Chief Financial and Performance Officer (CFPO) & Controller

The Chief Financial and Performance Officer (CFPO) & Controller provides strategic executive leadership and financial stewardship for WIPO’s planning, performance, risk management, and financial operations. The incumbent ensures the Organization’s long-term financial sustainability and leads the continued development and structured tracking of its results-based management framework, investment management, customer experience for fee-paying customers and corporate controlling functions.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the Financial Controller and as the principal advisor to the Director General, Assistant Director General for the Corporate Management and Transformation Sector, and senior management on financial sustainability, organizational performance, strategic investments, resource allocation, strategic cost management and enterprise risks.
• Enable WIPO’s long-term growth strategy, advocate for prudent financial management, ensure cost efficiencies, and drive the growth and sustainability of the Organization's financial assets.
• Ensure that the Financial Regulations and Rules are fit for purpose and aligned to business needs.
• Serve as the executive owner of WIPO's second line under the Three Lines model, providing integrated oversight of risk management, internal controls, compliance and management assurance.
• Facilitate the medium-term and biennial planning processes, driving organizational effectiveness and performance through Results-Based Management, a sharper focus on outcomes, continuous review of business models, and effective risk management.
• Transform the department into a consistently customer-centric operation focused on value creation for the internal and the external customer.
• Collaborate closely with global IP services to drive and implement strategies that modernize and enhance service delivery for WIPO’s fee-paying external customers.
• Function as the Secretary to the Program and Budget Committee (PBC), facilitating critical dialogue with Member States on all finance and management matters.
• Lead strategic engagement with audit and oversight bodies (External Auditors and IAOC) to provide assurance on internal controls and risk management.
• Engage with the Internal Oversight Division and other second line functions to strengthen anti-fraud awareness and governance.
• Serve as co-executive owner of WIPO's ERP transformation together with the HR director, ensuring the program remains business-owned and value-driven, and delivered in close collaboration with the CIO, and other partners within the project board and governance structures.
• Ensure the ERP provides a modern digital backbone and trusted data foundation for the Organization.
• Champion the integration of Artificial Intelligence and advanced analytics, both through the ERP's embedded capabilities and through complementary solutions that leverage its data to strengthen cross-cutting planning, budgeting, and financial management processes.
• Build and enhance strategic alliances across WIPO and with external stakeholders promoting synergies that drive organizational change.
• In partnership with service owners, support strategies to safeguard, improve and diversify WIPO's income.
• Lead and empower a high-performing and diverse Department.
• Set clear directions and delegate with trust, developing and mentoring staff to grow their capabilities and reach their potential.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration and innovation across the Organization, strengthening financial literacy, performance management and risk awareness.
• Develop organizational capabilities through talent management, succession planning and learning, while promoting an inclusive and ethical workplace that supports transformation and service excellence.
• Represent WIPO in high-level international meetings and negotiations regarding strategic planning and financial management.
• Promote WIPO’s policies and actively develop and share best practices within the UN common system.
• Perform other job-related duties as required.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree in strategic planning, finance, accounting, business administration, economics, or related area. A first-level degree with two years of relevant experience in addition to the essential experience requested below may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
• Professional Certification: An internationally recognized professional accounting qualification (e.g., CPA, CA, ACCA, CMA, or equivalent) (Desirable).
• At least 15 years of progressively responsible executive leadership experience including leading and developing large, diverse teams, and integrating some or all of the following subjects: finance, budget, enterprise performance, governance, risk management, strategic planning.
• Significant experience in large, complex international, such as multinational corporations, international or public-sector institutions, or other similarly sophisticated environments.
• Extensive experience in financial planning and management, budgeting, performance management, organizational transformation, and digital modernization.
• Demonstrated experience establishing and maturing enterprise risk management, internal control, and assurance frameworks.
• Leadership in driving organizational change, including in areas such as ERP modernizations, process redesign, Data Analytics, or AI integration, to maximize business agility.
• Track record of embedding result frameworks (such as OKRs, KPIs or Balanced scorecards) that successfully align long-term strategy with operational budgets, resource allocation and concrete performance metrics.
• Proven experience engaging with governing bodies, audit committees, and oversight bodies.
• Experience overseeing the financial management of fee-for-service, commercial, or revenue-generating operations (Desirable).
• Excellent oral and written English.
• Knowledge of other official UN languages, in particular French (Desirable).
• Proven ability to drive organizational change, champion customer-centric service models, and foster a collaborative, results-based / outcomes-driven performance culture across cross-functional teams.
• Extensive expertise in corporate finance, executive oversight of some or all of the following areas: asset and investment strategies, enterprise performance and risk management, governance frameworks, internal controls, management assurance, and financial reporting under recognized public-sector or international accounting standards (e.g., IPSAS, IFRS).
• Exceptional ability to build partnerships, communicate persuasively, negotiate effectively, and influence outcomes across a diverse range of stakeholders, including senior leadership, oversight bodies, Member States/ Shareholders, and external partners.
• Forward-looking understanding of how emerging technologies (such as AI and advanced analytics) can be leveraged to optimize financial planning and budget execution.
• Exceptional analytical and strategic problem-solving skills, grounded in unquestionable integrity and sound executive judgment in high-stakes decision-making.
• Proven ability to lead at a senior level by building, empowering, and trusting high-performing teams, delegating effectively, and coaching and developing talent.
• Demonstrated understanding of the United Nations system's financial frameworks and working environment, alongside a broad comprehension of WIPO's mandate, its global stakeholders, and the intellectual property landscape (Desirable).

Skills

• Strategic Planning
• Finance Management
• Budgeting
• Performance Management
• Enterprise Risk Management
• Internal Control Framework
• Organizational Transformation
• Digital Modernization
• ERP Modernization
• Data Analytics
• AI Integration
• Result Frameworks Implementation
• Governance Framework Analysis
• Financial Reporting
• Corporate Finance
• Investment Strategies
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Executive Leadership
• Team Development
• Negotiation
• Customer-Centric Service Models
• Public Sector Accounting
• International Accounting Standards

Languages

English, French