Assistant Executive Director, Workplace and Management
Pubblicato il 25-10-2026 - WFP in Roma
Organizational context: The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian organization, dedicated to saving lives and building a pathway to peace, stability, and prosperity. WFP operates in emergencies and supports people recovering from conflict, disasters, and extreme weather. The organization values diversity, inclusion, and a high-performing workforce committed to its mission.
Job purpose: The Assistant Executive Director, Workplace and Management (United Nations Assistant Secretary-General level) will serve as a key member of WFP's Senior Leadership Team, providing strategic leadership for human resources, staff wellbeing, management services, security, and technology. This role is critical in strengthening organizational effectiveness, operational resilience, and duty of care in a complex global environment. The incumbent will drive a coherent, accountable, and results-oriented approach to people, systems, services, and security, focusing on simplifying processes, empowering staff, driving change, improving transparency, and ensuring responsible resource management. The position also involves advancing WFP's contribution to UN reform by leading efforts to enhance collaboration and promote agile, cost-effective, and accountable delivery through shared services where possible, upholding the highest standards of integrity and ethical behavior.
Responsibilities:
The Assistant Executive Director, Workplace and Management, a United Nations Assistant Secretary-General level position, is a key member of the World Food Programme's Senior Leadership Team. This role provides strategic leadership for human resources, staff wellbeing,
management services, security, and technology. The primary responsibility is to foster a harmonious, results-driven, and inclusive work environment that aligns with WFP's mission and values. The incumbent will drive organizational effectiveness and operational resilience by ensuring coherent, accountable, and results-oriented people management and service delivery. This includes simplifying processes, empowering staff and managers, enhancing transparency, and ensuring responsible resource management. A significant aspect of the role involves advancing UN reform through strengthened collaboration and promoting agile, cost-effective, and accountable delivery of services, potentially through shared premises and services. The position demands the highest integrity, the ability to build trust across the organization, and effective engagement with member states, UN partners, and governing bodies. The role also oversees WFP’s duty of care and staff wellbeing agenda, including physical and mental health, and supports personnel in challenging duty stations. The Assistant Executive Director will represent WFP in high-level forums, advocate for the organization's interests,
and promote innovation and efficiency both internally and in collaboration with other UN agencies and partners.
Education:
An advanced university degree in Organizational Development, Business Administration, Leadership, Public Administration, or a related field is required. Fluency in English is essential, and proficiency in a second UN official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, or Portuguese) is highly desirable.
Work
experience:
Requires a minimum of 20 years of progressively responsible experience in senior management, administration, or related fields. Must have a strong track record in international leadership and strategic management, preferably in humanitarian or development sectors. Proven experience in managing complex roles in areas like Administration, Security, Human Resources, or Facilities is essential. The role also demands experience in managing significant budgets, operating plans, and multi-disciplinary teams, alongside demonstrated innovation and operational efficiency in complex environments.
Skills:
Strategic Management, Leadership, Human Resources, Staff Wellbeing, Administration, Security Management, Technology Management, Organizational Effectiveness, Operational Resilience, Change Management, Budget Management, Team Leadership, Stakeholder Engagement, Communication, Interpersonal Skills, Diversity and Inclusion, Gender Equity, Emotional Intelligence, Integrity, Innovation, Networking, Relationship Building, UN Reform, Humanitarian Action
Required languages: English
Desired languages: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, English
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