JOB TITLE:Innovative Finance Venture Lead

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 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 2024 the Accelerator supported innovations that positively impacted the lives of 61 million people globally.

More information here: and Innovative Finance Venture Lead Consultant reporting to the Head of Innovative Finance Frontier Innovations and Venture Launchpad is expected to:

Scope deliver design and implement selected innovative finance ventures throughout the ideation pilot development and scale-up phases contributing to the ventures launch development and growth.

Drive the landscape mapping to further inform WFP innovative finance and impact investing activities and support relationship building with external investor

partners to help with fundraising efforts for the WFP funding mechanisms as well as direct capital raising for the innovative finance ventures.

Guide the development of all the necessary innovative finance venture processes and documentation as appropriate.

Define key performance indicators and milestones for the innovative finance venture and guide their implementation impact measurement and reporting.

Orchestrate the selected innovative finance ventures operations ranging from the steering and guidance to the venture team to the attraction of funding via grants and other sources of resource mobilisation and financing to their investment and the corresponding impact measurement and evaluation reporting and communication.

Guide and grow a team of Innovative Finance Consultants and/or other disciplines by establishing priorities providing coaching and making sure people are engaged in the right value-creation activities.

Coach innovative finance venture team from ideation to implementation (as applicable) with a focus on innovative finance and impact investing while using methodologies such as human-centered design lean start-up project management venture building and business modelling.

Engage in creative leadership methods to foster the right conditions for collective and individual learning and growth.

Cultivate a collaborative and high-performing innovative finance team culture to help the team thrive in constantly changing environments.

Conduct performance feedback and development sessions.

Build up a network of public private and philanthropic donors multilateral agencies and impact investors to identify and realise resource mobilisation opportunities for innovative finance ventures and instruments.

Engage and collaborate with all necessary internal and external stakeholders (including WFP programme units regional bureaux country and field offices finance partnerships legal) to gather needed input secure internal support and approval and launch develop and scale innovative finance ventures and instruments.

Actively support the building of strong external partnerships within the Innovative Finance and venture-building ecosystem globally.

Define and implement outreach campaigns and communication plans to amplify the scope and impact of the innovative finance ventures.

Contribute to the strategic and organsational development of the Innovation Accelerators strategy deployment and operations:

Contribute to the establishment of strategic objectives and ensure work plans are in place to meet key results.

Ensure the building up of capabilities and skills across the unit and that resources are adequately deployed to the right projects and activities.

Contribute to a high-performing team culture driving results while promoting a collaborative and agile team spirit.

Create communication and knowledge product management products to amplify the scope and impact of the Acceleration Programs.

Build up a network of public private and philanthropic donors and impact investors to identify opportunities for the Accelerator Programs and its participants taking an active role in the leading generation proposal presentation and negotiation of new contracts and potential agreements.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

• Validated Minimum Viable Product (MVP) Business Model and Scalability Plan for selected Innovative Finance or other strategic ventures.
• Innovative Finance ventures effectively led.
• Resource mobilisation opportunities successfully realised and delivered.
• Team of Innovative Finance Consultants successfully led.
• Ensure that all work and materials developed during the contract well documented and available to the WFP Innovation Accelerator team;
• Effective support of operations of the WFP Innovation Accelerator.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education:

Bachelors degree in Finance Business Administration or equivalent. Masters degree a plus.

Experience:

At least 7 years of progressively responsible international experience in a start- up leadership role start-up accelerator innovations in private businesses or innovative finance ventures in the humanitarian or international development sector. Experience in innovative finance and in microfinance are a plus as also experience leading a team.

Knowledge & Skills:

• A proven track record building fintech projects and/or driving and implementing innovative finance venture building projects preferably in an impact humanitarian and/or development context.
• Experience in microfinance crowdfunding platforms preferably in crowdlending.
• Experience and interest in initiatives focused on financial inclusion

microfinance and resilience programmes.