Human Resources Officer – HR Operations

Job Description

Human Resources Officer, NOB | World Food Programme

The Tone:
This is a Fixed Term role at the World Food Programme, located in Kigali, Rwanda. WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, dedicated to saving lives in emergencies and building pathways to peace, stability, and prosperity through food assistance. This role is crucial for strengthening the delivery of professional, client-focused HR services, supporting operational continuity, and accelerating the execution of key HR priorities within a demanding humanitarian environment. The successful candidate will partner with managers to implement effective HR solutions aligned with WFP corporate priorities.

The TL;DR
• Role: Full Time
• Type: Fixed Term
• Location: In-person Kigali, Rwanda
• Team: Human Resources Unit/Division, reports to Head of Human Resources
• Mission: Lead the HR Operations team and partner with managers to deliver professional, client-focused HR services, ensuring operational continuity and advancing key HR priorities.
• Tech Stack: Workday, SharePoint

What You’ll Actually Do
• Deputy Leadership: Act as Deputy Head of HR, leading the HR Operations team, overseeing contracts, payroll, entitlements, and separations, while ensuring compliance with WFP policies.
• Process Improvement: Strengthen HR systems, processes, and controls by reviewing and improving Standard Operating Procedures, workflows, documentation, and knowledge-management arrangements.
• Strategic Projects: Support and drive the completion of key HR transformation initiatives, including the implementation of the Staffing Framework and coordinating cross-functional HR actions.
• Emergency Support: Provide essential HR operational support for emergency preparedness and response, ensuring rapid deployment of appropriate HR solutions and adapting processes to urgent operational needs.
• HR Advisory: Build strong partnerships with managers and employees to provide proactive HR advice, support workforce planning and staffing decisions, and promote a client-focused service approach.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Advanced University degree in Human Resources Management, Public or Business Administration, Industrial Psychology or a related field; or a First University Degree with 3 additional years of relevant experience.
• Experience: At least three years of postgraduate progressively responsible professional experience in Human Resources, specifically in HR operations management (contracts, entitlements, payroll), team leadership, HR advisory to managers, and process improvement with HR systems.
• Skills: Strong knowledge and experience of HR policies, procedures, and contractual frameworks; demonstrated ability to lead teams and manage HR operations; strong analytical and problem-solving skills; excellent proactivity, anticipatory, and adaptability skills; ability to drive process improvement and digitalization initiatives; excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills; ability to work under pressure and manage competing priorities; ability to work in a diverse team and multicultural environment; fluency (level C) in English.
• Bonus: Proven experience in organizational change, restructuring, or staffing exercises; knowledge of Talent Acquisition policies and processes; experience in humanitarian or UN contexts is an asset.