Back Director, Wellness and Culture Division, D1

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS4 May 2025-23:59-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 climate change.

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:

  The World Food Programme (WFP) is committed to promoting and maintaining the highest degree of physical, mental, and social well-being of its workforce. This commitment is reinforced by the WFP Wellness Strategy 2025-2030, which advocates a holistic approach to wellness by integrating medical and mental health services, psychosocial balance, working and living conditions, occupational safety, and human resources stewardship. The strategy aligns with WFP’s broader mission to achieve zero hunger through a resilient and high-performing workforce.

  The WFP Wellness and Culture Division plays a central role in implementing the WFP’s Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Policy, guided by the United Nations Medical Directors (UNMD) Strategy 2023-2030 and international occupational health and safety standards. The service ensures compliance with the WFP Duty of Care Framework, embedding wellness initiatives in line with WFP’s People Policy and Strategic Plan (2025-2029).

  WFP’s workforce comprises approximately 22,000 employees worldwide, including a significant number stationed in remote and high-risk environments. Frequent travel, high workloads, and exposure to volatile conditions present unique health and well-being challenges. The Global Health Survey (GHS) 2022 identified key health risks such as increased stress levels, access to primary care in underserved duty stations, and evolving dietary and physical activity patterns, underscoring the need for targeted interventions.

  The Director, Wellness and Culture Division (D-1) reports directly to the Assistant Executive Director, Workplace and Management, overseeing policy implementation, developing corporate wellness strategies, and advising WFP senior leadership on workforce health and resilience. The role is instrumental in ensuring WFP personnel have a safe, healthy, and enabling work environment, supporting both individual well-being and organizational effectiveness in achieving WFP’s humanitarian mandate.

  JOB PURPOSE:

  To provide effective leadership to WFP’s Wellness and Culture Division and play a key role in the formulation of WFP corporate strategies, policies and plans related to employee physical, mental and psychosocial well-being. The Director will ensure the effective implementation of wellness programs and activities, fostering a healthy and resilient workforce that contributes to WFP’s mission.

  KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:

  • Lead the Wellness and Culture Division by developing and leading wellness strategies, policies and plans, ensuring alignment with WFP corporate vision, values and operational requirements.
  • Oversee the design, implementation, and evaluation of corporate wellness programs, including mental health support, occupational health services, and well-being initiatives.
  • Formulate, manage and implement change processes to maximize performance, enable innovations and achieve cost-effective and efficient delivery of activities; ensure that team remains engaged and motivated during the change processes.
  • Lead and coordinate global wellness efforts, ensuring best practices and innovation in workplace well-being, stress management, and staff resilience.
  • Demonstrate ownership, promote and deploy WFP corporate initiatives and strategies.
  • Hold accountability for standards, policies and guidelines within the Wellness and Culture Division that promote a high-performance culture while safeguarding employees' physical and mental health.
  • Manage and oversee wellness budgets to ensure cost-effectiveness and sustainable impact.
  • Provide effective leadership to the Wellness and Culture Division to ensure the continued development and coaching of a cohesive and high-performing team.
  • Drive the implementation of evaluation, audit and compliance recommendations within the Wellness and Culture Division ensuring continuous improvement and learning.
  • Identify and build productive relationships with a broad range of internal and external partners at the global level to promote WFP wellness strategies and initiatives, transfer of knowledge and expertise, technological advancement and attract support for WFP activities
  • Maintain strong working relationships and collaboration with other functions in HQ, Regional and Country Offices to integrate well-being health and safety practices into operational processes and policies.
  • Actively participate, lead or co-lead UN forums and clusters to ensure delivery of the broader UN mandate and effective WFP leadership in wellness programs and activities and to advocate for best practices in humanitarian workforce well-being.
  • Develop and maintain appropriate contingency plans and activities to ensure that WFP’s emergency preparedness and response plans include wellness and staff support mechanisms for crisis situations.
  • Lead WFP’s approach to workplace mental health and psychosocial support, ensuring access to professional assistance and peer support networks.
  • Oversee the management of complex medical and mental health cases, including long-term sick leave, ensuring appropriate support and interventions.
  • Monitor health risks affecting the WFP workforce, including emerging disease outbreaks, and adapt response plans accordingly.
  • Act as a Medical Advisor on matters related to incapacity, partial disability insurance, and compensation, providing expert guidance and recommendations.
  • Accountable for an equitable and inclusive workplace which incorporates all dimensions of the WFP diversity and inclusion framework.
  • Act in an assigned emergency response capacity as required to meet emergency food assistance needs.
  • Other as required.

    OTHER JOB SPECIFICS

    The Director, Wellness and Culture Division (D-1) supervises the following units:

    • Medical Service: Responsible for providing preventive and curative healthcare services to WFP staff, ensuring medical readiness, conducting health risk assessments, and managing emergency medical response in high-risk duty stations.
    • Counselling Service: Provides psychological support and mental health services to WFP staff, including crisis intervention, resilience-building programs, stress management, and trauma counselling for employees in challenging environments.
    • People Culture Unit: Focuses on fostering an inclusive and values-driven workplace culture, promoting leadership development, employee engagement, and initiatives that support staff well-being and motivation.
    • Diversity and Inclusion Unit: Develops and implements policies and programs that promote workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion. This unit ensures WFP fosters a respectful, accessible, and inclusive work environment, addressing systemic barriers, supporting underrepresented groups, and integrating best practices in diversity management across all levels of the organization.
    • Medical Insurance Unit: Oversees the administration and optimization of staff medical insurance programs, ensuring cost-effective coverage and accessibility to quality healthcare services for employees and their dependents
    • UNMD Secretariat: WFP hosts the Secretariat of the UN Medical Directors Network providing HR and administrative support to 2 roles by administering and interagency dedicated financial vehicle.

      STANDARD MINIMUM ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS:

      Education: University degree in Medicine (MD) is required. Completed Residency training in a medical specialty, preferably in Internal Medicine or Occupational Health, or an equivalent experience is an asset. A valid medical license/registration to practice in any UN Member State country is mandatory.

      Experience:

      • Thirteen years or more (of which six international) of senior level experience with progressive responsibilities, with a background and interest in international humanitarian development. Extensive experience leading multicultural teams and improving performance.
      • Prior experience of successful management of medical and multidisciplinary teams.
      • Experience in Emergency Management (crisis or disaster medicine) including medical evacuation and travel medicine.
      • Experience in individual occupational health evaluation for fitness to work and medico legal appeal procedures.
      • Experience in sick leave management, return to work processes and workplace inclusion for personnel with need of workplace accommodation.
      • Demonstrated ability to work with external partners such as UN agencies, international NGOs, and other organizations across sectors.
      • Experience in the administrative management of a medical service or within a medical service as head of unit.
      • Experience with setting and implementing a strategic plan and leading change management processes to achieve results with ability to influence and coordinate multiple stakeholders.

        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).

          TERMS AND CONDITIONS

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

          📚 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯! 🌍🤝 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗨𝗡𝗛𝗖𝗥, 𝗪𝗙𝗣, 𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗙, 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗦𝗦, 𝗨𝗡𝗙𝗣𝗔, 𝗜𝗢𝗠 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀! 🌐

          ⚠️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐰: 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐖!

          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.

          
          WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package in line with ICSC standards (http://icsc.un.org) 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.

          WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

          WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behavior that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

          Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework

          REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

          WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact: global.inclusion@wfp.org

          NO FEE DISCLAIMER

          The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

          REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

          • We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete, and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, language skills and UN Grade (if applicable).

          • Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

          • Please make sure you upload your professional CV in the English language

          • Kindly note the only documents you will need to submit at this time are your CV and Cover Letter

          • Additional documents such as passport, recommendation letters, academic certificates, etc. may potentially be requested at a future time

          • Please contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org in case you face any challenges with submitting your application

          • Only shortlisted candidates will be notified

            All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

            
            No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.