Senior Nutrition and Strategy Adviser

Launched in September 2010, the purpose of the SUN Movement is to catalyse collective action and create an enabling environment to end malnutrition in all its forms. With 60 SUN Countries and four Indian States at the helm, the SUN Movement represents an unprecedented country-led effort to bring together stakeholders – from governments, national and global civil society organisations, businesses, the UN system, researchers and scientists across different sectors – and provide them with a collaborative space to convene, mobilise, share, learn, advocate, align and coordinate actions and approaches to improve nutrition.

SUN countries, supported by all stakeholders in the Movement, are committed to creating an enabling environment for scaling up nutrition by strengthening four strategic processes as set out in the SUN Movement Strategy and Roadmap 2016-2020: expanding and sustaining an enabling political environment; prioritising effective actions that contribute to good nutrition; implementing actions aligned with national common results frameworks; and effectively using, and significantly increasing, financial resources for nutrition. The SUN Movement Coordinator, UN Assistant Secretary General, oversees the day-to-day implementation of the Strategy and Roadmap, leads the SUN Movement Secretariat and represents the SUN Movement globally. 

Since 2012, the SUN Movement Secretariat has developed as a small coordinating mechanism. It has a catalytic role, and seeks to link together countries and networks in the SUN Movement to ensure that support, requested in countries to intensify actions and achieve nutrition objectives, is received in a coordinated and coherent way.  It also ensures that the Movement’s progress is tracked efficiently and communicated clearly. The Secretariat is headed by the Director of the Secretariat who is responsible for ensuring that the Secretariat catalyses, facilitates and supports effective action across the overall SUN Movement.

The Secretariat is currently looking for a Senior Nutrition and Strategy Adviser to support and strengthen evidence-based policy making and implementation in SUN countries, including through oversight of the Movement’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) system. The Senior Nutrition and Strategy Adviser will play a key role in ensuring policy and practice across the Movement is informed by country needs, with a focus on translating the political commitment of SUN Movement actors into coherent action in-country, aligned with national priorities.  The post-holder will coordinate and support a range of processes, providing technical guidance to the Movement’s networks and advising the SUN Movement on key strategic opportunities f at both (sub)national and global levels. 

The Senior Nutrition and Strategy Adviser will bring the technical skills and experience needed to steer an inter-disciplinary approach for nutrition in changing contexts. This should include a thorough understanding and oversight of the latest policies, strategies, guidelines and programmes for nutrition, as well as the strategic capacity to work effectively in different political and institutional contexts. The post-holder must understand how to develop a collaborative vision among multiple stakeholders, promote and secure consensus and identify emerging opportunities to move the common agenda for nutrition forward. He/she should be able to network with multiple stakeholders, absorb and triangulate information from multiple sources and ensure efficient communication, collaboration and convergence among multiple stakeholders. Strong political acumen is needed to judge potential challenges and adapt solutions accordingly. He/she should have proven ability to develop and frame new concepts using both qualitative and quantitative analysis, including the capacity to draw from theory as well as practice-based evidence.

The Senior Nutrition and Strategy Adviser must always be vigilant that the SUN Movement’s principles are upheld everywhere and at all times. As a member of the Strategic Management Team,  the postholder will work with stakeholders across the Movement, from the grass-roots to the highest political level. He/she will be a proactive, opportunistic and flexible colleague, fostering cross-team collaboration and encouraging innovative solutions to the challenges faced by SUN Countries. With strong communication skills – both oral and written – the postholder will build and maintain effective understanding and support productive exchanges. The Senior Nutrition and Strategy Adviser must be flexible and open to take on additional tasks as required to meet the evolving needs of SUN Countries.

Reporting to the Director of the SUN Movement Secretariat and in close collaboration with the Coordinator, Assistant Secretary General (ASG) of the United Nations, and the Strategic Management Team (SMT) of the SUN Movement Secretariat, the Senior Nutrition and Strategy Adviser will have the following responsibilities:

1.     Providing strategic advice to the A SUN Movement Coordinator on high-level political commitment about nutrition and foster the catalytic role of the SUN Movement:

• Leading the development of objectives and priorities by ASG and team and in strategies for their achievement within multiple forums.

2.     Provide strategic advice to shape global thinking and execution of relevant new concepts and theories:

• Lead the roll out, update and functioning of the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) system for the SUN Movement through the management of strategic alliances for engagement with countries and partners.
• Shape and lead knowledge management initiatives, and collaborate with SUN knowledge management partners, to ensure that SUN country experiences and learning are documented and available to all SUN countries.
• Lead effective functioning of working groups and contribute to intergovernmental and inter-agencydiscussions on priority issues – in particular 1) on Planning, costing, implementing and financing of multi-sectoral nutrition actions; and 2) on Information systems for monitoring implementation, accountability and demonstrating results.
• Building evidence on effectiveness of multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder approaches in smart combinations of nutrition specific and on nutrition-sensitive approaches in key sectors such as agriculture and food systems, health, education, social protection, water and clean environment, gender and local government.

3.     Contribute to the strategic engagement of the SUN Movement with national governments and other stakeholders:

• Maintain relations with national SUN Focal Points and other stakeholders including UN agencies, civil society organizations, donors, representatives from business and academia;
• Represent the ASG and/or the SUN Movement Secretariat (when requested) in public events, taskforces, working groups, intergovernmental and interagency discussions, interactions with stakeholders.
• As needed, work closely with members of the SUN Movement Secretariat to produce messaging, briefing notes, talking points and strategic communications;
• Advise and support the strengthening strategic partnerships, facilitate dialogue, and design impact oriented collaboration.

4.     As a member of the Strategic Management Team contribute to the delivery of the SUN Movement Strategy and Roadmap

• Contribute to framing the future strategic directions of the Movement including the development of a vision and new strategic framework beyond 2020.
• Collaborate with other members of the Strategic Management Team’ on high priority projects.
• Supervise the Data Manager and Country Finance Expert  

3. Monitoring and Progress Controls

• A workplan will be formulated and agreed with the Director of the SUN Movement Secretariat, with clearly defined outputs, milestones and reporting requirements.
• Successfully meeting deadlines based on work plan.
• Setting personal development objectives within Performance Evaluation Review.

Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Political Science, Social Sciences, Economics, Public Health, Development, International relations, Nutrition or related fields. A Bachelor’s degree with two additional years of relevant experience may be acceptable in lieu of the advanced degree.

• Over 7 years of progressively responsible experience involving multiple stakeholders that combines strategic and managerial responsibilities in planning and operations is required.
• Experience of leading monitoring processes and working with quantitative and qualitative data to assess progress and steer accountability mechanisms and policy responses would be an advantage.
• At least 5 years of country work experience in support of national stakeholders including line ministries and governments at different administrative levels as well as civil society organizations and universities is desired.
• Country work experience in nutrition and multi-sector development cooperation working from policy review to program implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

• Relevant technical experience in nutrition within multi-sector development and proven capacity to provide technical advisory services and technical analysis on these issues.
  • Experience in building political and strategic oversight with a focus on developing partnerships with major relevant stakeholders in politics, decision making and the global nutrition governance landscape issues, is a strong asset.
  • Demonstrated ability to collaborate across one or more dispersed and diverse teams is desirable.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Adobe Acrobat Reader is required.

•  Proven ability to significantly contribute to the framing of new concepts using both qualitative and quantitative analytical competencies including ability to draw from theory as well as practice-based evidence.
• Experience of working at country level, in training, capacity building and knowledge management/sharing is key.

• Demonstrated ability to speak and write clearly and effectively by tailoring language, tone, style, and format to match the audience is required.

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required.
• Fluency in written and spoken French is highly desirable.
• Fluency in another UN language is desirable.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

1. Contract type - I-ICA
2. Contract level: I-ICA 3
3. Contract duration - open ended 
4. This position is based in Switzerland and the fee is subject to taxes levied by the Swiss authorities.