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Talent Management Service, Human Resources Management Department, Sector of the Director General,
Contract Duration - 2 years *
Duty Station: CH-Geneva
Application Deadline: 30-Jan-2026, 11:59:00 PM CET
Organizational Context
1. Organizational Context
a. Organizational Setting
The Talent Management Service (TMS) is a cornerstone of WIPO’s ambition to create a future-ready workforce and deliver measurable business value. Building on the Medium-Term Strategic Plan 2022-2026, TMS is entering a new phase of transformation - anchored in strategic clarity, agile execution, and workforce enablement. TMS needs to reimagine talent management as an enterprise-wide capability, integrating AI-driven practices and human-centered design to foster a trust-based culture, enhance organizational fluency, and enable work redesign. TMS ensures that talent strategies are not only aligned with WIPO’s goals but actively drive innovation, adaptability, and sustainable impact across the organization. The service encompasses HR Talent Partners and Employee Experience Units, working together to deliver integrated solutions.
b. Purpose Statement
The Director of the Talent Management Service (TMS) drives organizational performance through innovative, data-driven and AI-enabled talent strategies at an organization-wide level; and is accountable for the overall design and delivery of an integrated talent management framework. Acting as a key advisor to senior leadership, the Director champions strategic talent planning as well as work design and organizational architecture, to ensure WIPO remains competitive and future ready. The ideal profile may originate either from strategic HR leadership or from adjacent transformation-driven domains (e.g., digital, finance, change, organizational design, communications) where the candidate can demonstrate people-centric leadership, workforce transformation capability and the ability to shape modern talent ecosystems. In addition, the Director supports the operational leadership of the Human Resources Management Department in a strategic advisory capacity as the deputy for the Director HRMD, ensuring continuity and excellence in HR service delivery.
c. Reporting Lines
The Director of Talent Management Service reports directly to the Director of the Human Resources Management Department.
d. Work Relations
The Director liaises extensively with the Senior Leadership Team, Program Directors, and Managers, as well as key internal stakeholders, including the Office of the Legal Counsel, Department of Program Planning and Finance, the WIPO Academy, Central Services Division, and WIPO Staff Council, to drive measurable impact. Engagement with external stakeholders will include Member State representatives and counterparts across the UN common system.
Duties and Responsibilities
The incumbent will perform the following principal duties:
a. Provide strategic leadership for the Talent Management Service, overseeing the Talent Business Partner and Employee Experience Units (approximately 23 colleagues). Drive enterprise-wide talent interventions by setting direction and priorities across recruitment, learning and development, performance and talent reviews, mobility, culture and engagement, succession planning and rewards and recognition programs.
b. Ensure seamless integration with other HRMD services and the WIPO Academy, positioning TMS as a catalyst for organizational agility and innovation.
c. Lead organization-wide and work design initiatives - using diagnostics and evidence-based methods - to review structures, work architecture and processes, identify systemic gaps, and recommend improvements that enhance role clarity, collaboration and organizational agility.
d. Strengthen and modernize an integrated, data-driven talent management strategy at the organization-wide level aligned with WIPO's Medium Term Strategic Plan, encompassing programs for mobility, diversity, inclusion, development, and performance management.
e. Lead HR initiatives that foster positive relationships within the organization and external partners and networks. Represent the organization in internal and external discussions on organization-wide talent strategy and workforce transformation as delegated by the Director, HRMD.
f. Determine priorities, allocate resources for the timely and quality delivery of work products per results-based management principles, ensuring that key risks are identified, assessed and managed for the achievement of agreed KPIs and targets, prepare budget proposals for the unit, lead improvement initiatives, promote innovative solutions, ensure program objectives are met.
g. Perform other related duties to support the success of the talent management service and the broader human resources management department.
Requirements
Advanced university degree in human resources management, science, business, public administration, or a related field; or a first-level university degree with two additional years of relevant experience.
Experience (Essential)
At least 15 years in progressive HR or human capital consulting leadership roles, including demonstrated experience leading enterprise-wide workforce transformation or digital HR initiatives, and at least 5 years in senior management roles building or evolving future work strategies and managing cross-functional teams. In line with the transformational nature of this role, consideration may also be given to senior leaders originating from domains (such as Finance, IT, Communications, Business Transformation, or Organizational Design) who have successfully led enterprise-level modernization or operating model change, and who demonstrate a strong interest in human capital development.
Substantial expertise in Talent Management or Organizational Development/Design, specifically in Talent ecosystem design. Where HR technical depth requires further reinforcement, the successful candidate will be expected to leverage and collaborate with technical HR experts within the TMS team. Strategic leadership, organizational change capability, the ability to translate business priorities into coherent talent strategies will hence carry significant weight in the assessment.
Experience in designing agile talent strategies that link HR initiatives to quantifiable organizational performance outcomes.
Experience leading transformation initiatives across public or private sectors, particularly within multi country or multi-stakeholder environments and with cross-functional impact.
Excellent written and spoken proficiency in English.
Job Related Competencies (Essential)
A combination of business acumen, systems thinking and people-centric leadership to become a strategic partner in shaping the future of work. Candidates who bring proven enterprise transformation leadership - even if not from traditional HR career paths - may be considered where they demonstrate strong people-focused judgement, the capacity to modernize work practices, and to create conditions that enhance talent, teams, collaboration and innovation.
Strong understanding of the full talent-management cycle and the use of analytics and digital tools to define organization-wide strategic priorities.
Strong capability in systems thinking and organizational diagnostics, with the ability to translate business priorities into coherent organizational structures, role designs and work processes.
Demonstrated success in leading teams, managing resources, and driving organization-wide and cultural transformation within a results-oriented framework.
Strategic thinker with strong problem-solving skills and effective interpersonal abilities to build partnerships across diverse, multicultural stakeholders.
Experience navigating executive-level decision-making and influencing at scale, including from adjacent functions (e.g., transformation programs, digitalization, operating model redesign), will be considered valid evidence of readiness for the role.
Digital fluency and ability to leverage data and technology to enhance decision-making and deliver personalized employee experiences.
1. Communicating effectively.
2. Showing team spirit.
3. Demonstrating integrity.
5. Producing results.
6. Showing service orientation.
7. Seeing the big picture.
8. Seeking change and innovation.
9. Developing yourself and others.
For more information, including on the salaries and benefits, please check the WIPO Careers website.
Seniority level
* Executive
Employment type
* Contract
Job function
* Human Resources and Other
* International Affairs
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