support mobility across functions, and ensure staff have the skills and knowledge required to perform effectively. To support this work, WFP is seeking a Learning and Development Specialist to lead and coordinate the learning and capacity development advisory services for WFP Programme Operations functions. The specialist will work as part of the POS team and collaborate with functional and staffing coordination colleagues to ensure learning activities respond to identified needs and gaps and align with operational priorities. The position leads a team and reports to the Staffing Coordinator (or delegate) within POS and works closely with other L&D colleagues, based at WFP Headquarters in Rome, Italy.

JOB PURPOSE

The position will provide specialized support and lead global Programme Operations learning initiatives, assure effective learning experiences and continuous enhancement of the Programme Operations Learning & Development approach.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Leveraging available learning resources – lead the design, development and implementation of appropriate learning solutions so that Programme Operations staff can perform their work optimally to deliver WFP’s mandate and adjust to industry best-practice developments relevant for the humanitarian sector.
• Oversight on technical, cross-cutting and soft skills trainings to enable a cohesive approach.
• Facilitate the coordination between key stakeholders such as internal functional experts, trainers and instructional designer and/or vendor, staffing coordinator.
• Develop guidelines for streamlining functional learning and development processes applicable to both Global HQ and field colleagues.
• Support the development of strategic learning structures that would adapt to evolving needs.
• Continuously monitor progress and provide feedback and evaluation of the different learning activities to the Staffing Coordination team.
• Measure and evaluate effectiveness of learning events and products which feed into Programme Operations’ integrated workforce management and informed decision-making processes.
• Provide inputs to the L&D component of the workforce planning and update information accordingly.
• Support the development of a comprehensive annual learning plan for Programme Operations to ensure that training requirements, needs, and expectations are met.
• Drive learning and develop innovation ideas and projects with a strategic focus on enhanced and improved performance.
• Research the viability of new programme offerings, market potential, and competitive pricing models, developing unique programming in response to wider humanitarian community needs and interests in collaboration with the corporate learning and development team in HR.
• Design and lead the roll-out of cross-functional learning pathways and learning journeys to support mobility and capability development across Programme Operations functions.
• Maintain and update the L&D dashboards, contributing and leading relevant improvements, recommendations, and change in order to effectively communicate the strategic relevance of L&D on the Programme Operations mandate.
• Provide strategic advice to Programme Operations functions on learning and development priorities, capability gaps and appropriate interventions.
• Develop the terms of reference, coordinate and moderate a network of regional training focal points for the design and coordination of regional training plans for Programme Operations.
• Manage and guide the work of the learning and development team, ensuring delivery of agreed objectives and outputs.
• Establish and maintain partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to enhance learning and development approaches and initiatives.
• Promote a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing across Programme Operations.
• Perform other duties as required.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT

• Professional L&D activities are rolled out at global level in a harmonized way.
• Enhanced visibility of L&D within Programme Operations.
• Improved communication and relevance of L&D being incorporated into Staffing Coordinator actions, contributing to talent management.
• An established network of Programme Operations focal points.
• An established comprehensive annual training plan that is renewable and adaptable to future needs.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Education: University degree in learning and Development, Adult Education, Human Resources, Instructional Design or related field: Advance degree and postgraduate studies in the above fields an advantage.
• Experience: Minimum 5 years of post-graduate, professionally relevant experience.
• Proven experience in leading and developing training events for a diverse audience in an international organization operating in humanitarian and/or development contexts, specific experience in developing and designing learning and development resources related to emergency preparedness and response is an asset.
• Experience in developing and running online/virtual and simulation-based trainings in humanitarian contexts.
• Experience in coaching and mentoring approaches.
• Practical experience in developing humanitarian team capacities in resource-limited contexts.
• Work experience in instructional design (assessing training needs, writing training/learning objectives, designing training, evaluating training, assessing participant learning).
• Experience with peer-to-peer learning and self-assessment.
• Work experience with an international humanitarian or development organization or specifically with WFP/UN and other UN Agencies highly desirable.
• Experience designing and delivering field programmes is desirable.
• Knowledge of commercial Learning Management Systems and Authoring tools is desirable.
• Familiarity with the UN procurement process system, related to vendor selection and management.
• Knowledge of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and/or WFP’s working language, Portuguese, will be an advantage.

Knowledge & Skills

• Strong communication and presentation skills
• Ability to work both with minimal supervision and as part of a team.
• Ability to establish effective working relations with