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Communications Consultant – Scale-Up Enablement

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 Events Project Manager 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 one of 10 organizations worldwide named as the Best Workplaces for Innovators 2020 and Innovation Team of the Year 2020 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, big data and blockchain - and new business models to transform the way it serves vulnerable communities across the world. In 2019 alone, Accelerator supported innovations that positively impacted the lives of 1.4 million people globally. Most recently, the Accelerator runs programmes for external partners such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and others.

In our accelerator programme for WFP, we source the best teams globally, run 1-week high-intensity “innovation bootcamp” trainings and support teams with up to $100K in equity-free funding, hands-on support by our team and access to WFP's global operations for our sprint programme. The most promising innovations are supported in scaling further.

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

General Information:

• ****Title of Post:**** Communications Consultant – Scale-Up Enablement
• ****Unit:**** Innovation Accelerator, Innovation and Knowledge Management Division (INKA)
• Country: Germany
• Duty Station: Munich
• Initial contract duration: 5 months

• Expected Start Date: 15.12.2020

  Duties and responsibilities:

  The Consultant, reporting to the Marketing and Communications Lead, is expected to:

1. Support development & implementation of a yearly communication strategy for the Innovation Accelerator, focusing mainly on the Scale-Up Enablement project portfolio of the Accelerator:

2. Carry out external communication on innovation and technology; develop and guide corporate and Accelerator-level communications priorities especially as it pertains to the Scale-Up Enablement project portfolio and knowledge sharing;

3. Produce and maintain up to date communication material for the Innovation Accelerator, specific to audiences and both online and traditional channels;
4. Liaise and manage press relations for both the Accelerator and Accelerator-supported innovations, as applicable;
5. Attract high-potential social innovations from within WFP and external networks through events, PR and digital marketing activities;
6. Review all external communications materials, as aligned with the Head of Innovation Accelerator;

7. Position the WFP Innovation Accelerator as industry/sector leaders by drafting and editing articles, blogs, press releases to promote Innovation Accelerator.

8. Support communications content creation for the Scale-up Enablement portfolio of innovation projects, which take part in the Innovation Accelerator, while ensuring alignment with the overall Accelerator communication strategy, plan and calendar:

9. Identify stories and major communications moments; lead content gathering, content creation and marketing, including digital production (e.g. graphic design, audio/video capturing and editing, blog writing, web publishing, social media posting) and coordination with Communications & Marketing team members;

10. Assist with project reporting and ensure that requirements are properly collected and information management and knowledge sharing between the Accelerator, project leads and external parties are properly organized and implemented, based on Accelerator and current best practices;

11. Support innovation projects with communication advice and preparation of communication material as required.

12. Support other partnerships, communications and events needs as required:

13. Provide input into communication and fundraising elements as required;

14. Prepare input, talking points, briefings for WFP senior management, inter-agency opportunities and donor communications;
15. Support developing material for advocacy/fundraising purposes;
16. Support the Accelerator’s fundraising activities and participation at external events;
17. Liaise with the Innovation and Knowledge Management Division’s Communications Officer, and the HQ communications team, as required;
18. Support core processes of the Accelerator (e.g. innovation challenge; bootcamps; Sprint programme; thought leadership) as required;
19. Support the Head of the Innovation Accelerator and the Director of Innovation with any other activities as required.

Required qualifications and experience:

Education:

The candidate must have an undergraduate degree; a degree in business, communications or international development preferred.

Experience:

At least 3 years of progressively responsible national and/or international experience in communications, marketing, reporting and/or business-related positions. Experience in innovation is beneficial.

Required soft skills/WFP Competencies:

• Experience in communications within a global organization required.
• Strong conceptual thinking to develop new communication strategies and coordinate projects.
• Ability to produce high-quality written materials, including graphically-based PowerPoint presentations as well as text documents.
• Ability to interact with leaders and external audiences with maturity and tact.
• Collaborative spirit able to liaise with a wide range of people at all 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 World Food Programme.
• Willing to work in and travel to different field locations and challenging operating environments.

Language requirements:

Fluency in written and spoken English required. Intermediate knowledge of another official UN language is beneficial.

• 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: 128921

  Closing Date: 29 November 2020

  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.

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