Innovation Specialist, Food and Water
Jobbeschreibung
Genève, Genf, Schweiz
World Economic Forum
03.05.2024
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The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the
world, is the International Organization for Public-Private
Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, and
other leaders of society to build coalitions, projects and initiatives
– digitally and physically – to address industry, regional and
systemic issues.The Centre for Climate & Nature (CNC) seeks to bring
innovation and frontier approaches to help the international system be
more agile and equipped to respond to today's challenges. The Centre
does this by helping the international community leverage
public-private cooperation, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, systems
thinking and a platform approach for improved management of the global
commons and building sustainable markets for the 2030 development
goals.The CNC is seeking an Innovation Specialist to operationalize
the Innovation and Technology Ecosystem pillar of the Food and Water
team.Why we are recruiting Food and Water is a newly integrated
portfolio located at the Centre for Nature and Climate. The Forum has
worked on both agendas for a decade and a half, building up a strong
track record of galvanizing multi-sectoral leadership to support
collective regional and country-led action, and advancing global
insight and policy, to accelerate food systems transformation and,
water security and equity, to meet the needs of people and the planet.
More here: Food initiatives and Water initiatives.The food and water
agenda has three strategic tracks:Finance and Incentives for
Regenerative and Adaptive,Innovation and Technology Ecosystems,Public
Private Partnerships to support country pathways.The Food and Water
team’s second Strategic Track is focusing on developing a global
innovators network that can develop and disseminate best practices,
enable knowledge exchange, curate a global community of practice and
action across scalable innovation opportunities. Emerging technologies
including data and digital are a key priority within the global
initiative that can supportfood and water systems in being net-zero,
nature positive and nourish all.The Food and Water Team is hiring a
Innovation Specialist to support, develop and connect the ecosystem of
innovation and technology to food and water agendas as part of the
second strategic track. A key component of the track is an UpLink
partnership on its Aquapreneur Innovations Initiative and the Food
Innovation Hubs Global Initiative that aim at strengthening innovation
ecosystems for freshwater and food systems transformation.The
Aquapreneur Innovations Initiative is a 5-year $15M project which was
launched during the Forum’s Annual Meeting in May 2022 with HCL, an
Indian conglomerate. It aims to accelerate the innovation agenda for
water and create a first-of-its-kind innovation ecosystem for the
global freshwater sector on UpLink. Each year, it runs one water
innovation challenge, sourcing up to 10leading water entrepreneurs –
“Aquapreneurs” – and distribute a total prize money of $1.75 million
amongst them. Through UpLink, Aquapreneurs will receive visibility,
introductions to scale their funding, invitations to global events as
well as become part of the UpLink innovator community. In parallel,
UpLink is growing a Water Innovation Ecosystem to strengthen
collaboration across thediverse stakeholders and accelerate water
innovation and implementation for all.The Food Innovation Hubs global
initiative aims to drive relevant high-end and low-cost inclusive
innovation that can have a scalable impact and meet the needs of food
systems stakeholders.Globally, the initiative is focused on three
following strategic pillars where innovations can contribute to 1)
Resilient and climate-smart; 2) Sustainable and healthy and 3)
circular food systems.The Innovation Specialist will spearhead the
development of connecting UpLink Aquapreneurs and a pipeline of
innovative solutions to a wider innovation ecosystem in food and
water. In addition, the Innovation Specialist will be responsible for
ensuring that Uplink Aquapreneurs and the related programmes are
included in key milestones and across strategic pillars of food and
water systems.Reporting Lines & InteractionsThe role will be based in
Geneva within the Centre for Nature and Climate (CNC), reporting to
the Lead, Data and Digital, Food and Water, who is based in Geneva.
There will be a non-formal relationship with the Lead, Water and
Health, UpLink, who is based in Geneva.Internally, this person will
work with colleagues in the broader CNC, as well as a wide range of
other teams and colleagues in the Forum.Externally, this person will
engage Forum partner companies, potential Forum partners, the investor
community and a broad range of stakeholders including governments,
multilateral development organizations, civil society, and academia in
the areas of food and water.Responsibilities will include:Responsible
for managing and engaging the community of Aquapreneurs and innovator
pipeline to the Food and Water programmes, across innovation and
technology strategic pillar.Lead the collaboration with UpLink on
water as it pertains to building an ecosystem of innovators. This
would include innovation ecosystem mapping, pipeline building and
active outreach and formalizing collaborations with the identified
stakeholders in the water innovation space.Support the Lead, Water and
Health, UpLink with the operations and management of the Aquapreneur
Innovation Challenges.Facilitate introductions and meaningful
collaboration opportunities for respective UpLink Aquapreneurs and
water-focused funds with Impact Partners, Investors and Forum
platforms, communities, and networks.Support the development and
specific thematic of the Global Innovators Network, to foster
learnings exchange across the food innovation hubs, UpLink, C4IR
network, and others leveraging internal as well as external
communities of innovators and thought-leaders.Develop a pipeline and
network of mission-aligned external organizations, with resources to
support aquapreneurs either financially or otherwise, committed to
supporting UpLink water challengesThe successful candidate will be
assessed onInternal and external partner engagement to advance the
work on data and digitalCommunity design, development and management
including organizing regular exchanges, knowledge development and
deliveryManage event planning and logistics for select key global
milestonesEnsure external and internal communications plans are well
delivered and amplify the work of the initiativePreferred Requirements
and Experience5-7 years of professional experience in the public
sector, private sector or civil society, international working
experience is a plusStrong understanding of sustainability and the
issues core to the global water security agenda, including climate
change, resilience, nature, and circular economyA passion for the role
of innovation and entrepreneurship as a key accelerator for
sustainable developmentFamiliarity with the accelerator, incubator or
investor eco-systemMaster’s, political science, environmental science,
MPA, MBA or equivalent degree in businessExperience in handling
public-private partnerships and multi-stakeholder platformsExcellent
knowledge of the water political and stakeholder landscapeExcellent
relationship management skills and international network among key
individuals and organizations in the water sectorEntrepreneurial mind,
excellent communicator with high standards of professionalism and
integrityWilling to work in a highly demanding environment and able to
juggle multiple prioritiesWhy work at the ForumWe believe that
progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life
who have the drive and the influence to improve the state of the world
by building awareness and co-operation, shaping mind-sets and agendas
and driving collective action. Join us and become a driver for
positive change!Why work at the Forum:The Forum believes that progress
happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have
the drive and the influence to improve the state of the world by
building awareness and cooperation, shaping mindsets and agendas, and
driving collective action. Join us and become a driver for positive
change!SummaryLocation: GenevaType: Full time