Innovative Finance Manager

UN Atlas; Roma; Hybrid; EUR 80,000 - 134,000; Full time

Job summary

World Food Programme is seeking an Innovative Finance Manager to design and implement financing instruments, including blended finance and results-based financing, within its Change Management and Business Innovation Unit.

You will lead strategy development, financial modeling, and stakeholder engagement with donors and investors, contributing to mobilizing new funding streams for humanitarian needs while working remotely with a diverse, international team.

Qualifications

• Requires at least 7 years of relevant work experience in innovative finance, development finance, or investment banking.
• Proven ability to design and implement financing instruments such as blended finance and results-based financing.
• Experience in landscape reviews, investment theses, and financial modeling.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement innovative financing instruments within BIU to unlock new funding streams.
• Lead projects, develop investment theses, and build financial models to support funding strategies.
• Engage with donors and investors, provide strategic advisory to senior leadership, and prepare high-quality reports.

Skills

Innovative Finance

Impact Investing

Development Finance

Investment Banking

Financial Modeling

Business Case Development

Risk-Return Frameworks

Resource Mobilization

Stakeholder Engagement

Project Management

Team Leadership

Quantitative Analysis

Qualitative Analysis

Strategic Advisory

Cross-cultural Collaboration

Change Management

Business Innovation

Job description

Work arrangement Remote / Home-based

Organizational Context

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian organization, dedicated to saving lives in emergencies and building pathways to peace and stability. WFP utilizes food assistance to support people recovering from conflict, disasters, and extreme weather. The organization values diversity, inclusion, and a high-performing workforce committed to its mission.

Job Purpose

The Innovative Finance Manager will play a crucial role within WFP's Change Management and Business Innovation Unit, focusing on designing and implementing cutting-edge financing instruments. This position is vital for mobilizing new funding streams beyond traditional Official Development Assistance (ODA) to address growing humanitarian and development needs. The manager will lead projects to develop innovative financing strategies, structure instruments like blended finance, impact investment funds, and results-based financing, and engage with diverse stakeholders including donors and investors. The role requires strong financial modeling, strategic advisory, and project management skills to ensure the successful operationalization of these mechanisms and contribute to WFP's ability to channel resources effectively to those in need.

Responsibilities

The Change Management and Business Innovation Unit (BIU) at the World Food Programme (WFP) seeks an Innovative Finance Manager to design and implement cutting‑edge financing instruments. This role involves developing strategies and launching mechanisms like blended finance, impact investment funds, and results‑based financing to unlock new funding streams beyond traditional Official Development Assistance. Responsibilities include executing business innovation projects, conducting landscape reviews of financing models, developing investment theses and financial models, and engaging with donors and investors. The manager will also support the operationalization of selected mechanisms, provide strategic advisory to senior leadership, and prepare high‑quality reports and presentations. Additionally, the role entails contributing to internal capacity‑building on innovative finance, supporting knowledge management, and guiding junior staff. The position requires expertise in designing and implementing innovative financing instruments, strong financial modeling and structuring capabilities, a deep understanding of resource mobilization, and the ability to lead teams and manage complex projects under tight deadlines. The manager will work collaboratively with internal teams and external partners across diverse settings.

Work Experience

Requires at least 7 years of relevant work experience in fields such as innovative finance, impact investing, development finance, or investment banking.

Skills

Innovative Finance, Impact Investing, Development Finance, Investment Banking, Financial Modeling, Business Case Development, Risk-Return Frameworks, Resource Mobilization, Stakeholder Engagement, Project Management, Team Leadership, Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis, Strategic Advisory, Cross-cultural Collaboration, Change Management, Business Innovation

Languages

Desired English, French

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