International Nutrition Specialist

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• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture.
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply;
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination　　
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

Organizational Setting

The Sub-regional Office for the Caribbean (SLC) is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed strategies for addressing sub-regional food, agriculture and rural development priorities. It develops and maintains relations with sub-region-wide institutions, including Regional Economic Integration Organizations (REIOs). The Sub-regional Office is a subsidiary of FAO's Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (RLC).

SLC's activities include support for Better Nutrition, one of the four priority areas of the FAO strategic Framework 2022-2032. Under Better Nutrition, FAO seeks to support its member states in implementing strategic actions to end hunger, achieve food security and improved Nutrition in all its forms (including promoting nutritious food and increasing access and affordability to healthy diets). The organization seeks to support countries in addressing many challenges associated with malnutrition, including the high cost of healthy diets, undernourishment and hidden hunger, obesity and others.

With this TOR, the FAO sub-regional office for the Caribbean seeks to have the service of an experienced International Nutrition Specialist to support in the organization and implementation of its portfolio of nutrition related-activities in the sub-region.

This assignment will be for up to 11 months under a When Actual Employed based contract. While the consultant is expected to be home-based, travels may be needed to some of the SLC countries.

Reporting Lines

The International Nutrition Specialist will be overseen by the FAO Sub-regional Coordinator for the Caribbean and guided by that office's Food Security Officer. Similarly, she/he will receive technical guidance and support from the FAO Regional Nutrition Officer and FAO Senior Policy Officer for Food Security and Nutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean. Coordination with other Officers for the SLC, the Country Representations, other FAO personnel and Stakeholders from the countries will be required.

Technical Focus

Provide technical guidance for the organization and appropriate delivery of the FAO nutrition portfolio in the SLC. Among others, specific areas of focus will include:
• Food Based Dietary Guidelines
• Nutrient profiles and food classification
• Food consumption and composition data and analysis
• Front of Package labelling and fiscal measures for promoting healthy diets
• Nutrition guidelines, standards and policies (including School Nutrition Policy, school nutrition guidelines, menu cycles and recipes)
• Food and Nutrition education
• Food Biodiversity with nutrition relevance
• Cost and affordability of a healthy diets

Tasks and responsibilities

• Provide technical backstopping, methodological support, continuous follow-up and guidance to projects and activities associated with the focus areas
• Provide policy advice and guidance for the programming, project formulation and positioning of Nutrition related activities in the FAO work in the SLC
• Provide support for the mobilization of resources to support the implementation of the FAO nutrition portfolio in SLC
• Provide technical guidance and methodological support for the assessments, data collection, studies and analysis related to Nutrition. Of particular importance will be support for the quantification of food-based dietary guidelines, and food consumption and composition data and analysis
• Review relevant documents and reports; identify problems and issues to be addressed and propose corrective actions
• Prepare various written outputs, e.g. drafts of background papers, analysis, reports and studies, inputs to publications, etc.
• Undertake outreach activities; conduct training, workshops, seminars, etc.; and make presentations on assigned topics/activities
• Support other nutrition-related activities of the SLC office, as requested by and agreed upon with the supervisor

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in Nutrition or related fields. Postgraduate degree in public health, public policy or social sciences is desirable.
• At least five years of relevant in a regional or international organization in the Caribbean Community, supporting nutrition-related activities, projects, programs or policies
• Working knowledge (level C) of English and limited knowledge (level B) of Spanish is required. For PSA, working knowledge of English is required

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/ Functional Skills

• Previous experience with government officials and with highly integrated multi-sectorial and multi-institutional stakeholders group is required
• Good understanding of the agri-food systems dynamic of the Caribbean community

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency