Innovation Specialist Design Thinking and Facilitation - Tenders Global
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Innovation Specialist Design Thinking and Facilitation

Food and Agriculture Organization

tendersglobal.net

Job Description

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Description

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The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind. 
The Office of Innovation (OIN) is an important instrument within FAO to provide strategic direction and help drive and coordinate innovation across the work of the Organization, i.e., to consolidate and strengthen FAO’s innovative spirit, including the innovation of approaches and cooperation models. OIN supports the Programme Priority Areas, ensuring that  FAO mainstreams innovation in its programmes, facilitates cross-collaboration between the various FAO units, and aids in forging and reinforcing transformative partnerships.
The Innovation Specialist (Design Thinking and Facilitation) reports to the Senior Technical Officer who leads the Venture Team in OIN, and/or to the OIN Director. S/he works in close collaboration with other technical staff in the Venture Team and across OIN.  
Providing expert guidance in human-centric design thinking processes to ensure developed solutions have a great impact on target audiences, as well as facilitating end-to-end innovative and transformative projects in agrifood systems, including design, development, implementation, and scaling phases. 
The incumbent will design, implement, and evaluate effective innovation programs and projects in accordance with FAO’s Strategic Framework and policies.
Tasks and responsibilities:
  • Provide extensive support for innovation initiatives by integrating human-centric design principles. 
  • Facilitate design thinking sessions encompassing needs assessment, empathy mapping, and ideation. 
  • Execute user research techniques, including interviews and journey mapping, to derive insights for projects. 
  • Facilitate different stages of the innovation process, including sourcing, design, implementation, and scaling. 
  • Oversee ‘test and learn’ approaches for continuous evaluation and improvement of prototypes and pilot initiatives. 
  • Incorporate user feedback to make iterative enhancements to the solutions developed. 
  • Participate in multi-disciplinary teams, and/or lead working groups/teams, collaborate with other departments and agencies on work groups and committee and promote best practices. 
  • Provide coordination support to the Office of Innovation to deliver on FAO’s Science and Innovation Strategy in general and to support streamlining of innovation within and outside of the organization. 
  • Engage in planning and contributing to workshops, conferences, and meetings by suggesting agenda items, and preparing essential documentation and presentations that align with innovation and design thinking principles. 
  • Support comprehensive field missions that focus on implementing innovative solutions, offering expert advice to consultants, government officials, and other stakeholders on organizing mission activities and compiling reports on findings and outcomes. 
  • Offer expert recommendations on the use of innovation methodologies in the formulation of projects, policies, and strategies, as well as establishing standards and guidelines for projects and programs that incorporate design thinking and innovation within the scope of the organization’s goals and objectives. 
  • Provide training sessions on Design Thinking and other innovation facilitation methodologies to interested members of the internal FAO facilitators networks. 
  • Perform other related duties as required. 
Candidates Will Be Assessed Against The Following:
Minimum Requirements:
  • Advanced university degree in communication science, social science, political science, behavioural science, innovation systems, or related studies or any other relevant degree.  
  • A minimum of five years of relevant experience in solution design for innovation initiatives, with a focus on human-centred design and behavioural science methodologies.
  • Working knowledge (proficient -level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate -level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish). 
Technical/Functional Skills :
  • Possesses a deep understanding of design thinking principles and their practical applications in solving complex challenges within the agrifood sector. 
  • Demonstrates the ability to assist in the expansion of innovative solutions, ensuring they can be successfully adapted and adopted at scale. 
  • Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions is desirable. 
  • Relevance and extent of experience in national/international setting including field locations enabling the use of new communication techniques and behaviour change approaches.
  • Relevance and extent of experience in working with technical units and multi-disciplinary teams to enable innovation and change. 

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