Organizational Development and Policy Officer

Overview

Lead development and implementation of talent management policies and frameworks.

You have:

• Advanced university degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business Administration, or a related field required.
• First-level university degree in Law, Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business Administration, or a related field desirable.
• At least seven years of experience in talent management, HR strategy, or organizational development.
• Experience in creating and implementing communication or engagement plans to transform work culture desirable.
• Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English is essential.
• Knowledge of other WIPO official languages, particularly French is desirable.
• Strong knowledge of talent management processes, frameworks, and business best practices required.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills required.
• Strong analytical skills required.
• Strong project management skills required.
• Strong interpersonal skills required.

Contract

This is a P-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 167,658 USD and 216,160 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING APPLICATION DEADLINE: please note that the deadline for applications is indicated in local time as per the time zone of the applicant’s location.

1. Organizational Context

a. Organizational Setting

The Organizational Development and Policy Officer is located in the Employee Experience Unit of the Talent Management Service, in the Human Resources Management Department (HRMD). The purpose of the Talent Management Service is to prepare a future-ready and skilled workforce. Through the effective recruitment, deployment, development and retention of WIPO's workforce, the Talent Management Service contributes to the delivery of an agile, innovative workforce whose performance is aligned with WIPO's short and long-term goals and where talent management delivers tangible results that positively affect engagement.

b. Purpose Statement

The Organizational Development and Policy Officer will lead the development and implementation of talent management policies, focusing on performance management, rewards and recognition, workforce planning, and organizational development. This role is central to transforming WIPO's approach to talent management by creating frameworks that align with organizational values and strategic goals. The successful candidate will engage key stakeholders across the organization to ensure that policies are effectively developed, linked to each other, when necessary, rolled out, and adopted, providing the frame for an integrated approach to talent management.

c. Reporting Lines

The Organizational Development and Policy Officer reports to the Senior Manager, Employee Experience Unit and cooperates closely with Talent Business Partners in HR Talent Partners Unit, the HR Data and Technology Unit in the HR Operations Service, along with the Office of the Legal Counsel (OLC).

2. Duties and Responsibilities

The incumbent will perform the following principal duties:

a. Lead the design, drafting, and implementation of comprehensive talent management policies and guidelines, including workforce planning, performance management, rewards and recognition, development, and mobility, and recruitment ensuring alignment with organizational values and strategic objectives.

b. Conduct consultations with key stakeholders, including managers and employees, to understand their needs and ensure their perspectives are incorporated into the new policies. Benchmark and include best practices across industries including the private sector, IP offices and International Organizations.

c. Collaborate across HR, OLC, the staff council, and leadership to ensure policies and guidelines align with existing organizational frameworks, leveraging their expertise in case management and their integrated view of the entire Talent policy framework to ensure cohesion and impact.

d. Use data and analytics and effective business practice to assess the effectiveness of talent management policies and guidelines and make evidence-based recommendations for improvements. Stay informed about industry trends and best practices to ensure policies are modern, effective, and meet the evolving needs of the organization.

e. Ensure that all talent policies and guidelines comply with staff rules and regulations, and organizational standards. Proactively identify and mitigate potential risks related to talent management policies.

f. Provide guidance and training to HR staff, managers, and leadership on the implementation and interpretation of talent management policies and guidelines. Act as a subject matter expert on talent-related policy issues.

g. Lead or support change management efforts related to new policy and guideline application initiatives, ensuring effective communication, stakeholder engagement, and smooth adoption across the organization.

h. Create an evaluation framework to assess the effectiveness of policies and guidelines and their impact on the organization, gathering feedback from users and making recommendations for improvements.

i. Undertake other tasks as required.

3. Requirements

Education (Essential)

Advanced university degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business Administration, or a related field.

Education (Desirable)

First-level university degree in Law, Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business Administration, or a related field (required).

Experience (Essential)

At least seven years of experience in talent management, HR strategy, or organizational development, including designing policy frameworks, ideally in both public and private sectors.

Demonstrated experience in drafting policies, related guidelines in consultation with key stakeholders, and managing organizational change.

Experience (Desirable)

Experience in creating and implementing communication or engagement plans to transform work culture.

Language (Essential)

Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English.

Language (Desirable)

Knowledge of other WIPO official languages, particularly French.

Job Related Competencies (Essential)

Strong knowledge of talent management processes, frameworks, and business best practices.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to draft clear, concise policies and relevant guidelines and effectively engage stakeholders.

Strong analytical skills, with experience using data to inform decision-making.

Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.

Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence, collaborate, and build relationships at all levels of the organization.

Job Related Competencies (Desirable)

Knowledge and / or experience of designing training and development material.

Ability to draft and create communication pieces.

4. Organizational Competencies

1. Communicating effectively.

2. Showing team spirit.

3. Demonstrating integrity.

4. Valuing diversity.

5. Producing results.

6. Showing service orientation.

7. Seeing the big picture.

8. Seeking change and innovation.

9. Developing yourself and others.

5. Information

Annual salary****:

Total annual salary consists of a net annual salary (net of taxes and before medical insurance and pension fund deductions) in US dollars and a post adjustment. Please note that this estimate is for information only. The post adjustment multiplier (cost of living allowance) is variable and subject to change (increase or decrease) without notice. The figures quoted below are based on the December 2024 rate of 89.9%.

P4

Annual salary

$77,326

Post adjustment

$69,516

Total Salary

$146,842

Currency USD

Salaries and allowances are paid in Swiss francs at the official rate of exchange of the United Nations.

Please refer to WIPO’s Staff Regulation and Rules for detailed information concerning salaries, benefits and allowances.

Additional Information

Temporary appointments are renewable, subject to continuing needs, availability of budget and satisfactory performance with a maximum cumulative length of two years.

Applications from qualified women as well as from qualified nationals of unrepresented Member States of WIPO and underrepresented geographical regions are encouraged. Please click on the following links for the list of unrepresented Member States and the list of underrepresented regions and the WIPO Member States in these regions.

The Organization reserves the right to make an appointment at a grade lower than that advertised.

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By completing an application, candidates understand that any willful misrepresentation made on this web site, or on any other documents submitted to WIPO during the application, may result in disqualification from the recruitment process, or termination of employment with WIPO at a later date, if that employment resulted from such willful misrepresentations.

In the event that your candidature is shortlisted, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of your identification and the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WIPO recognizes higher educational qualifications obtained from institutions accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list maintained by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed here: http://www.whed.net/. Some higher educational qualifications may not be listed in WHED, and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Additional testing/interviewing may be used as a form of screening. Initial appointment is subject to satisfactory professional references.

Additional background checks may be required.

Potential interview questions