Head, Organisational Culture and Employee Engagement - WWF International

Zeist, Netherlands

Want to make a positive difference to the future of people and our one shared home, the Earth? Working at WWF could be your opportunity of a lifetime.

All around the world, people are waking up to the devastating impacts of climate change and nature loss. The situation today is worse than the darkest predictions of just ten years ago, pushing billions of people to the edge and threatening lives and livelihoods. At WWF, we are facing our biggest crisis – and our biggest ever opportunity – to create a better future for people & nature. With over 60 years of experience and an active presence in more than 100 countries, we work to achieve both on-the-ground and global policy action, from protecting and restoring species and their habitats, to transforming markets and policies toward sustainability. Our people come from hugely diverse backgrounds & with a variety of expertise, ranging from conservation science & advocacy to HR and finance. We welcome applications from anyone who believes they can help us tackle this enormous global challenge & drive the urgent conservation impact needed to restore our planet.

What We Do

We are an independent conservation organization, striving to sustain the natural world for the benefit of people and the ecosystem. From individuals and communities to businesses & governments, we are part of a growing global movement calling for bolder action on climate and nature, demanding that world leaders set nature on the path to recovery by 2030. WWF works to address the most dominant drivers of nature loss through system-wide changes in how food and energy are produced and consumed, and in how financial systems are structured. By implementing change in every country, we aim to drive visible and positive impacts on the ground, helping to restore nature in the most critical places around the world, from the Amazon to the Coral Triangle. Engaging everyone means addressing the barriers to participation faced by some groups in society, including local communities. Conservation will only be sustainable if it is owned by, and benefits, local people. That’s why Indigenous Peoples and local communities must be at the centre of action on climate and nature. WWF is committed to using its resources & global network to support these communities in creating together the most effective solutions where they live. Humanity is still in time, we have a clear pathway to solve this crisis. At WWF, we call on everyone to join the global movement, change how we live, and take action now.

WWF International global recruitment team are exclusively managing this vacancy. We kindly ask that you do not contact the local office on this position.

LOCATION: Flexible with preferred locations WWF INT HUBS

1 MISSION OF THE DEPARTMENT

To build a thriving, future-ready WWF workforce by ensuring that people at all levels have the skills, capabilities, and development pathways needed to deliver the WWF Strategy.

Embed WWF’s core values and standards to strengthen the culture and create the right working environment across the Network.
Develop and maintain P&C standards, policies, systems, and platforms that attract, develop, and retain the right people for the organisation.
Create the conditions for high performance, ensuring that staff can perform at their fullest potential and maximise their contribution to WWF’s conservation goals.

2 MAJOR FUNCTIONS

The Head of Organisational Culture and Engagement is responsible for leading the design, co-ordination and delivery of WWF International’s culture, DEI and staff engagement approaches, working in close partnership with leaders and the global P&C community.

Key functions include:

Designing & implementing practical strategies and frameworks to embed WWF’s core values and DEI principles across the Secretariat and Country Offices.
Supporting consistent application of culture and DEI practices across the wider WWF Network through partnership with P&C leaders and focal points.
Developing & maintaining a robust & evidence-based approach to staff engagement.
Contributing to network-level People & Culture (P&C) initiatives & community engagement, in close collaboration with the Senior Director, P&C.

3 Major Duties and Responsibilities

Culture

In coordination with the Senior Director, P&C, define and evolve the organisation’s cultural vision, ensuring alignment with business strategy & long-term goals.
Translate core values into clear, observable behaviours that employees can understand, practice & be measured against.
Design and implement frameworks that embed these behaviours into daily workflows, decision-making & leadership practices.
Partner with leadership to role model and reinforce desired cultural behaviours at all levels of the organisation.
Integrate cultural behaviours into key people processes, including hiring, onboarding, performance management, &promotions.
Establish mechanisms to assess cultural health (e.g., surveys, feedback loops) & continuously refine interventions.
Identify cultural gaps & design targeted interventions to close the gap between stated values and actual behaviours.
Build a culture of accountability where behaviours linked to values are recognised, rewarded, & corrected when needed.
Define & monitor DEI-related KPIs and qualitative insights to track progress & impact over time.
Act as a trusted advisor & subject matter expert to the P&C community on DEI topics.
Collaborate with P&C functional leads to embed DEI principles into people processes, policies, & tools.
Support alignment of DEI efforts with broader organisational standards, including Respect in the Workplace and equitable practices.

Engagement

Design and maintain a long-term staff engagement strategy aligned with broader P&C priorities and tailored to diverse audiences (Secretariat and Country Offices).
Identify and pilot innovative approaches to engagement measurement, feedback and listening, informed by external trends and best practices.
Analyse engagement data and qualitative feedback to generate insights and inform leadership decision-making and P&C priorities.
Partner with P&C colleagues, Communications, and other functions to ensure engaging, coherent and aligned internal communications and WWF staff initiatives.
Support engagement of the global P&C community, including contributing to the design and facilitation of forums and network events.

P&C Community Coordination

Coordinate culture, DEI and engagement activities across the P&C community to promote visibility, coherence and collaboration.
Maintain a calendar of initiatives and events related to culture and engagement.
Support volunteer engagement and contributions to network-wide P&C projects.
Contribute to the design and delivery of learning and knowledge-sharing opportunities within the P&C community.

Other Responsibilities

Facilitate effective communication and alignment between this centre of expertise and P&C Regional Heads to support consistency across Country Offices.
Contribute to global P&C initiatives as required.
Perform other related duties as assigned by the Senior Director, P&C.

4 PROFILE

Required Qualifications

Advanced degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organisational Development, Psychology, Education, or a related field. (For example: Associate Diploma in People Management CIPD Level 5) or equivalent professional experience.
Minimum of 10 years’ relevant experience in organisational culture, DEI and/or engagement roles within complex, international and multicultural environments.
Strong understanding of P&C processes and their interdependencies.
Demonstrated ability to operate strategically while delivering practical and scalable solutions.

Required Skills and Competencies

Strong interpersonal, communication, facilitation and coaching skills.
Proven ability to influence and drive change through partnership rather than formal authority.
Excellent analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, identify trends and translate insights into action.
Organised, proactive and able to manage multiple priorities in a matrixed environment.
Experience working across cultures and geographies.
Excellent communication skills; ability to inspire trust and foster collaboration and the ability to influence stakeholders.
Fluency in English; knowledge of additional languages is an asset.
Organisational Skills.
Proven team management skills in different cultural environments.
Embraces the WWF mission and values of the organisation: Courage, Integrity, Respect & Collaboration.

5 WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Internal

P&C Teams – Collaborates with Talent Acquisition, P&C Partners, Learning & Development, and Organisational Development teams to design and deliver leadership initiatives.

Works closely with Heads of P&C functions, leaders, managers, and staff across WWF International. Partners with P&C focal points in Country Offices and National Offices.

External

Engages with external organisations, service providers, consultants and subject-matter experts related to culture, DEI and engagement.

HOW TO APPLY

Please upload your covering letter and CV in English. Priority will be given to applications with both documents indicated.

Deadline for applications: Tuesday 2 June 2026 (midnight CET)

Work permit restrictions may apply

Early application is encouraged as we will review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early.

At WWF, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where every individual feels valued and respected. We believe that a diverse workforce will help us to achieve our mission to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to providing fair and unbiased consideration for all candidates regardless of their background. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply and join us in fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace