Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Strategy and Portfolio Project Manager

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

24 October 2025-23 : 59-GMT01 : 00 Central European Time (Berlin)

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.

ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the worlds 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 climate change.

At WFP people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse committed skilled and high performing teams selected on merit operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment living WFPs values (Integrity Collaboration Commitment Humanity and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

To learn more about WFP visit our website : follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news : YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok.

WHY JOIN WFP

WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

WFP offers a highly inclusive diverse and multicultural working environment.

WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training accreditation coaching mentorship and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.

A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country regional and global offices around the world and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.

We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

JOB TITLE : Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Strategy and Portfolio Project Manager

TYPE OF CONTRACT : Remote Consultancy

UNIT / DIVISION : WFP Innovation Accelerator INNA

DUTY STATION (City Country) : Admin D / S Munich Germany

DURATION : 11 months

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT :

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the United Nations frontline agency fighting hunger. WFP reaches more than 100 million people every day - delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with smallholder farmers communities and governments to improve nutrition and build resilience.

The WFP Innovation Accelerator was named by Fast Company as Most Innovative Non-Profit Organization 2021 for its work in identifying nurturing and scaling disruptive start-ups and innovations to end global hunger. Based in Munich Germany the Innovation Accelerator provides WFP employees entrepreneurs and start-ups with funding hands-on support and access to WFPs global operations. Through the Innovation Accelerator WFP is leveraging unprecedented advances in digital innovation - such as mobile technology artificial intelligence and blockchain - and new business models to transform the way it serves vulnerable communities across the 2023 Accelerator supported innovations that positively impacted the lives of 607 million people globally. Most recently the Accelerator runs programmes for external partners such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and others.

More information here : and incumbent reporting to the Head of Innovative Finance Frontier Innovations and Venture Launchpad is expected to :

Drive the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI / ML) Strategy Development and Project Portfolio Management : Design the development and implementation of an AI / ML strategy at the WFP Innovation Accelerator and oversee the corresponding project portfolio management addressing both internal WFP processes as well as in the context of program delivery in emerging and developing countries :

Develop an AI / ML strategy and set focus areas and priorities to explore where AI can have an impact on humanitarian response and the food systems transformation;

Identify and drive the development of promising AI / ML-based solutions from idea to scaling through the core Accelerator program;

Define key performance indicators and milestones for AI projects and overall portfolio and assure their implementation impact measurement and reporting;

Build collaborations around AI technology create the methods for accessing potential partnerships and work with AI Technical Solutions Consultants to ensure that new AI / ML solutions are developed prototyped and iterated upon quickly.

Act as a project manager to champion specific AI / ML initiatives led by WFP :

This includes supporting Country Office AI / ML pilots related to emergency response small-holder farmer support supply chain management and other areas;

Identifying and supporting opportunities to use AI / ML for internal efficiency and effectiveness;

Champion AI / ML piloting with and / or integration within WFP operations or within other organizations (as applicable) while liaising with internal units such as country offices procurement and legal as required.

Provide Technical Advisory & Thought Leadership Services : Advise WFP Country Offices on AI / ML initiatives AI / ML project advisory and ecosystem trends :

Serve as a AI / ML expert & thought leader with deep insight into the AI / ML industry;

Provide sophisticated research and analysis on market and competitive trends to create deeply researched observations about the direction of AI / ML landscape;

Help WFP staff in HQ and in Country Offices understand the technology determine how AI / ML can be used to create impact in the field and develop an approach that delivers impact early on in order to build the evidence base for further development;

Design and execute AI / ML knowledge sharing events bringing together senior leaders and industry experts where WFP staff can learn what AI / ML technology is andthrough relevant case studieswhere it is useful. Work with workshop participants to identify opportunities and considerations relevant to their technical area (e.g. supply chain cash-based transfers small-holder farmers etc.);

Help WFP staff evaluate different approaches to execution (e.g. building in-house leveraging third-party solutions or joining existing consortia) and identify and evaluate the most suitable implementation platform and architecture best suited to the chosen use case;

Work with key staff in HQ (e.g. Finance Legal Procurement) to help advise on policy and regulatory changes necessary to enable WFP to readily adopt AI / ML applications at scale;

Execute any other task as required.

Support the overall Innovation Accelerator operations :

Provide analysis & content preparation (data on projects PowerPoint presentations briefs etc.) for corporate priority topics and management meetings;

Participate and carry out discussions with colleagues in other divisions or external stakeholders on topics related to innovation;

Support other core processes of the Innovation Accelerator (e.g. innovation sourcing; innovation boot camps; sprint programme; thought leadership; scale-up enablement; innovation services; knowledge management) as required;

Support the Head of the Innovation Accelerator and the Director of Innovation and Knowledge Management with any other activities as required.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT :

• Develop an AI / ML strategy for the WFP Innovation Accelerator to inform WFPs investments in this space
• Generate a pipeline of external and internal AI / ML projects and ensure that AI / ML technologies are being used to deliver maximum value to WFP.
• Build partnerships with external organizations to help maximize AI / ML value-add within WFP operations and impact in the field.
• Ensure that all work and materials developed during the contract are well documented and available to the WFP Innovation Accelerator team.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED :

Education : Bachelors degree in in engineering business economics marketing analytics or other related quantitative discipline preferred. Masters degree is a plus.

Experience : At least 5 years of progressively responsible international experience in technology strategy and portfolio management product development project

and partnership management. Experience with current AI / ML technologies and landscape required.

Knowledge & Skills :

Languages :

Fluency in oral and written English is required. Intermediate knowledge of

another official UN language (Arabic Chinese French Russian and Spanish) or Portuguese (one of WFPs working languages) is considered advantageous.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behavior that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation please contact :

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

The United Nations does not charge any application processing training interviewing testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee please disregard it. Furthermore please note that emblems logos names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate complete and includes your employment records academic qualifications language skills and UN Grade (if applicable).

Once your profile is completed please apply and submit your application.

Please make sure you upload your professional CV in the English language

Kindly note the only documents you will need to submit at this time are your CV and Cover Letter

Additional documents such as passport recommendation letters academic certificates etc. may potentially be requested at a future time

Please contact us at in case you face any challenges with submitting your application

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified

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. Therefore all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the 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) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.

Required Experience :

IC

Key Skills

CNC,Computer Software,Equity Research,Investment,ITI

Employment Type : Full-Time

Experience : years

Vacancy : 1