Head of Innovation Network
Head of Innovation Network
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Job Description
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
29 June 2025-23:59-GMT01:00 Central European Time (Berlin)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 worlds 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.
At WFP people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse committed skilled and high performing teams selected on merit operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment living WFPs values (Integrity Collaboration Commitment Humanity and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.
To learn more about WFP visit our website: follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok.
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).
JOB TITLE:Head of Innovation Network
TYPE OF CONTRACT:Consultancy
UNIT/DIVISION:WFP Innovation Accelerator INNA
DUTY STATION (City Country):Munich Germany
DURATION:11 months
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the United Nations frontline agency fighting hunger. WFP reaches more than 100 million people every day - delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with smallholder farmers communities and governments to improve nutrition and build resilience.
The WFP Innovation Accelerator was named by Fast Company as the Most Innovative Non-Profit Organization 2021 for its work in identifying nurturing and scaling disruptive start-ups and innovations to end global hunger. Based in Munich Germany the Innovation Accelerator provides WFP employees entrepreneurs and start-ups with funding hands-on support and access to WFPs global operations. Through the Innovation Accelerator WFP is leveraging unprecedented advances in digital innovation - such as mobile technology artificial intelligence and blockchain - and new business models to transform the way it serves vulnerable communities across the world. In 2023 Accelerator supported innovations that positively impacted the lives of 60.7 million people globally. Most recently the Accelerator runs programmes for external partners such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and others.
The incumbent reporting to the Head of Innovation Accelerator is expected to:
Strategically lead the Innovation Network of the World Food Programme identify and activate the WFP Innovation Network and engage in cultural transformation:
Represent and promote the WFP Innovation Network across the organization (Headquarters Country Oces and Regional Bureaus).
Build strategic relationships and gather insights and requirements from dierent stakeholders within the organization to design best practice sharing towards the achievement of the Innovation Networks vision including generating business allyship sponsorship and overall support to Innovation Network projects and vision.
Advise on best practice sharing structure and the setup of innovation community within WFP including involvement of Headquarters Country Oces and Regional Bureaus.
Act as an advisor and thought partner in the establishment and set up of regional and local innovation hubs to support innovation coordination innovation knowledge management and scaling of projects across the regions.
Create awareness on innovation scale-up enablement by dedicated campaigns and ongoing activities.
Act as an advisor and thought partner to the Regional Bureaus and Country Oces to integrate innovation into their Country Strategic Plans and activities as applicable and develop toolkit.
Establish and lead regular meetups to engage innovation network through newly dened programs.
Contribute to fundraising activities and allocate the budget for WFP Innovation Network team and build outcome-based projects in close collaboration with Accelerator Partnerships team.
Lead the Innovation Network team of the Accelerator:
Communicate with the Innovation Network Team on all insights information and implications on the organization outcomes and opportunities that impact their work focus and commitment.
Organize and collaboratively lead the trimester Strategy Operating Rhythm cadence and rigorous tactical rhythm with the circle to prioritize curate and deliver on trimester outcome-based Innovation Network projects in the direction of the Accelerators 2025 vision.
Build an Innovation Network team culture that models high-eectiveness high autonomy and a collaborative brain trust.
Mentor the Innovation Network Team members in their explicitly articulated roles and accountabilities for them to deliver on articulated measurable material business outcomes.
Actively support the Accelerators development through eective management and act as a member of its management team:
Lead eorts with the overall goal of making the Accelerator a more eective platform in mind.
Work across dierent teams and articulate project manager/venture consultant role eectively within the Accelerator.
Provide analysis & content preparation for corporate priority topics and executive management meetings.
Take up lead roles in running workshops and events core processes of the Accelerator.
Support the Head of the Innovation Accelerator and the Director of Innovation and Knowledge Management with any other activities and tasks as required.
DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:
- WFPs Innovation Network strategy implemented.
- WFP Innovation Network team and structure led.
- WFP innovation network set up and supported.
- Ensure that all work and materials developed during the contract are well documented and available to the WFP Innovation Accelerator team.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
Education: Bachelors degree. Masters degree is a plus.
Experience: At least 8 years of progressively responsible national and/or international experience in a start-up businesses/corporations or in the humanitarian or development sector of which at least 3 years in a leadership capacity. Experience in managing an innovation network/communities scale-up of social impact projects business development and/or project management is a plus.
Knowledge & Skills:
- Experience in project management within a global organization and start-up experience required.
- Demonstrated experience in cultural diversity and how it inuences the design needs of the technical solutions to meet local requirements.
- Strong conceptual thinking to develop new business areas new strategies and support innovative projects.
- Experience in leading teams incl. work planning operational management and team development.
- Ability to interact with senior stakeholders leaders and external audiences with maturity and tact.
- Collaborative spirit able to liaise with a wide range of people at all levels and across dierent cultures and to act with credibility and diplomacy.
- Excellent communication/presentation skills.
- Strong time management skills with an ability to plan anticipate requirements problems and obstacles and an ability to juggle competing priorities successfully and to work to tight deadlines.
- Self-motivated and able to work with a high degree of autonomy.
- Sets a high-level of ambition for the project and own work to achieve impact for the hungry people we serve.
Languages: Fluency in oral and written English is required. Intermediate knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic Chinese French Russian and Spanish) or Portuguese (one of WFPs working languages) is beneficial.
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
WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation please contact:
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
We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate complete and includes your employment records academic qualifications language skills and UN Grade (if applicable).
Once your profile is completed please apply and submit your application.
Please make sure you upload your professional CV in the English language
Kindly note the only documents you will need to submit at this time are your CV and Cover Letter
Additional documents such as passport recommendation letters academic certificates etc. may potentially be requested at a future time
Please contact us at in case you face any challenges with submitting your application
Only shortlisted candidates will be notified
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.
Required Experience:
Director
Employment Type
Full-Time
