Business Innovation Senior Consultant

UN Atlas; Roma; Hybrid; EUR 80,000 - 107,000; Full time

Job summary

World Food Programme (WFP) seeks a Business Innovation Senior Consultant to provide high‑level strategic and analytical support to senior leadership, guiding innovation across the UN system and driving end‑to‑end project delivery.

The role requires about 4 years in management consulting or innovative finance, a degree in business, economics, or engineering, and strong data analysis, change management, and inter‑agency collaboration skills.

Qualifications

• A degree in business, economics, or engineering is preferred.
• Approximately 4 years of progressive national and international experience in a business or international relations role.
• Minimum 4 years of experience in management consulting or innovative finance.
• Fluency in English is required.

Responsibilities

• Lead business innovation projects and support BIU/UNAA priorities.
• Advise leadership on prioritization of initiatives and drive implementation.
• Support UN Reform/UN80 and inter-agency projects like Business Ops Strategy.
• Engage stakeholders and perform data analyses for work packages (UNCT reconfiguration, entity mergers).
• Contribute to knowledge management reviews and best practice sharing.

Skills

Business Strategy

Project Management

Data Analysis

Operational Model Design

Change Management

Implementation Monitoring

Quantitative Analysis

Qualitative Analysis

Process Optimization

Inter-agency Collaboration

Knowledge Management

Strategic Planning

Sourcing

Logistics

Finance Process Optimization

Performance Management

Cross-cultural Communication

Diplomacy

Time Management

Autonomy

Teamwork

Education

Business/Economics/Engineering degree preferred

Job description

Organizational context: The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian organization, dedicated to saving lives and building a pathway to peace and prosperity. In response to unprecedented emergencies, WFP must innovate and find new ways of working to maximize resource impact. The Business Innovation Unit (BIU)/UN Advisory Alliance (UNAA) serves as WFP's internal management consulting arm, driving change and promoting innovation across the UN system.

Job purpose: The Business Innovation Senior Consultant will provide high-level strategic and analytical support to senior leadership within WFP and the broader UN system. This role is crucial for driving organizational change and fostering innovation to enhance WFP's effectiveness in emergency response and long-term development efforts. The consultant will execute complex management consulting projects, focusing on problem assessment, data analysis, operational model design, and implementation monitoring. Key responsibilities include advising leadership on strategic initiatives, supporting UN reform efforts through inter-agency projects, and performing critical data analyses to inform high-priority work packages. The consultant will leverage their expertise in management consulting and innovative finance to deliver end-to-end solutions, contributing to WFP's mission of saving lives and changing them for the better.

Responsibilities:

The Business Innovation Senior Consultant will execute business innovation projects and contribute to the overall priorities of the Business Innovation Unit (BIU)/UN Advisory Alliance (UNAA). This role involves providing senior leadership support by advising on the prioritization of key organizational initiatives, offering analytical and project management support, and assisting initiative owners in driving implementation. The consultant will also play a part in UN Reform/UN80 by supporting the implementation of inter-agency initiatives such as the Business Operations Strategy and Global Shared Services. This includes engaging with stakeholders, performing data analyses for work packages like UNCT reconfiguration and entity merger assessments, and contributing to communication efforts. Additionally, the consultant will support knowledge management reviews, best practice sharing, and respond to other BIU/UNAA needs as they arise. The position requires a candidate with a strong background in management consulting or innovative finance, excellent analytical and quantitative skills, and the ability to collaborate effectively across diverse teams and cultures under tight deadlines.

Education:

A degree in business, economics, or engineering is preferred for a business innovation senior consultant role at the World Food Programme. This is a preference, not a strict requirement.

Work experience:

Requires approximately 4 years of progressive national and/or international experience in a business or international relations role. A minimum of 4 years of experience in management consulting or innovative finance is mandatory. Additional work experience is considered desirable.

Skills:

Business Strategy, Project Management, Data Analysis, Operational Model Design, Change Management, Implementation Monitoring, Quantitative Analysis, Qualitative Analysis, Process Optimization, Inter-agency Collaboration, Knowledge Management, Strategic Planning, Sourcing, Logistics, Finance Process Optimization, Performance Management, Cross-cultural Communication, Diplomacy, Time Management, Autonomy, Teamwork

Required languages:

English

Desired languages:

English