Organizational Setting
FAO’s Human Resources Division (CSH) provides human resources (HR) strategies, policies, guidance and oversight to FAO Offices worldwide to ensure that the Organization attracts, develops and retains a diverse, skilled and highly motivated workforce, delivering on the mandate of the Organization. The HR function has recently undergone a transformation towards a proactive strategic business partner, which aims to mobilize and align the capacity of its workforce with the corporate strategy whilst pursuing a people-centered approach, to position FAO effectively to address the increasingly complex challenges faced in promoting sustainable food security and achieve its mandate.

The Human Resources Division is composed of two main clusters, namely (i) the Integrated Talent Acquisition and Management cluster, providing advice on inter alia recruitment, mobility, staff development and training as well as performance management; and (ii) the Strategic HR cluster, comprising inter alia the Strategy and Policy, HR Business Intelligence and Analytics, Organizational Design, Administrative Law and the Social Security and Wellbeing functions.

The position is located in the Integrated Talent Acquisition and Management cluster of the Human Resources Division (CSH) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting Lines
The Human Resources Officer reports to the Senior Human Resources Officer, HR Division, under the overall guidance of the Director, HR Division.

Technical Focus
The Human Resources Officer, by ensuring compliance with HR policies and procedures, coordinates talent acquisition and management-related activities, including recruitment, selection, staffing, staff development and duty of care, particularly in emergency operations but not exclusively limited to them.

Key Results
Comprehensive HR expertise for the planning and delivery of multidisciplinary HR programmes, products and services and the development of related policies and specialized tools and systems.

Key Functions
•    Leads projects and/or work teams; leads and/or participates in divisional teams; provides secretariat services and/or professional HR expertise on Organization-wide HR committees and working groups and represents FAO at inter-agency meetings.
•    Plans and delivers HR programmes, products and services, including related policies, systems and tools to facilitate the effective recruitment, management, development and retirement of the FAO workforce.
•    Analyses HR requirements, information, data, statistics, relativities, trends, problems and/or issues to support service delivery, new HR initiatives and the preparation of plans, strategies, reports, policies and/or other products.
•    Provides specialist HR advice and expertise to designated ‘business partners’ on specific or complex cases, staff requirements, policy interpretation issues, labour relations issues and/or best practices, etc.
•    Manages special projects and provides guidance to consultants for the development and implementation of new HR products, tools and systems.
•    Develops information, training materials and products to increase understanding of HR programmes, services and policies, promote capacity development and facilitate the introduction of ‘Change’ across the Organization.
•    Provides information and assistance to management and staff to resolve problems and/or reach agreement on complex issues.
•    Develops relevant performance criteria and indicators to evaluate HR programmes, products and services.

Specific Functions
•    Oversees the overall planning of talent acquisition and talent management process of Professional, General Service and other categories of staff; ensures timeliness and quality control of activities, adherence to policies and procedures, including application of fast-track procedures for emergency positions as needed.
•    Contributes to the development and implementation of talent acquisition and talent management strategies, ensuring the timely provision of HR solutions to meet anticipated challenges. This involves participating in the definition of workforce plans and capacity needs assessments.
•    Coordinates the development and implementation of staffing strategies to support emergency operations and ensures the timely provision of HR solutions to meet anticipated challenges by participating in the definition of workforce plans and recruitment needs.
•    Liaises with external recruitment sources to ensure supply of suitable and qualified candidates; develops best practice candidate sourcing techniques to enhance the candidate pool; reviews the effectiveness of recruitment sources and takes action for improvement; finalizes relevant analytic reports for monitoring and taking corrective actions.
•    Researches relevant regulations, rules, policies and practices of other United Nations entities to identify needs for change; contributes to development of policies and procedures and introduces innovative approaches.
•    Develops guidance documents, lessons learnt/best practices and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to support talent acquisition and talent management strategies and build HR capacity.
•    Identifies training and learning needs, plans workshops/learning programmes to enhance HR capacity in the field staff and shares best practices and lessons learnt among HR practitioners and other stakeholders.
•    Keeps abreast of best practices and related technological tools in the private and public sectors and participates in the definition of revised or new business requirements for existing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP).

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
•    Advanced university degree in human resources management, organizational development or a related field.
•    Seven years of relevant experience in human resources management, including the development and implementation of talent acquisition and/or talent management strategies.
•    Working knowledge (full proficiency – level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency – level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Competencies
•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building Effective Relationships
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills
•    Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions, is desirable.
•    Extent and relevance of experience in human resources planning and management, including talent management, talent acquisition and outreach, capacity building activities preferably in complex country and/or emergency context.
•    Extent and relevance of experience in development and implementation of human resources policies and procedures.
•    Familiarity with automated human resources management systems; familiarity with ERP systems.
•    Demonstrated experience and ability to analyse complex issues, formulate advice and make recommendations on HR-related matters.
•    Working knowledge (full proficiency – level C) of French is considered a strong asset.
•    An HR professional certification is considered an asset.