Job Openings at World Food Programme (WFP)

Summary 

• Support the implementation of a knowledge management strategy.
• Develop and maintain knowledge building and knowledge sharing tools and practices aiming to enhance and promote the visibility of procurement operations in the region.
• Implementation of administrative and financial tasks related to the Procurement Unit’s work.

Detailed Activities:

• Draft unit reports, meeting minutes, regional food market intel bulletins and newsletters on a regular basis.
• Draft procurement briefs, updates, success stories and further develop internal records and databases, ensuring information is accurate, organised and available for others to access.
• Contribute to communication pieces through good research, analysis of assigned area of work and timely preparation and distribution of information products to target audiences.
• Navigate through the existing corporate digital platforms to extract statistical information for the unit reports and donor briefs.
• Produce visual information such as tables, graphs and other infographics in suitable format for reporting and illustration purpose;
• Monitor social media, specialised publications, UN reports, engage with Country office procurement staff for updates and report relevant information to senior staff to inform the development of markets and other relevant information.
• Support to formulation and implementation of communication strategy.
• Respond to specialised queries and requests for support, using initiative and following standard processes, to ensure timely and accurate resolution of all enquiries.
• Analyse previous purchasing data to establish apparent trends to form key input in the procurement decisions and strategies.
• Support capacity building of Procurement staff in providing advice and guidance within area and level of expertise, to ensure that all activities meet desired standards of consistency, quality and impact.
• Maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders, in order to provide an aligned, coherent service, and to identify opportunities to collaborate/integrate processes and activities.
• Provide a full range of complex business support services to contribute to the effective functioning of the unit and regional procurement operations, including the management of workshops, training programs, etc.
• Perform other tasks as required.
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Knowledge & Skills:

• Experience in communication required.
• Excellent writing skills (in English), proofreading, and editing skills. Ability to produce high-quality written materials, including graphically based Power Point presentations as well as text documents.
• Proven and demonstrable knowledge and experience in statistics, data analysis and/or information management;
• Good knowledge of East Africa supply chains is a strong added advantage
• Collaborative spirit able to liaise with a wide range of people at levels and across different cultures and to act with credibility and diplomacy.
• Strong time management skills with an ability to plan ahead, 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.
• Fully committed and motivated to achieve the aims of the UN WFP.
• Strong conceptual thinking
• Graphic design skills (use of Adobe Premiere, In Design, Publisher, Canva)This section is optional to describe additional responsibilities & knowledge required for the specific job

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

• Has demonstrated a sound understanding of WFP communication techniques and activities and awareness of the socio-political context in which WFP operates through day to day work
• Has provided ad-hoc guidance to new staff members

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Education: A Universitiy Degree in Social Sciences or related fields (preferably Communications, International Development, or Political Sciences)
• Experience: At least three years of progressively responsible experience in communications, information management, reporting and/or business-related positions. Working knowledge of Supply Chain fundamentals is beneficial.
• Language: General Service (Headquarters): Fluency (level C) in English language. Fluency (level C) or intermediate knowledge (level B) of another official language may be required depending on the location of the post or area of responsibility.

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PURPOSE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

The incumbent, reporting to the Head of the WFP Regional Innovation Hub for Eastern Africa, will be working with all functional units in RBN including Partnerships, Supply Chain, Programme, etc. and Country Offices (COs) as well as stakeholders and partners within the Eastern Africa external innovation ecosystems and the global WFP Innovation Accelerator. The incumbent will lead innovation engagement across the region in coordination with relevant RBN, CO teams and external stakeholders. The incumbent will lead the planning, partner coordination, implementation, and reporting for innovation hub programs, projects, and events.

The incumbent’s responsibilities will include:

Lead Country Office (CO) engagement

• Lead on the ongoing development of the RBN and CO engagement plan for the Innovation Hub and build and nurture relationships with RBN and CO innovation focal points
• Lead workshops with COs as needed to jointly develop localized innovation strategies, programmes, projects and work with the Regional Learning and Impact Advisor to build capability to execute innovation activities and measure impact
• Lead on knowledge management, capturing and sharing knowledge from innovation activities between Country Offices and externally
• Collect, analyze and present knowledge, information and data on Country Office innovation needs and activities relevant for the hub’s broader learning, program design and fundraising activities
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Lead engagement with ecosystem partners

• Develop the external engagement strategy, identify external partnerships and collaborations relevant to the Innovation Hub, building on the extensive network of WFP and CARE
• Build strong relationships with partners and create meaningful connections with relevant innovation ecosystems and communities of practice that support Innovation Hub activities. Work together with the Innovative Financing Advisor who will identify and connect with the network of innovative financing partners
• Lead the procurement and contracting process and advisory services for engaging external implementing partners needed for Innovation Hub activities
• Activate the network of external partners as needed for programmes and projects

Strategic innovation programme and project management

• Based on identified demand and needs from Country Offices, lead on the continuous development of the strategic programme and project portfolio for innovation activities in the region aligned with the impact set out in the Innovation Hub’s Theory of Change
• Document and communicate key information and knowledge on programmes and projects in the portfolio
• Lead on the design and delivery of strategic innovation programmes and projects in collaboration with RBN, CO and partners as required
• Work together with the Learning and Impact Advisor to continually update the Innovation Hub’s Theory of Change and M&E framework and incorporate relevant metrics for impact measurement (e.g., sustainability metrics)
• Contribute to proposal writing and fundraising efforts, annual report writing, measurement and evaluation activities and theory of change/ vision mapping
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Support other Innovation Hub activities 

• Provide analysis and content preparation (data analysis on projects, market research, PowerPoint presentations, briefs etc) for priority topics and new strategic initiatives
• Support core programs at critical moments (during recruitment, during events, on special missions, etc) as required
• Support other core processes of the Innovation Hub (e.g., communications, fundraising, partnerships, contracting etc) as required
• Support the Head of the Innovation Hub as required

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

• Internal organisational engagement plan developed and up to date
• Partnership engagement strategy developed and up to date
• Strategic programme and project portfolio developed in line with the Innovation Hub Theory of Change, with core programming underway and monitoring and evaluation, communications, and knowledge management in place
• Successful support on core programs and enabling functions with satisfactory 360 review by manager and collaborating team members

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education: Advanced University degree in business, economics, innovation, international development or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.

Experience: 

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible national or international experience in start-ups, private business or in the humanitarian/international development sector.
• Experience in building and managing partnerships to deliver innovative, sustainable projects from within the private and humanitarian sectors.
• Experience owning and building strategies for end-to-end verticals of work (e.g. delivering consulting products, knowledge management products).
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Knowledge & Skills: 

• Passion and deep understanding of the East African innovation ecosystem and relevant context
• Wide-reaching networks in the East African innovation community
• Start-up experience or start-up mentality. Worked or led cross-functionally and get things done in a scrappy and hands-on way
• Proven track record of driving projects – effectively managing projects and events from design to completion
• Strong conceptual thinking to develop new strategies and innovative projects, especially those which are driving progress towards the SDGs
• Able to interact with a broad range of stakeholders and external audience with maturity and tact
• Excellent communication/presentation skills, with the ability to write strategy documents, to develop business plans and to write and deliver presentations
• Collaborative spirit, able to partner with a wide range of people at all levels and across different cultures and to act with credibility and diplomacy
• Self-motivated and able to work with a high degree of autonomy
• Sets high-level of ownership over projects to achieve impact for WFP constituents
• Fully committed and motivated to achieve the aims of the UN World Food Programme

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PURPOSE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

With a growing portfolio the Hub is looking for an Innovative Financing Advisor to develop its work within the areas below. Reporting to the Head of the WFP Regional Innovation Hub For Eastern Africa, the incumbent  will be spearheading this increasingly important workstream within the Hub. Entrepreneurial and independent, you will be working with all functional units in the Regional Bureau, HQ and Country Offices as well as stakeholders and partners in the global and regional innovation ecosystem and lead the development of this portfolio.

The responsibilities will include:

Support innovations and other WFP Regional Innovation teams with investment readiness activities to accelerate their path to scale advancing towards Zero Hunger and other Sustainable Development Goals:

• Develop the Hub’s strategic approach to getting the portfolio of start-ups and businesses investment-ready
• Establish necessary partnership/s with the East African investor community to assess the business models of our innovator portfolio.
• Share impact investing knowledge and best practices with the Hub and other WFP teams to promote and showcase the value of investment readiness activities.
• Support the portfolio of innovations in becoming investor ready.
• Support portfolio companies by acting as an “entrepreneur in residence” to provide bespoke guidance to innovators on defining key performance indicators and milestones; product testing, technology improvements, and market-fit; distribution and scale-up strategies; financial modelling; environmental sustainability strategies; talent strategies; investor-preparedness; etc.
• Act as the business counterparts to WFP intrapreneurs/innovation projects, helping them to think like start-ups, set up business plans and ensure that the innovation is financially viable whilst socially/environmentally responsible.

Unlock further investments for companies and projects within the Regional Innovation Hub portfolio:

• Build a strong network of potential investment partners: local innovation entities (innovation centres, incubators, accelerators, etc.), foundations, Corporations, VCs and investments actors to offer them dealflow and validate the assumption that we can de-risk investments for local start-ups and innovative MSMEs.
• Establish deal books and data rooms to showcase portfolio companies and network this amongst investor networks.
• Support follow-on fundraising efforts by structuring third-party-verified dealbooks and executing investor-matchmaking activities and events.
• Attend and engage in relevant conferences, ecosystem gatherings, industry association meetings, and speaking engagements for sourcing, branding, thought leadership, investment and learning opportunities.
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Drive the Innovative Financing portfolio at WFP

• Liaise with HQ, the Regional Bureau and the country offices to stay abreast of the latest innovative financing projects.
• Support country offices in designing and implementing innovative financing activities (e.g. blended finance facilities for MSMEs, structure new investment funds).
• Support the development, implementation and management of processes and tools for giving seed funding to innovators across the region, including impact measurement and monitoring of investments facilitated by WFP.
• Design new activities, programmes and projects to tap into blended capital to provide new tools to country offices to further the development agenda; working closely with finance, procurement and legal as required.
• Engage with all necessary internal stakeholders on topics related to innovative financing models and support the building of strong external partnerships within the Innovative Financing ecosystem in the region.

Support other Innovation Hub activities

• Work with the learning advisor within the RBN Innovation Hub to prove wider impact of innovation challenges in building sustainable, inclusive food systems within the region.
• Provide analysis and content preparation (data analysis on projects, market research, powerpoint presentations, briefs etc) for priority topics and new strategic initiatives.
• Participate and carry out discussions with colleagues in other divisions or external stakeholders on topics related to the Innovation Hub’s strategic priorities.
• Support other core processes of the Innovation Hub (e.g. fundraising, partnerships, key events, etc) as required.
• Support the Head of the Regional Innovation Hub as required.
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DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THIS FIRST CONTRACT PERIOD:

• Establishment of an investment strategy for portfolio businesses.
• Satisfactory support provided to portfolio innovators in scaling their businesses.
• Additional funds raised for a significant proportion of portfolio companies.
• Satisfactory support provided to country offices implementing blended finance or innovative financing activities.
• Satisfactory support to other hub activities including required research, presentations, and strategies.
• Satisfactory support on core programs and enabling functions (as needed) with satisfactory 360 review by manager and collaborating team members.
• All work and materials developed during the contract are well documented and available to all relevant stakeholders in designated knowledge management processes/platforms.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• Education: Advanced University degree in business, economics, innovation, international development or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.
• Experience: At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in African start-ups, consulting, FMCG private businesses or innovation/entrepreneur support in the humanitarian/international development sector.
• Experience building and delivering scale-up strategies for end-to-end verticals of work from within the private and humanitarian sectors, preferably at large-scale organizations.
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Knowledge & Skills: 

• Passion and deep understanding of technology innovations (e.g. mobile apps, blockchain, artificial intelligence) and business model innovations (e.g. innovative finance, crowdsourcing)
• Strong networks of actors in African innovation ecosystems and a nuanced understanding of the sector and its development over the past decade
• Entrepreneurial or intrapreneurial leadership experience such as starting your own company, starting a new program / department or launching new organization-wide programs
• Has worked cross-functionally and can navigate uncertainty with curiosity, poise, and a solution-oriented mentality
• Ability to gather and synthesize different types of qualitative (e.g. interviews, stakeholder consultations, network analysis) and quantitative (e.g. financial/impact modelling) information to guide major strategic and operational decisions
• Excellent communication/presentation skills, with the ability to write strategy documents, to develop business plans and to write and deliver presentations
• Strong conceptual thinking to develop new strategies and innovative projects, especially those which are driving progress towards the SDGs
• Able to interact with a broad range of stakeholders and external audience with maturity and tact
• Collaborative spirit, able to partner with a wide range of people at all levels and across different cultures and to act with credibility and diplomacy
• Self-motivated and able to work with a high degree of autonomy, proactively seeking support and guidance when needed
• Sets high-level of ownership over projects to achieve impact for WFP constituents
• Fully committed and motivated to achieve the aims of the UN World Food Programme