Senior Program Officer

Organization Context

Join to apply for the Senior Program Officer - 25403-FT role at World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO

Technology Transfer Section, IP for Innovators Department (IPID), IP and Innovation Ecosystems Sector

Contract Duration - 2 years *

Duty Station: CH-Geneva

Final date to receive applications: 14-Jan-2026, 11:59:00 PM CET

1. Organizational Context

a.
Organizational Setting

The Technology Transfer Section (TTS) is located in the IP for Innovators Department, within the IP and Innovation Ecosystems Sector of WIPO. The Section works with universities, public research institutions, innovation agencies, and government ministries to strengthen institutional and ecosystem capacity for Knowledge and Technology Transfer (K/TT).

The TTS develops tools and resources, supports policy and legislative frameworks, and provides evidence and data to help Member States translate IP from research outputs, into social and economic impact.

Within TTS, the Policy and Legislation work area leads WIPO’s initiatives on developing and promoting institutional IP policies and, national innovation laws. This work area assists universities and research institutions in adopting clear, transparent, and effective institutional IP policies that govern the creation, ownership, management, and valorization of research outputs. It also supports Member States in drafting, modernizing, and implementing national innovation laws that enable effective knowledge and technology transfer, align with socio-economic development priorities, and reflect international good practice.

Together, this work provides institutions and governments with the policy foundations needed to manage IP assets responsibly and to maximize the contribution of research and innovation to development.

b.
Purpose Statement

The incumbent leads the Policy and Legislation area within the Technology Transfer Section, focusing on assisting Member States to create IP policy and legislative foundations that enable effective knowledge and technology transfer.

The incumbent designs and oversees programs to assist universities and public research institutions develop and implement institutional IP policies that provide transparent and predictable frameworks for managing IP ownership, protection, exploitation, and benefit-sharing, and for guiding researchers, students and technology transfer professionals in the use and valorization of research results.

They also coordinate support to Member States in drafting and modernizing innovation laws and policies that underpin IP in national knowledge and technology transfer systems, and foster collaboration between academia, research institutions and industry to strengthen innovation capacity and contributions to broader socio-economic development goals.

The work ensures that WIPO provides timely, high-quality, context-sensitive and locally relevant policy and legislative assistance based on international best practices.

c.
Reporting Lines

The incumbent works under the supervision of the Head, Technology Transfer Section.

d.
Work Relations

The incumbent works closely with internal stakeholders throughout the organization, as well as with external stakeholders engaged in research, innovation, and policy development such as ministries responsible for science, technology, education, industry, and entrepreneurship; national innovation agencies; universities and public research institutions; and technology transfer offices. The incumbent also collaborates with regional and international professional associations, and partners involved in IP, innovation, and higher education policy.

• Provide expert advice and technical assistance to universities, public research institutions and governments on the design, adoption, and implementation of institutional IP policies.
• Support Member States in drafting, modernizing, and implementing innovation laws that enable effective knowledge and technology transfer and valorization.
• Monitor IP policy trends and international best practices and prepare studies and analyses to inform WIPO’s policy and legislative support.
• Identify emerging needs and lead the development…