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Event Delivery Consultant

WFP Innovation Accelerator, INKA, Munich, Germany

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the leading humanitarian organization saving lives and changing lives, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. We are currently seeking to fill an Innovation Accelerator Head of Business Operations Consultancy position in the INKA division, based in Munich, Germany.

Brief description of WFP Innovation Accelerator, INKA:

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 2020, Accelerator supported innovations that positively impacted the lives of 3.7 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.

General Information:

• Title of Post: Events Delivery Consultant
• Unit: Innovation Accelerator, Innovation and Knowledge Management Division (INKA)
• Country:  Germany
• Duty Station: Munich
• Initial contract duration: 5 months (extendable)
• Expected Start Date: 01.10.2021

Duties and responsibilities:

The incumbent, reporting to the Head of Innovation Operations, is expected to:

1. Ensure the end to end planning and implementation of all in-person, virtual and hybrid events, including bootcamps, workshops and other innovation events:
   
    

1. Identify requirements for each event together with relevant team members;
2. Ensure  that contextual focus of the innovation activity are part of the design of the activity (based on the inputs of the Accelerator operations team and of management members, as applicable);
3. Establish the operational planning process of the events, integrating all tasks, deliverables, and timelines into the event’s master plan (e.g. gantt charts and planning worksheets);
4. Ensure clear roles and responsibilities are defined and assigned, with regular milestones check-ins;
5. Ensure delivery within established timelines and budgets;
6. Handle the operational and administrative aspects of preparing for the event, orchestrating the work of external vendors, and collaborating with other Accelerator teams such as Business Operations, Partnerships and Communications and other relevant teams at the Innovation Accelerator;
7. Conduct all pre-event communications for participants and guests to ensure a complete event onboarding and participation experience;
8. Ensure alignment between participants’ needs, stakeholders and the rest of the Innovation Accelerator functions, to achieve a cohesive delivery of event operations;
9. Coordinate the scheduling and own the calendaring logistics of each event, including invitations and guest management;
10. Ensure that all innovation support activities are planned and implemented in an effective and efficient manner, with all relevant internal and external clients and stakeholders.

2.    Ensure continuous improvement and lessons learned capturing linked to innovation events implementation: 

1. Ensure the development and improvement of activities and processes, including content design, operational coordination and planning;
2. Create and update process documentation, checklists, templates, project plans and other tools to streamline and simplify event execution; 
3. Conduct market research, evaluate and provide recommendations linked to events service providers;
4. Conduct evaluations, capture learning, and debriefs to determine how future events can be improved. 

3.      Support the overall Innovation Accelerator operations:

1. Provide analysis & content preparation (data on projects, PowerPoint presentations, briefs, etc.) for corporate priority topics and management meetings;
2. Participate and carry out discussions with colleagues in other divisions or external stakeholders on topics related to innovation;
3. Support other core processes of the Innovation Accelerator (e.g. innovation sourcing; innovation bootcamps; sprint programme; thought leadership; scale-up enablement; innovation services; knowledge management) as required;
4. Support the Head of the Innovation Accelerator and the Director of Innovation and Knowledge Management with any other activities as required.

Required qualifications and experience:

Required soft skills/WFP Competencies:

• Experience in coordinating all aspects of in-person, virtual and/or hybrid events management.
• Worked cross-functionally and able to get things done in a hands-on way.
• Experience working in a large scale-organization, including in complex international environments.
• Proven track record in driving projects - effectively delivering impactful elements of projects in a fast-moving environment.
• Able to generate new and original solutions to complex problems and to 

design new product ideas.

• Able to interact with a broad range of stakeholders and external audience with maturity and tact.
• Excellent oral and written communication/presentation skills, 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 mandate of the UN World Food Programme.

Language requirements:

Fluency in oral and written English mandatory. Intermediate knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) or Portuguese (one of WFP’s working languages) is a plus.

Terms and Conditions:

WFP offers a competitive compensation package which will be determined by the contract type and selected candidate’s qualifications and experience. 

Please visit the following website for detailed information on working with WFP: http://www.wfp.org 

Click on: “Our work” and “Countries” to learn more about WFP’s operations.

VA Reference no: 145244

Closing Date:  19 August 2021

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.

Fighting Hunger Worldwide