Payment Technology and Fintech Specialist P4 – Rome, Italy

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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.

Are you a Payment and Fintech Specialist interested in further developing your professional experience while contributing to ending global hunger? Are you passionate about helping those in need? Would you like to join a global organisation investing in its people?

If so, an exciting & fulfilling career awaits you! Join our diverse and passionate team that works on varied and international projects directly contributing to saving & changing millions of lives around the globe.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Applications must be submitted before Monday, 28 August 2023 (10:59 PM CET).

WHO WE ARE

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), a highly prestigious, reputable & world’s largest humanitarian organization, operating in more than 120 countries and territories, bringing life-saving assistance in emergencies, building pathways to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change and supporting sustainable and resilient livelihoods for a world with zero hunger.

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 WFP's 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: UN World Food Programme (WFP) and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter.

WHY JOIN US?

• 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 trainings, 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 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 attractive compensation package (please refer to Terms and Conditions section)

ABOUT THE CBT AND FINB UNIT AT WFP

Where markets and financial sector are functioning, cash transfers can be an effective path to achieve food security and nutrition outcomes.

The World Food Programme (WFP) uses cash transfers to empower people with choice to address their essential needs in local markets, while also helping to boost these markets. In 2021, WFP transferred a record high US$2.3 billion of purchasing power to people in 69 countries. This represented 34 percent of WFP’s total assistance portfolio for the year.

Cash transfers include assistance distributed as physical bank notes, e-money, mobile money, through debit cards or value vouchers which are redeemable at locally contracted shops.

Cash transfers have multiplier effects on the local economy. By enabling people to purchase food and other items locally, cash can help strengthen local markets, encourage smallholders to be more productive and build national capacities. Between 2009 and 2019 WFP cash transfers injected around US$ 6.8 billion into national economies.

In striving to reach the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of ending poverty and hunger by 2030, WFP aims to empower local governments and organizations to be self-reliant in the face of a crisis. As WFP provides an increasing portion of its assistance in cash, it is able to align with national social protection systems and support Governments in designing, delivering, and enhancing cash-based interventions.

The Finance Business Development and Cash-Based Transfers (FINB) unit is responsible for the following at WFP:

Planning and Coordination: assisting Country Offices (COs) in the financial aspects of CBT interventions while coordinating activities globally.

Procedure and Processes: creating needed policies, procedures, and templates for COs, ensuring that financial risk is minimized at each step of CBT interventions; setting policies, procedures and guidance for standardizing financial processes (i.e. developing Standard Operating Procedures); contributing to the integration of financial aspects in SCOPE and WINGS platforms.

Partnership: building and sustaining robust partnerships with local governments and key stakeholders in the finance sectors – also by supporting COs in the selection of suitable Financial Services Providers (FSPs) – and leveraging best practices from corporate partnerships.

Capacity Development: strengthening financial skills among Finance and CO staff to ensure that they are enabled in undertaking CBT intervention. In this light, FINB has contributed to the organization of trainings, materials such as the CBT Manual on Financial Management, as well as to the preparation of eLearning guides.

THE ROLE

You will support the Chief FINB in providing strategic, intellectual, and operational leadership in the management of that unit and carry out a broad range of substantive work in strengthening CBT Programme through Fintech and digitization of financial services.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

You will be required to carry out the following duties and responsibilities under the direction of the Chief FINB:

• Assess and determine which fintech innovations and digital financial services may be relevant to CBT in the medium / long term to empower WFP COs to deliver CBT interventions effectively.
• Identify and develop insights into critical regulatory policy of central banks and financial regulatory body, trends and risks in engaging with fintech and digital financial services from the perspective of WFP. Conduct a gap assessment of national capabilities and assess vis-a-vis CO organizational needs and define a specific plan to bridge these gaps.
• Identify potential partnership opportunity and craft the engagement strategy with a wide variety of organizations across the payments, banking, fintech spectrum, telecommunication companies (telcos), remittance companies, Payment Service Providers / Aggregators, Cash Management / Agent / Cash in Cash Out Networks, Cryptocurrencies / Blockchain etc.
• Engage directly with the companies identified to better understand how their offerings, innovations and business models can apply to WFP’s unique humanitarian context and to the organization’s priority countries and create a roadmap to adopt relevant new technologies.
• Provide solution to the complexity in contracting; identity/training/registration; lack of KYC; and liquidity management through partnerships with fintech.
• Establish local, regional and global partnerships that can provide specific assistance to improve the CBT business model.
• Provide substantive analytical inputs on financial sector issues focusing on promoting financial market development and efficiency, digital financial inclusion and economic empowerment.
• Design policies, guidance, and set standards from different angles (licensing, regulation, categorization, market indicators, financial strength, bulk disbarment capacities, vulnerability, pricing models, partnerships, etc.) to establish a corporate framework for WFP to engage with Fintech and Aggregators in its CBT interventions.
• Oversee CBT related financial/compliance/regulatory/others of similar nature risks (“CBT risks”) risks to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulatory requirements, policies, and best market practices.
• Ensure timely and cost-effective integration of new technologies with WFP’s corporate systems.
• Lead, motivate and coach a team of finance professionals and general service staff to enable continued development and high performance.
• Represent unit at internal meetings, external meetings and events with other UN agencies, banks and other financial institutions, or other partners and entities as required.
• Take responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives in all areas of work, to ensure equal participation of women and men.
• Contribute to preparedness actions such as early warning, risk analysis and contingency planning and make recommendations. Periodically monitor the management of risks and report on any action taken.
• Carry out other assignments as determined by the Head of the Unit.

QUALIFICATIONS AND KEY REQUIREMENTS

Education:

You have:

• An advanced degree in economics, financial economics, public policy or related field or an undergraduate university degree with 2 years of additional postgraduate work experience.

Experience:

You have:

• 8 years of professional postgraduate experience in the financial services industry, in which at least 3 years are in the technology and fintech domain.

Language:

You have:

• Fluency (level C) in the English language.
• Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and/or WFP’s working language, Portuguese.

MORE ABOUT YOU

You have:

• Strong knowledge of and/or hands-on experience with financial technology and/or policy and regulation in the innovation, specialized in payments at technical and managerial levels.
• Demonstrated experience with Anti-Money Laundering / Combating the Financing of Terrorism topics such as correspondent banking pressures, FinTech and virtual assets, transparency of beneficial ownership, illicit financial flows, and assessing risks (including gathering, using, and interpreting data) would be distinct advantages.
• Strong knowledge of the global landscape of providers, segmented into the different business areas and capabilities of the larger FinTech arena.
• Deep familiarity of the business model of the different types FinTech providers, legal structures, and affiliation across the globe as well as licensing requirements.
• Ability to tap into network of stakeholders and subject matter experts on a global level.
• Track record of successfully building out a team desirable.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

These are the common standards of behaviour that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

Different expectations of behaviour are defined depending on your grade and role/responsibilities within WFP.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package in line with ICSC standards (http://icsc.un.org) including basic salary, post adjustment, relocation entitlement, visa, travel and shipment allowances, 30 days’ annual leave, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, a pension plan, and medical insurance.

Mobility is and continues to be, a core contractual requirement in WFP. The selected candidate will be employed on a fixed-term as well as a rotational contract with a probationary period of one year.

The selected candidate will be required to relocate to Rome, Italy to take up this assignment.

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• The internal title for this position is CBT Payment Technology and Fintech Specialist P4
• 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 wfprecruitment@wfp.org in case you face any challenges with submitting your application
• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified

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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.

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