Innovation Specialist (Design Thinking and Facilitation)

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

The Office of Innovation (OIN) is an important instrument within FAO to provide strategic direction and help drive and coordinate innovation across the work of the Organization, i.e., to consolidate and strengthen FAO's innovative spirit, including the innovation of approaches and cooperation models. OIN supports the Programme Priority Areas, ensuring that FAO mainstreams innovation in its programmes, facilitates cross-collaboration between the various FAO units, and aids in forging and reinforcing transformative partnerships.

Reporting Lines

The Innovation Specialist (Design Thinking and Facilitation) reports to the Senior Technical Officer who leads the Venture Team in OIN, and/or to the OIN Director. S/he works in close collaboration with other technical staff in the Venture Team and across OIN.

Technical Focus

Providing expert guidance in human-centric design thinking processes to ensure developed solutions have a great impact on target audiences, as well as facilitating end-to-end innovative and transformative projects in agrifood systems, including design, development, implementation, and scaling phases.

The incumbent will design, implement, and evaluate effective innovation programs and projects in accordance with FAO’s Strategic Framework and policies.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Provide extensive support for innovation initiatives by integrating human-centric design principles. • Facilitate design thinking sessions encompassing needs assessment, empathy mapping, and ideation. • Execute user research techniques, including interviews and journey mapping, to derive insights for projects. • Facilitate different stages of the innovation process, including sourcing, design, implementation, and scaling. • Oversee 'test and learn' approaches for continuous evaluation and improvement of prototypes and pilot initiatives. • Incorporate user feedback to make iterative enhancements to the solutions developed. • Participate in multi-disciplinary teams, and/or lead working groups/teams, collaborate with other departments and agencies on work groups and committee and promote best practices. • Provide coordination support to the Office of Innovation to deliver on FAO's Science and Innovation Strategy in general and to support streamlining of innovation within and outside of the organization. • Engage in planning and contributing to workshops, conferences, and meetings by suggesting agenda items, and preparing essential documentation and presentations that align with innovation and design thinking principles. • Support comprehensive field missions that focus on implementing innovative solutions, offering expert advice to consultants, government officials, and other stakeholders on organizing mission activities and compiling reports on findings and outcomes. • Offer expert recommendations on the use of innovation methodologies in the formulation of projects, policies, and strategies, as well as establishing standards and guidelines for projects and programs that incorporate design thinking and innovation within the scope of the organization's goals and objectives. • Provide training sessions on Design Thinking and other innovation facilitation methodologies to interested members of the internal FAO facilitators networks. • Perform other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in communication science, social science, political science, behavioural science, innovation systems, or related studies or any other relevant degree. • A minimum of five years of relevant experience in solution design for innovation initiatives, with a focus on human-centred design and behavioural science methodologies. • Working knowledge (proficient -level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate -level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Possesses a deep understanding of design thinking principles and their practical applications in solving complex challenges within the agrifood sector. • Demonstrates the ability to assist in the expansion of innovative solutions, ensuring they can be successfully adapted and adopted at scale. • Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions is desirable. • Relevance and extent of experience in national/international setting including field locations enabling the use of new communication techniques and behaviour change approaches. • Relevance and extent of experience in working with technical units and multi-disciplinary teams to enable innovation and change.

Selection criteria

• Demonstrated track record of working with innovation, including experience in startups and large organizations. • Proven extensive experience in applying human centric design and system thinking in project and program design and development contexts more generally. • Any certification in design thinking or human-centered design (HCD) will be an added advantage. • Comprehensive knowledge of agile methodologies and experience implementing agile practices to streamline and improve the efficiency of project execution will be appreciated. • Comprehensive knowledge of and experience in using the Lean Startup methodology will be appreciated. • Good knowledge of the social sector, development actors, and agrifood systems. • Familiarity with digital tools and emerging technologies within a human-centered design framework.