DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

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ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the world’s 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 extreme weather shocks.

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 WFP's 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: https://www.wfp.org and 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: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Strategy and Portfolio Project Manager

TYPE OF CONTRACT: Consultancy

UNIT/DIVISION: WFP Innovation Accelerator, INNA

DUTY STATION (City, Country): Place of current residence - admin D/S Munich, Germany

DURATION: 6 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 WFP’s 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.

More information here: http://innovation.wfp.org and https://youtu.be/OnKkQlRdh2c.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

The incumbent, reporting to the Head of Innovative Finance, Frontier Innovations and Venture Launchpad, is expected to:

• Drive the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) Strategy Development and Project Portfolio Management: Design the development and implementation of an AI/ML strategy at the WFP Innovation Accelerator and oversee the corresponding project portfolio management, addressing both internal WFP processes, as well as in the context of program delivery in emerging and developing countries:

• Develop an AI/ML strategy and set focus areas and priorities to explore where AI can have an impact on humanitarian response and the food systems transformation;

• Identify and drive the development of promising AI/ML-based solutions from idea to scaling through the core Accelerator program;

• Define key performance indicators and milestones for AI projects and overall portfolio, and assure their implementation, impact measurement, and reporting;

• Build collaborations around AI technology, create the methods for accessing potential partnerships, and work with AI Technical Solutions Consultants to ensure that new AI /ML solutions are developed, prototyped and iterated upon quickly.

• Act as a project manager to champion specific AI/ML initiatives led by WFP:

• This includes supporting Country Office AI/ML pilots related to emergency response, small-holder farmer support, supply chain management, and other areas;

• Identifying and supporting opportunities to use AI/ML for internal efficiency and effectiveness;

• Champion AI/ML piloting with and/or integration within WFP operations or within other organizations (as applicable), while liaising with internal units such as country offices, procurement and legal, as required.

• Provide Technical Advisory & Thought Leadership Services: Advise WFP Country Offices on AI /ML initiatives, AI/ML project advisory and ecosystem trends:

• Serve as a AI/ML expert & thought leader with deep insight into the AI/ML industry;

• Provide sophisticated research and analysis on market and competitive trends to create deeply researched observations about the direction of AI/ML landscape;

• Help WFP staff in HQ and in Country Offices understand the technology, determine how AI/ML can be used to create impact in the field, and develop an approach that delivers impact early on, in order to build the evidence base for further development;

• Design and execute AI/ML knowledge sharing events, bringing together senior leaders and industry experts where WFP staff can learn what AI/ML technology is and—through relevant case studies—where it is useful. Work with workshop participants to identify opportunities and considerations relevant to their technical area (e.g. supply chain, cash-based transfers, small-holder farmers, etc.);

• Help WFP staff evaluate different approaches to execution (e.g. building in-house, leveraging third-party solutions, or joining existing consortia), and identify and evaluate the most suitable implementation platform and architecture best suited to the chosen use case;

• Work with key staff in HQ (e.g. Finance, Legal, Procurement) to help advise on policy and regulatory changes necessary to enable WFP to readily adopt AI/ML applications at scale;

• Execute any other task as required.

• Support the overall Innovation Accelerator operations:

• Provide analysis & content preparation (data on projects, PowerPoint presentations, briefs, etc.) for corporate priority topics and management meetings;

• Participate and carry out discussions with colleagues in other divisions or external stakeholders on topics related to innovation;

• Support other core processes of the Innovation Accelerator (e.g. innovation sourcing; innovation boot camps; sprint programme; thought leadership; scale-up enablement; innovation services; knowledge management) as required;

• Support the Head of the Innovation Accelerator and the Director of Innovation and Knowledge Management with any other activities as required.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

• Develop an AI/ML strategy for the WFP Innovation Accelerator to inform WFP’s investments in this space

• Generate a pipeline of external and internal AI/ML projects and ensure that AI/ML technologies are being used to deliver maximum value to WFP.

• Build partnerships with external organizations to help maximize AI/ML value-add within WFP operations and impact in the field.

• 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:        Bachelor’s degree in in engineering, business, economics, marketing, analytics, or other related quantitative discipline preferred. Master’s degree is a plus.

Experience:     At least 5 years of progressively responsible international experience in technology strategy and portfolio management, product development, project,

and partnership management. Experience with current AI/ML technologies and landscape required.

Knowledge & Skills:

·       Technical understanding of AI/ML applications and methodologies including computer vision, natural-language processing, chatbots, neural networks, etc.

·       Experience in innovation project life cycle - from ideation, minimum viable product, testing, prototyping and implementation.

·       Piloting and scaling of AI/ML solutions in WFP presence countries desired.

·       Demonstrated ability to translate clearly complex issues for a non- technical audience.

·       Demonstrated outstanding analytical and quantitative skills, and the ability to conduct independent research.

·       Experience working cross-functionally and getting things done in an agile and hands-on way.

·       Worked in a large-scale organization or with a client/in partnership with a large-scale organization.

·       Proven track record of driving and implementing projects - effectively delivering impactful elements of projects in a fast-moving environment, ideally for new businesses, new business models, start-ups etc.

·       Able to generate new and original solutions to complex problems and to design new product ideas.

·       Strong conceptual thinking to develop new strategies & innovative projects.

·       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 a high-level of ambition for the project and own work to achieve impact for the hungry people we serve.

·       Fully committed and motivated to achieve the aims of the UN World Food Programme.

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 WFP’s working languages) is considered advantageous.

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:  global.inclusion@wfp.org

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

• All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruiting system. We do not consider CVs or applications sent by email, LinkedIn, or any other channel.

• We strongly recommend that your Workday profile is accurate and complete, and that all sections are filled in, including your employment history, academic qualifications, language skills, and UN grade (if applicable). Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

• If you experience technical issues while submitting your application, you may contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org. Please note that this email is only for technical issues with an application - unsolicited applications or documents sent to this inbox will not receive a reply.

• At the application stage, the only required documents are your CV and Cover Letter. Additional documents (passport, certificates, recommendation letters, etc.) may be requested later in the process.

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.

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.