Business Efficiency and Innovation Officer

Innovation

Overview

Evaluate internal processes, deliver innovation, support efficiency.

You have:

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Human Resources or related field.
• Seven years of relevant experience in administration and project management or implementing business transformation initiatives related to ERP environments.
• Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency- level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Organizational Setting

The Shared Services Centre (SSC) is responsible for the effective execution and continuous improvement of process management and service delivery in HR, Finance, Payroll, Travel, Contact Centre, and ERP troubleshooting. The SSC ensures quality assurance, drives customer satisfaction, and pursues a continuous improvement agenda to enhance service excellence and reduce costs through process standardization, automation, and self-service capabilities.

As a key user and stakeholder of the organizational Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system—including Oracle eBusiness Suite, Business Intelligence platforms, and satellite systems—the SSC manages a wide range of ERP processes and contributes to the evolution and alignment of these systems with FAO’s business needs. In addition, the SSC leverages new technologies such as ServiceNow (SNOW) for workflow automation, as well as robotics and artificial intelligence, to drive innovation, enhance service delivery, and support continuous improvement across all areas of operation.

The post is located in the Shared Services Centre (SSC) in Budapest, Hungary.

Reporting Lines

The Business Efficiency and Innovation Officer reports to the Director of the Shared Services Centre (SSC) and works in close collaboration with the Digital FAO and Agro-Informatics Division (CSI) at FAO Headquarters in Rome.

Technical Focus Evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of internal processes and services, managing internal projects, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and regulations. Deliver process innovation and continuous improvement initiatives to support organizational transformation. Collaborate with CSI and policy owners to define future functional needs, guide functional analysts in implementing process improvements, and oversee SSC-led enabling services - including process and system improvement, emerging technologies, knowledge and change management - across all SSC-assigned processes. Identification and implementation of business improvements leading to increased effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of administrative services of the Organization.

Key Results

Identification and implementation of business improvements leading to increased effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of administrative services of the Organization.

Key Functions

• Identify opportunities to improve and increase the efficiency of business processes; recommend prioritized solutions in collaboration with process owners and subject matter experts.
• Prepare work plans and monitor progress to ensure timely delivery of process and system improvement initiatives.
• Develop proposals and recommendations to inform senior management decisions on strategies, projects, and investments in change initiatives.
• Seek opportunities to enhance organizational effectiveness and customer satisfaction across shared services.
• Coordinate quality-improvement efforts and the adoption of best practices to ensure sustained improvement benefits.
• Coordinate the rollout of process and system changes, including deployment and communication plans, training materials, and capacity-building activities.
• Identify and evaluate opportunities to leverage artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation technologies to enhance process efficiency, reduce manual effort, and improve service delivery across SSC operations.
• Ensure process changes are documented and communicated in line with change management best practices.
• Supervise and develop team members, set objectives, delegate tasks, and provide coaching and feedback.
• Report on the status of design activities and projects and develop integrated plans and documentation.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Specific Functions

• Drives client-oriented process excellence by designing, implementing and evaluating improvements to business processes in Finance, HR, Payroll and Travel; reviews and analyses stakeholder-prioritized solutions with process owners and other subject matter experts to define process scope, business requirements and success criteria.
• Drive client-oriented process excellence by designing, implementing, and evaluating improvements to business processes in Finance, HR, Payroll, and Travel.
• Perform data analysis utilizing qualitative and quantitative methods, including surveys and data from the process execution to track performance against indicators and generate reports for SSC Management.
• Assess the feasibility and business case for AI and automation solutions in administrative processes and work with technical teams to pilot, implement, and scale AI-driven improvements.
• Ensure alignment of business, process and functional requirements with technology solutions.
• Collect business and functional requirements for system-based improvements and collaborate with technical teams in gap analysis, solution feasibility assessment, design, user acceptance testing, and deployment support.
• Evaluate and validate proposed modifications and enhancements to ensure quality, stability, and maintainability.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Human Resources or related field.
• Seven years of relevant experience in administration and project management or implementing business transformation initiatives related to ERP environments.
• Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency- level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions, is desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to lead diverse teams in international and multicultural settings.
• Relevant experience with ERP environments based on Oracle eBusiness Suite or similar technologies (e.g., SAP), preferably in the public sector or international organizations.
• Knowledge of the UN Common System, especially HR, Finance, and Travel policies and procedures, is an asset.
• Strong customer relationship management, negotiation, and communication skills.

Apply now

Potential interview questions

Added 2 months ago - Updated 1 month ago - Source: fao.org