PMO Implementation Manager & Head of Product Delivery -P4, Rome, Italy

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

22 September 2026-23:59-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.

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 PMO Implementation Manager & Head of Product Delivery position is based in Rome, Italy and reports to the Chief Digital Services.
JOB PURPOSE:
The PMO Implementation Manager and Head of Product Delivery provides strategic and operational leadership for the end-to-end delivery of WFP’s digital services portfolio across corporate and field environments. The role integrates project, programme, and product management to ensure that digital initiatives are prioritized, delivered, and operated in line with WFP business needs, enterprise IT processes, and compliance requirements.
With in depth knowledge of WFP’s mandate, operating model, and IT end to end processes, the incumbent translates business demand into scalable and sustainable digital solutions, ensuring alignment with WFP policies, financial regulations, audit expectations, and governance frameworks. The role leads cross functional teams, oversees portfolio budgets and resources, manages delivery risks and escalations, and ensures transparency, accountability, and value realization across WFP’s digital investments.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive):

Strategic Portfolio, Product and Project Leadership:

• Lead the Digital Services Product and Project Manager Team, covering both corporate and field-facing products, ensuring business value delivery through clear product strategies, roadmaps, and prioritization aligned with WFP business needs.
• Provide enterprise-level leadership across project, programme, and product management, ensuring consistent application of standards, methodologies, and governance across the portfolio.
• Ensure alignment of all initiatives with WFP’s strategic priorities, operational requirements, and humanitarian mandate.

Compliance, Governance and Audit:

• Ensure full compliance with WFP policies, financial rules, HR guidelines, procurement regulations, and enterprise IT governance frameworks across the digital services portfolio.
• Act as focal point for audits and oversight activities for branches within the portfolio, shaping and coordinating audit responses, mitigation plans, and follow-up actions.
• Maintain continuous audit readiness through strong control frameworks, documentation, and transparent reporting.

Budget, Financial and Resource Management

• Lead budget planning, forecasting, cost control, and reporting for multiple TEC branches, ensuring transparency, accuracy, and value-for-money delivery.
• Oversee cost recovery processes and ensure alignment between delivery plans, funding sources, and expenditure.
• Provide inputs to corporate reporting including APR, TEC Division Performance Plan, Corporate Risk Register, Internal Efficiency Gains, and Capitalization of Intangible Assets.

TEC CCI Coordination and Enterprise Delivery

• Act as TEC CCI Coordination and Resource Manager, leading cross-branch planning and delivery for Corporate Change Initiatives (CCIs) with a TEC component.
• Ensure accurate budgeting, eliminate double charging, identify resourcing gaps, and align delivery timelines across TEC stakeholders.
• Collaborate closely with Branch Chiefs, and Project Managers to ensure integrated and prioritized delivery.

People, HR and Stakeholder Management

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of Product and Project Managers.
• Maintain oversight of recruitment, staffing plans, and funding, ensuring alignment with HR policies and workforce strategies.
• Act as a senior escalation point for stakeholders, resolving delivery risks and managing expectations across business and technical counterparts.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Education:

• Advanced University degree in Business Administration, Economics, Information Systems, Project or Programme Management, or a related field, or First University degree with additional years of relevant experience.

Experience:

• Minimum 8 years of experience in programme, project and/or product management, with at least 4 years in IT or digital environments. Minimum 2 years in HR and Finance. Demonstrated experience in budget, finance, and resource management for large-scale, multi-stream portfolios.
• Proven experience working within complex organizations, applying compliance, governance, and audit requirements.
• Strong ability to operate autonomously while coordinating across multiple stakeholders and reporting lines

Knowledge & Skills:

• In-depth understanding of WFP’s mandate, organizational model, and business operations.
• Strong knowledge of end-to-end WFP IT processes, enterprise service delivery, and digital product lifecycles.
• Advanced expertise in project, programme, and product management, including Agile and hybrid delivery models.
• Strong compliance mindset with demonstrated experience in audit response, risk management, and internal controls.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and leadership skills.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and prioritization skills, with the ability to manage multiple complex delivery streams

Language:

• International Professional: 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) desirable.

MORE ABOUT YOU:

• Has led and coordinated large projects successfully at HQ and field.
• Has managed, coordinated and actively executed emergency response operations.
• Has provided innovative approaches in the resolution of complex technical issues or problems.
• Has effectively managed IT team and resources needed for the planning, development and delivery of specified information and communications systems services (including data, voice, text, audio and images) at HQ and field.
• Has successfully managed complex IT infrastructure, including the installation and testing of new hardware for improving systems performance at HQ and field.
• Has led the design and successful implementation of ITIL service management systems and protocols for handling customer requests and achieving service excellence.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• This is an International Professional position and is open to all nationalities.
• The selected candidate will be employed on a limited fixed-term contract of 1 year, renewable.
• Limited Fixed-Term Appointment (LFT) position is a non-mobile staff appointment in the international professional category for a limited period for up to 4 years. The position is based in Rome, Italy and the selected candidate will be expected to relocate. Incumbents of LFT positions are not eligible to apply for other mobile positions advertised internally through the Reassignment.

• WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package in line with ICSC standards ( 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.

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

 

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

• All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruiting system. We do not consider CVs or applications sent by email, LinkedIn, or any other channel.

• We strongly recommend that your Workday profile is accurate and complete, and that all sections are filled in, including your employment history, academic qualifications, language skills, and UN grade (if applicable). Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

• At the application stage, the only required documents are your CV and Cover Letter. Additional documents (passport, certificates, recommendation letters, etc.) may be requested later in the process.

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.

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.