DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

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 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 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 WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

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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).

TERMS OF REFERENCE

JOB TITLE:
Digital Innovation Officer
TYPE OF CONTRACT:
SC8
UNIT/DIVISION:
Technology Division, based at CO
DUTY STATION (City, Country):
San Salvador, El Salvador
DURATION:
11 months

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
El Salvador’s National Digital Agenda 2020–2030 sets out an ambitious vision for national digital transformation, focusing on innovation, education, competitiveness, modernization of the state, and digital governance. The World Food Programme (WFP) is committed to supporting the national agenda as a key strategic partner, leveraging an advisory-focused approach that prioritizes national ownership, capacity strengthening, and sustainability.
The Digital Innovation & Business Transformation Officer will serve as a senior technical advisor, working closely with government counterparts to co-design, implement, and monitor digital transformation initiatives that are aligned with El Salvador’s national strategies and the WFP Country Strategic Plan. In coordination with management and relevant units, the officer will foster multisectoral collaboration and ensure the sustainability and impact of digital solutions.
Moreover, the incumbent will play a pivotal role in driving El Salvador’s innovation portfolio, ensuring that innovation initiatives are strategically aligned and deliver measurable impact. This includes selecting and prioritizing projects, supporting project managers with business modelling, adoption strategy, and resource mobilization, through structured guidance and coordination.
The incumbent, reporting to the Country Director will work in collaboration with the Regional Technology and Innovation unit in Panama.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
•
Provide strategic advice tailored to the Government’s needs and context, ensuring alignment with El Salvador’s National Digital Agenda and the WFP Country Strategic Plan.
•
Facilitate multisectoral collaboration between government, private sector, academia, and international partners, mapping stakeholders and supporting alignment across actors.
•
Drive the digital innovation portfolio, overseeing pilots, to ensure solutions are practical, scalable, and sustainable.
•
Lead or support the co-design of digital solutions and services at WFP, in collaboration with Programme and other relevant units.
•
Ensure that digital solutions are designed for government ownership, with WFP providing advisory support.
•
Develop and deliver capacity-building programs for public sector staff, focusing on digital skills, innovation management, and change leadership.
•
Support the creation of communities of practice and knowledge-sharing platforms, including South-South and Triangular Cooperation for sharing lessons learned.
•
Establish KPIs and monitoring frameworks to track progress and impact of digital transformation initiatives, incorporating both real-time performance tracking and longer-term evaluation.
•
Report regularly to WFP, government, and donors on results, challenges, and lessons learned, ensuring transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
•
Ensure regulatory frameworks, agreements, and legal instruments are in place, clearly defining roles, responsibilities, ownership, and risk mitigation measures.
•
Engage WFP Legal and relevant government authorities early in the project lifecycle.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:
•
Strategic Roadmap: Co-developed digital transformation roadmap for El Salvador, with clear milestones, KPIs, and resource requirements.
•
Project Portfolio: Portfolio of prioritized digital initiatives (e.g., digital identity, smart cities, fintech, e-government) with business cases and implementation plans.
•
Capacity Building: Training materials, workshops delivered, and a documented plan for ongoing capacity development in government institutions.
•
Monitoring & Evaluation Framework: Established system for tracking progress, measuring impact, and reporting on digital transformation activities.
•
Partnerships: Formalized partnerships and collaboration agreements with key stakeholders (government, private sector, academia, international organizations).
•
Knowledge Products: Case studies, best practice guides, and lessons learned documentation to support scaling and replication.
•
Sustainability & Exit Strategy: Documented sustainability plan and phased handover strategy, ensuring government ownership and long-term viability of solutions.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
Education:
Bachelor’s degree. Desirable, Master’s degree or advanced university degree in business, innovation and technology management, international development or other related fields.

Experience:
At least 8 years of progressively responsible international experience in a digital transformation, technology, innovation, start-up leadership role, with relevant exposure in the private and public sectors.

Knowledge & Skills:
•
Experience managing digital innovation and business transformation strategies and portfolio from ideation to implementation, especially in government or large organizations.
•
Understanding of funding models for digital solutions, start-ups, and impact innovations, and ability to advise on resource mobilization.
•
Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams, foster collaboration, and deliver results in complex, fast-moving environments.
•
Track record of driving impactful projects, including new business models and digital transformation initiatives.
•
Strategic thinker with strong conceptual, communication, and presentation skills.
•
Skilled in stakeholder engagement, partnership building, and navigating diverse cultures and organizational dynamics.
•
Self-motivated, autonomous, and fully committed to WFP’s mission and the goals of El Salvador’s digital agenda

Languages:
Fluency (level C) in oral and written English and Spanish is mandatory. Intermediate knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, and Russian) is a plus.
 

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

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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:  global.inclusion@wfp.org

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

• All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruitment system. We do not accept CVs or spontaneous applications by email.

• If you experience challenges while submitting your online application, please contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org for technical support only.

• Please note that applications sent to this email address cannot be considered.

• 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.

• 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

• 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.