Innovative Finance Manager

Over the past years the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has responded to an unprecedented level of emergencies, while maintaining ongoing operations. This increased demand stretches the organization which means WFP has to find new approaches and ways of working to ensure we are channeling every available resource to the people we serve.
 

The Change Management and Business Innovation Unit (BIU) was established in 2015 to manage change and to promote innovation as part of WFP’s Innovation division:
• BIU acts as the “advisory arm” of WFP
• BIU is composed of staff with top-tier management consulting backgrounds as well as UN experience
 

We execute projects on behalf of Executive Directors, Assistant Secretary Generals, and Directors across the UN system, and have become a trusted advisor to WFP and other entities (e.g. UN Women, UNFPA, Business Innovation Group). Our focus is on end-to-end solutions, including problem assessment, data analysis, operational model design, change plan and implementation monitoring.
The United Nations entities are scaling up their efforts to mobilize innovative financing solutions to meet growing humanitarian and development needs. As part of the Change Management and Business Innovation Unit (BIU), this consultancy will focus on designing and implementing cutting-edge financing instruments that can unlock new funding flows, alternative to traditional Official Development Assistance (ODA), for our partners.
 

1. Execution of Business Innovation projects in Innovative Finance
2. Additional activities and needs

Depending on the time of joining, the candidate’s specific experience and current corporate priorities, the candidate will be responsible for the full delivery of a project work stream. Specifically, such workstream could be part of initiatives aimed at the definition of innovative financing strategies, the design and launch of innovative financing instruments such as blended finance instruments, impact investment funds, fundraising platforms, results-based financing, etc., or other similar initiatives.
 

Examples of specific deliverables are:

• Execution of Business Innovation Projects in Innovative Finance

• As part of a BIU team, support the design and structuring of innovative financing mechanisms aligned with our partners’ strategic priorities.
• Support the development of innovative financing strategies
• Conduct landscape reviews of existing and emerging financing models across the UN system and development finance ecosystem.
• Develop investment theses, business cases, and financial models for new instruments.
• Engage with donors, investors, and implementing partners to co-develop and validate financing structures.
• Support the operationalization of selected mechanisms, including legal, governance, and risk frameworks.
• Provide strategic advisory support to senior leadership on financing innovation.
• Prepare high-quality reports, presentations, and briefing materials for internal and external stakeholders.

• Additional activities and needs

• Contribute to internal capacity-building efforts on innovative finance
• Support knowledge management reviews and best practices sharing
• Guide and supervise more junior staff, acting as a point of referral and supporting them with more complex analysis and queries
• Additional project support based on pipeline and new projects contracted during time of contract, as required

Preference for a degree in finance, economics, business administration, public
policy, or related field.

• At least 7 years of relevant work experience in innovative finance, impact
  investing, development finance, investment banking, or related fields.
• Experience in a top tier management consulting firm or investment bank
• Experience working with multilateral organizations, development banks, or
  philanthropic investors is highly desirable

• Demonstrated expertise in designing and implementing innovative financing instruments such as blended finance mechanisms, results-based financing, social impact bonds, impact investment funds, digital fundraising platforms in the development or humanitarian context.
• Strong financial modeling and structuring capabilities, with the ability to develop investment theses, business cases, and risk-return frameworks for such instruments.
• Deep understanding of resource mobilization tools and strategies.
• Ability and experience leading and overseeing the work of a team of more junior resources (e.g., consultants) to deliver complex projects, analytical workstreams, and financial transactions end‑to‑end.
• Good analytical abilities, both quantitative and qualitative: strong financial modeling and structuring capabilities, with the ability to develop investment theses, business cases, and risk-return frameworks for innovative finance instruments; ability to produce high-quality written materials, including powerpoint presentations as well as text documents.
• Good stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
• Collaborative spirit to engage effectively with internal teams and external partners across diverse cultural and institutional settings.
• 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 on tight deadlines.
• Self-motivated and able to work with a certain degree of autonomy and/ or in team.
• Fully committed and motivated to achieve the aims of the UN World Food Programme.

In addition to a high proficiency in written and spoken English, knowledge of a second UN language is a plus.

WFP supports Visa applications and the position is based in Rome, Italy.