The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is hiring a Business Innovation Senior Consultant for a 6-11 month assignment, with the duty station listed as Rome, Italy / Munich, Germany. Applications close on 14 January 2027 at 23:59 Central European Time (Rome). At Youth Works Hub, we reviewed the full vacancy and set out every task, requirement and application rule below.
The Consultancy at a Glance
💼 Job title: Business Innovation Senior Consultant, United Nations World Food Programme
🧭 Team: Business Innovation Unit (BIU) / UN Advisory Alliance (UNAA), part of WFP's Innovation division
📍 Duty station: Rome, Italy / Munich, Germany
⏱️ Duration: 6-11 months
🎓 Education: preference for a degree in business, economics or engineering
📈 Experience: at least 4 years in management consulting or innovative finance
🗣️ Languages: high proficiency in written and spoken English, with a second UN language as a plus
🛂 Visa: WFP supports visa applications
Why WFP Needs This Role
Over the past years, WFP has responded to an unprecedented level of emergencies while maintaining its ongoing operations. This increased demand stretches the organization, which means WFP has to find new approaches and ways of working to ensure that every available resource is channelled to the people it serves.
Inside the Business Innovation Unit and UN Advisory Alliance
The Business Innovation Unit / UN Advisory Alliance was established in 2015 to manage change and to promote innovation as part of WFP's Innovation division.
🏛️ Its role: BIU/UNAA acts as the "management consulting arm" of WFP.
👥 Its people: the team is composed of staff with top-tier management consulting backgrounds as well as UN experience.
🤝 Its clients: the team executes projects on behalf of Executive Directors, Assistant Secretary Generals and Directors across the UN system.
🌐 Its reach: it has become a trusted advisor to WFP and to other entities, such as UN Women, UNFPA and the UN Secretariat.
End-to-End Solutions the Team Delivers
🔎 Problem assessment
📊 Data analysis
⚙️ Operational model design
🗺️ Change plan
📡 Implementation monitoring
What You Will Be Accountable For
The accountabilities of the assignment fall into three areas:
🚀 Execution of Business Innovation projects
🎯 Overall BIU/UNAA priorities
🧩 Other activities
Depending on the time of joining, your specific experience and current corporate priorities, you will be responsible for the full delivery of a project work stream. The sections below list the examples of specific deliverables given in the vacancy.
Deliverable Examples: WFP and UN System Senior Leadership Support
🧠 Advise senior leadership on prioritization of key organizational initiatives.
📐 Provide analytical and project management support.
🏃 Support initiative owners in driving implementation forward.
Deliverable Examples: UN Reform and UN80
🇺🇳 Support UN Reform/UN80 implementation and be part of an inter-agency project team.
🏗️ Support delivery of key interagency UN Reform initiatives, such as the Business Operations Strategy, Common Back Office and Global Shared Services, engaging with entity and Secretariat stakeholders as required.
🧮 Perform key data analyses to drive high-priority UN80 work packages, such as UNCT reconfiguration and entity merger assessments.
📣 Contribute to the communication efforts on UN Reform/UN80.
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Deliverable Examples: Additional Support to BIU/UNAA
📚 Support knowledge management reviews and best practices sharing.
🛠️ Take on additional support requests, as required.
Education and Experience Required
📜 Education: preference for a degree in business, economics or engineering.
🪜 Progressive experience: about 4 years of progressively responsible national and/or international experience in a business or international relations related position.
💡 Specific experience: at least 4 years of experience in management consulting or innovative finance is required.
➕ Beyond the minimum: additional work experience is desirable.
Knowledge and Skills for the Role
🌱 Ability to contribute to developing new strategies and innovative projects.
📉 Good analytical abilities, both quantitative and qualitative: the ability to perform advanced analysis in Excel and to produce high-quality written materials, including PowerPoint presentations as well as text documents.
🔧 Experience with optimization processes, such as the optimization of strategic planning, sourcing, logistics, finance processes and performance management.
🫱 Collaborative spirit to liaise with a wide range of people at all levels and across different cultures, with credibility and diplomacy.
⏰ Time management skills, with the ability to plan ahead, anticipate requirements, problems and obstacles, juggle competing priorities successfully and work on tight deadlines.
🔋 Self-motivation and the ability to work with a certain degree of autonomy and/or in a team.
🌾 Full commitment and motivation to achieve the aims of the UN World Food Programme.
Language Requirements
A high proficiency in written and spoken English is expected. Knowledge of a second UN language is a plus.
Visa Support and Base Location
The vacancy states that WFP supports visa applications and that the position is based in Rome, Italy, while the duty station line lists Rome, Italy and Munich, Germany.
About the World Food Programme
The World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of extreme weather shocks.
WFP describes its vision of the future workforce as diverse, committed, skilled and high performing teams, selected on merit and operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment. These teams live WFP's values and work with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.
🛡️ Integrity
🪢 Collaboration
💪 Commitment
🫶 Humanity
🌻 Inclusion
Why Work at WFP
🏅 WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
🎭 It offers a highly inclusive, diverse and multicultural working environment.
📖 It invests in the personal and professional development of its employees through training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship and other programs, as well as through internal mobility opportunities.
✈️ A career path in WFP provides the opportunity to work across various country, regional and global offices around the world, with passionate colleagues who work to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.
💶 WFP states that it offers an attractive compensation package and refers candidates to the Terms and Conditions section of the vacancy announcement.
The WFP Leadership Framework
The WFP Leadership Framework sets the common standards of behaviour that guide how WFP staff work together to accomplish the organization's mission.
Equal Opportunity and Reasonable Accommodation
WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.
WFP is also committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, use the dedicated contact address in the Links section at the end of this page.
How to Apply for This WFP Consultancy
🖥️ Online only: all applications must be submitted exclusively through WFP's online recruiting system. CVs or applications sent by email, LinkedIn or any other channel are not considered.
🧾 Workday profile: WFP strongly recommends that your Workday profile is accurate and complete, with all sections filled in, including employment history, academic qualifications, language skills and UN grade (if applicable). Once the profile is completed, apply and submit your application.
📄 Documents at application stage: the only required documents are your CV and Cover Letter.
🗂️ Possible later requests: additional documents, such as your passport, certificates or recommendation letters, may be requested later in the process.
📬 Shortlisting: only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.
🧰 Technical issues: a separate email address is available only for technical issues with an application. Unsolicited applications or documents sent to that inbox will not receive a reply.
No Fee at Any Stage
The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. If you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, disregard it. Emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced, so take particular care when submitting personal information on the web.
Selection Principles and Background Checks
All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
Who Cannot Be Appointed
No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the following bodies, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service:
🏢 UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ)
🗃️ International Civil Service Commission (ICSC)
🥖 FAO Finance Committee
🔍 WFP External Auditor
🧷 WFP Audit Committee
🔬 Joint Inspection Unit (JIU)
📎 Other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP
More roles like this one are listed in the Jobs section of Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the WFP Business Innovation Senior Consultant assignment?
The assignment runs for 6-11 months. The duty station is listed as Rome, Italy / Munich, Germany, and the vacancy states that the position is based in Rome.
How much experience does the Business Innovation Senior Consultant role require?
WFP asks for about 4 years of progressively responsible national and/or international experience in a business or international relations related position. At least 4 years of experience in management consulting or innovative finance is required, and additional work experience is desirable.
What degree does WFP prefer for this consultancy?
The vacancy states a preference for a degree in business, economics or engineering.
What will the consultant actually work on?
The consultant is responsible for the full delivery of a project work stream, depending on the time of joining, their specific experience and current corporate priorities. Examples include senior leadership support across WFP and the UN system, UN Reform/UN80 implementation and additional support to BIU/UNAA.
Which languages are needed for this WFP job?
High proficiency in written and spoken English is expected. Knowledge of a second UN language is a plus.
Does WFP support visa applications for this position?
Yes. The vacancy states that WFP supports visa applications.
What documents do I need to apply?
At the application stage, the only required documents are your CV and Cover Letter. Additional documents, such as a passport, certificates or recommendation letters, may be requested later in the process.
Can I send my CV to WFP by email or LinkedIn?
No. All applications must be submitted exclusively through WFP's online recruiting system, and CVs or applications sent by email, LinkedIn or any other channel are not considered.
Does WFP charge a fee to apply?
No. The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the recruitment process, and any request for such a payment should be disregarded.
Deadline
⏳ 14 January 2027
Links
🔗 Application page: https://wd3.myworkdaysite.com/recruiting/wfp/job_openings/job/Rome-Italy/Business-Innovation-Senior-Consultant_JR120033-1
🌐 WFP website: https://www.wfp.org
♿ Reasonable accommodation contact: global.inclusion@wfp.org
🛟 Technical issues with an application only: global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org
