Innovation Scale-Up Advisor, International Consultancy at World Food Programme (WFP)

JOB PURPOSE

Reporting to the Head of the WFP Regional Innovation Hub For Eastern Africa, you will be working with all functional units in RBN including Partnerships, Supply Chain, Programme, Evaluation, and others. You will also work with Country Offices as well as stakeholders and partners in the regional innovation ecosystem.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: 

• Advanced Bachelor’s degree in Business, Innovation, Design, International Development or other related degrees OR First University Degree with additional working experience.

Experience: 

• At least 3 years of progressively responsible experience in African start-ups, consulting, FMCG private businesses or innovation/entrepreneur support in the humanitarian/international development sector.
• Experience building and delivering scale-up strategies for end-to-end verticals of work from within the private and humanitarian sectors, preferably at large-scale organizations

Language: 

• Fluency in oral and written English mandatory. Good command of Swahili; other regionally-spoken Bantu, Nilotic, or Afro-Asiatic languages; and/or French is beneficial.

Key Knowledge and Skills

• Passion and deep understanding of technology innovations (e.g. mobile apps, blockchain, artificial intelligence) and business model innovations (e.g. innovative finance, crowdsourcing)
• Strong networks of actors in African innovation ecosystems and a nuanced understanding of the sector and its development over the past decade
• Entrepreneurial or intrapreneurial leadership experience such as starting your own company, starting a new program/department or launching new organization-wide programs. Has worked cross-functionally and can navigate uncertainty with curiosity, poise, and a solution-oriented mentality

ADDITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Ability to gather and synthesize different types of qualitative (e.g. interviews, stakeholder consultations, network analysis) and quantitative (e.g. financial/impact modelling) information to guide major strategic and operational decisions
• Excellent communication/presentation skills, with the ability to write strategy documents, to develop business plans and to write and deliver presentations
• Strong conceptual thinking to develop new strategies and innovative projects, especially those which are driving progress towards the SDGs
• Able to interact with a broad range of stakeholders and external audience with maturity and tact

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

What you will do:

Entrepreneur Sourcing and Selection:

• Establish problem statements and a call for applications with selection committee (and informed by stakeholder consultations).
• Build a network of local innovation entities (innovation centres, incubators, accelerators, etc.) to ensure that the call for application is spread and reach the right innovators
• Establish a strong pipeline of MSMEs and start-ups, using generic outreach to contact lists, recommendations from partner network, strategic awareness-building events & webinars, and direct outreach to recruit promising companies
• Review and select MSMEs & start-ups to attend the acceleration programmes organized by the Hub
• Design and execute appropriate due diligence processes for each ecosystem/country context, engaging partner organizations if/when needed

Support start-ups during acceleration programmes:

• Act as entrepreneurial project manager for selected start-ups/innovation projects
• Support portfolio companies by acting as an “entrepreneur in residence” to provide bespoke guidance to innovators on defining key performance indicators and milestones; product testing, technology improvements, and market-fit; distribution and scale-up strategies; financial modelling; talent strategies; investor-preparedness; etc
• Support follow-on fundraising efforts by structuring third-party-verified dealbooks and executing investor-matchmaking activities and events

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (2)

Support other innovation hub activities:

• Provide analysis & content preparation (data analysis on projects, market research, powerpoint presentations, briefs, etc) for priority topics and new strategic initiatives (e.g. structuring an investment fund, partnering with local investors and corporates, etc)
• Participate and carry out discussions with colleagues in other divisions or external stakeholders on topics related to the Innovation Hub’s strategic priorities
• Support other core processes of the Innovation Hub (e.g. fundraising, partnerships, key events, etc) as required
• Support the Head of the Regional Innovation Hub as required