Head of Research & Development Department – WFP’s African Risk Capacity (ARC) The World Food Programme (WFP), the world’s largest humanitarian organization and 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, is seeking a Head of Research & Development for its African Risk Capacity (ARC) Agency. Based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, this senior consultant position offers a unique opportunity to lead cutting-edge research, innovation, and risk management initiatives aimed at strengthening Africa’s disaster resilience. ARC is Africa’s sovereign insurance pool and early disaster response mechanism, providing governments with immediate access to funds for proactive responses to natural disasters. By combining traditional relief methods with innovative risk pooling and transfer approaches, ARC empowers member states to anticipate disasters, protect development gains, and build sustainable resilience across the continent. Why Join WFP & ARC? At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do. The organization is committed to a diverse, inclusive, and high-performing workforce operating in a healthy work environment. Employees are selected on merit and supported through training, mentorship, internal mobility, and professional development programs. Joining ARC as the Head of R&D means: Contributing to a pan-African disaster response system serving 39 AU member states Driving innovation in parametric risk management and modelling technologies Leading the development of new insurance products, including drought, flood, cyclone, outbreak, and epidemic risk solutions Working in a dynamic, multicultural environment that encourages collaboration, innovation, and knowledge transfer Engaging with governments, regional technical institutions, and global partners to advance Africa-led risk management solutions Role Overview: Head of Research & Development Duty Station: Abidjan, Côte d’IvoireContract Type: Regular ConsultantDuration: 6 months, with possibility of extensionReporting to: ARC Group Director General The Head of R&D will lead the ARC Agency’s research and development strategy and programme, ensuring that ARC remains at the forefront of global parametric insurance innovation. The role encompasses: Overseeing the design and launch of new insurance products for drought, flood, cyclone, and outbreak/epidemic risk Refining and enhancing Africa RiskView, the agency’s satellite-based risk modelling software for drought assessment Developing new financing initiatives and special projects as requested by the Director General Leading, mentoring, and managing a high-performing, multidisciplinary R&D team Implementing best practices in evaluation, quality assurance, intellectual property, sustainability, and compliance Organizing expert advisory panels and ensuring knowledge transfer across the continent Establishing and maintaining productive partnerships with regional and global technical institutions Key Responsibilities Strategy & Management Spearhead ARC’s R&D strategy in alignment with growth goals and member state demand Ensure R&D outputs contribute to sustainable, Africa-led disaster risk management solutions Manage multiple projects, partners, and teams to deliver high-quality, innovative results Conceptualize and implement cutting-edge research, analytics, and publications to strengthen ARC’s value proposition Technical & Operational Leadership Develop risk models and software tools to enhance ARC’s insurance products Design and deploy new parametric insurance products with technical partners Oversee project implementation, monitoring, and evaluation for R&D initiatives Identify emerging technical trends and integrate innovation into ARC operations Qualifications & Experience Education: Advanced university degree in Natural Sciences, Agricultural Sciences, Mathematics, Computer Science, Data Science, Economics, Finance, or a related quantitative field PhD preferred but not mandatory Experience: Minimum 10 years of postgraduate experience in risk modelling, financial or commodity risk management, insurance product design, and program development Expertise in parametric insurance, sovereign risk management, and disaster risk modelling Proven leadership and management skills, with experience guiding multidisciplinary and geographically diverse teams Track record of delivering innovative, complex projects in-house and with external partners Skills & Competencies: Strategic thinking across multi-disciplinary programs Strong problem-solving and project management abilities Effective communication and stakeholder engagement skills Ability to navigate complex technical and operational challenges in high-stakes environments WFP & ARC Values WFP embraces diversity and inclusion, encouraging applications from all qualified candidates, irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, or social background. Working at ARC means contributing to humanitarian innovation, resilience-building, and African-led solutions in disaster risk management. Application Deadline: 18 December 2025 – 23:59 GMT (Abidjan time) Interested candidates are invited to apply online, referencing Job Requisition ID: JR118407. To learn more about WFP and ARC, visit https://www.wfp.org and follow WFP on YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. APPLY HERE For more opportunities such as these please follow us on Facebook, Instagram , WhatsApp, Twitter, LinkedIn and Telegram Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the hiring organization. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.