Rice Fortification Programme Expert (International Consultant), Bangkok, Thailand

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Type of Contract:  International Consultant (Re-Advertisement, candidates who have already applied for this position do not need to re-apply)

Duty Station: WFP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific (RBB), Bangkok, Thailand (with extensive travel in the region)

Supervision Received: Reporting to RBB Senior Regional Nutrition Advisor

Duration of Assignment: This assignment is until 31 December 2018

ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide.  The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes.  Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

BACKGROUND

Rice fortification is a proven and cost effective strategy that improves health and productivity through the reduction of micronutrient deficiencies (MNDs) in large segments of a country’s population. Rice is the main staple food for three billion people, the majority of whom reside in Asia. Making rice more nutritious post-harvesting by adding essential vitamins and minerals, many of which are lost during processing, has the potential to fill a clear gap in the current fortification landscape.

WFP has positioned itself as a key technical assistance partner to governments to effectively implement and scale up rice fortification programmes in Asia. WFP promotes the use of fortified rice as part of national social safety net programs to enhance diets of vulnerable populations, but also supports its commercialisation in relevant contexts to make it available to an even larger segment of the population. 

JOB PURPOSE

Under these Terms of Reference, the consultant will support further scaling up of rice fortification in Asia and the Pacific region. He/she will continue to strengthen WFP’s leadership in the area of rice fortification in Asia and the Pacific, in partnership.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

MAIN TASKS:

Under general guidance from the Senior Regional Nutrition Advisor, the consultant will:

• Provide technical leadership in rice fortification
• Coordinate rice fortification activities in the region, and
• Enhance learning and knowledge management in relation to rice fortification initiatives, including from research and programmes
• Maintain and strengthen partnerships on rice fortification

The fortification expert will work in support of WFP country offices to provide technical assistance to Governments on rice fortification and will engage in partnerships with different stakeholders, including civil society, research institutions, private sector, and other UN-agencies at global, regional and national level, in selected countries.

SPECIFIC TASKS:

1. SCALE UP RICE FORTIFICATION IN SELECTED COUNTRIES:

• Provide strategic and technical guidance and support to country offices on supply side, demand side and institutional aspects of advancing and scaling up rice fortification. These include:  
  • Support policy development including standard setting, guidelines and any regulatory work
  • Support analytical work including rice landscape and cost analysis to understand local supply and value chain as well as advising on implementation of recommendations of past analysis
  • Assess feasibility of different delivery options for fortified rice in country, identify short term, medium term and long term approaches
  • Support business case development for local production of fortified rice and fortified kernels and contribute in the discussion what are the best platforms to reach  the key target groups
  • Support  multi-sectoral coordination mechanisms at national and regional level, and link with global platforms
  • Liaise with, strengthen and create new partnerships with key stakeholders, including governments, civil society, private sector, research institutions and donors at regional and national level and input into global partnerships

2.SUPPORT KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT & ADVOCACY:

• Establish a regional rice fortification task force as a info sharing platform
• Document achievements, best practices and lessons learned on rice fortification to enhance learning within WFP and amongst partners at national, regional and global level
• Coordinate rice fortification knowledge sharing event as part of a regional nutrition workshop
• Facilitate the development and implementation of advocacy strategy and materials aimed at improving commitment, knowledge and understanding of decision makers, private sector, public sector, general public, people benefiting from rice fortification (as part of a comprehensive approach towards reducing malnutrition)
• Advocate for rice fortification at conferences, workshop and consultations

3. OTHERS:

• Report project progress to key stakeholders against defined indicators
• Act as WFP technical focal point for rice fortification in Asia and the Pacific
• Perform any other duty in technical area of this consultation as required

The fortification specialist will work as part of the Regional Bureau’s Nutrition team under the direct supervision of the Senior Regional Nutrition Advisor. He / she will work closely within the team and with other teams such as the Supply Chain team in particular on aspects of food quality and safety. He / she will also work in collaboration with other regional bureau teams and the Nutrition Division in WFP’s headquarters.  

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCES

Education requirements and skills:

• Postgraduate degree (Master's degree or higher) in public health, nutrition or related field

Knowledge and skills:

• Strong technical knowledge of public health and nutrition, including micro nutrients
• Technical knowledge in (large scale) fortification
• Sound knowledge of global nutrition goals, agendas and platforms such as Sustainable Development Goals, Scaling Up Nutrition Movement , etc.
• Proven leadership and management skills; ideally in an advisory role at global or regional level
• Strong analytical skills, strong interpersonal and organizational skills, with an ability to effectively manage multiple tasks simultaneously
• Knowledge of rice sector in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and/or Pacific Islands

Experience

• A minimum of 8 years work experience in large scale fortification, of which at least 3 years at international level
• Experience with programme cycle management (design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation) of large-scale food fortification programmes with public health objectives in low and middle-income countries
• Successful track record in networking with government / public sector, private sector, civil society, UN agencies, donors and research institutions
• Experience in capacity development especially of government counterparts and private sector on aspects related to food fortification
• Evidence based approach, incl. experience with research, academic publications, etc
• Work experience in South Asia and South East Asia would be a great asset 
• Experience with the UN and WFP would be a strong  asset

Language and communication

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

Critical success factors

• Ability to engage effectively at field level with a wide range of actors including those in the international humanitarian community and governments
• Solid computer skills
• Ability to work under tight deadlines and simultaneously manage multiple tasks in an autonomous manner
• Maturity, initiative, courtesy, tact and ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with people of different national and cultural backgrounds
• Ability to handle any other additional tasks as requested by the supervisor
• Ability to undertake frequent travel 

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Deadlines of the application: 28 February 2018 (Midmight Thailand time).

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Female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

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.