Business Innovation Consultant (Roster)

JOB TITLE:	Business Innovation Consultant, United Nations World Food Programme (multiple positions)
LEVEL: DUTY STATION (City, Country):	Consultant Rome, Italy
DURATION:	6 months

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

 

Over the past years the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has responded to an unprecedented level of emergencies, while maintaining ongoing operations. This increased demand stretches the organization which means WFP has to find new approaches and ways of working to ensure we are channelling every available resource to the people we serve.

The Business Innovation Unit (BIU) was established in 2015 to manage change and to promote innovation as part of WFP’s Innovation and Knowledge Management division:

• BIU acts as the “management consulting arm” of WFP
• BIU is composed of staff with top-tier management consulting backgrounds (e.g. Bain, BCG, McKinsey) as well as UN experience

 

We execute projects on behalf of Executive Directors, Assistant Secretary Generals, and Directors across the UN system, and have become a trusted advisor to WFP and other entities (e.g. UN Women, UNFPA, Business Innovation Group). Our focus is on end-to-end solutions, including problem assessment, data analysis, operational model design, change plan and implementation monitoring.

 

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Execution of Business Innovation projects
2. Overall Innovation and Change Management priorities
3. Other activities

 

DELIVERABLES:

Depending on time of joining, the candidate’s specific experience and current corporate priorities, the candidate will be responsible for the full delivery of a project work stream. Examples of specific deliverables are:

• Corporate Executive Director, Board and divisional key initiatives
  • Advise Division Managers on prioritization of key corporate initiatives
  • Participate in discussions with team members and other divisions to align on objectives, activities, timelines and outputs for the Business Innovation agenda as applicable
  • Provide analytical and project management support
  • Support initiative owners in driving implementation forward
• UN Reform: Support Head of Business Innovation on UN Reform implementation inside the WFP and part of an inter-agency project team
  • Explore benefits for potential global / local collaboration with sister agencies
  • Identify Business Operations Strategy best practices for collaboration and support cross-COs knowledge transfer
  • Support UN Reform Business Innovation Group to perform internal analysis on service delivery effectiveness and efficiency, review current service approaches at global and country levels and support pilot launches as needed
  • Support communication efforts on UN Reform
• Additional support to divisional needs
  • Support knowledge management reviews and best practices sharing
  • Additional support requests, as required

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education:	Preference for a degree in business, economics or engineering
Experience:	Over 2 years of progressively responsible national and/or international experience in a business or international relations related position. 2 year experience in change management, management consulting or finance required. Additional work experience desirable.
Knowledge & Skills:	• Ability to develop new strategies and innovative projects • Good analytical abilities, both quantitative and qualitative: ability to perform advanced analysis in excel and produce high-quality written materials, including powerpoint presentations as well as text documents; • Experience with optimization processes (e.g. optimization of strategic planning, sourcing, logistics, finance processes, performance management, etc.) • Collaborative spirit to liaise with a wide range of people at all levels and across different cultures, with credibility and diplomacy; • 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 on tight deadlines; • Self-motivated and able to work with a certain degree of autonomy and/ or in team; • Fully committed and motivated to achieve the aims of the UN World Food Programme.
Languages:	In addition to a high proficiency in written and spoken English, knowledge of a second UN language is a plus.
Visa:	WFP supports Visa applications and the position is based in Rome, Italy.

 

Ref.: VA No. 174031

 

Female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply.  WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

 

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.