Food Systems Strategic Advisor

Hosted Entities Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN)

Job categories Health, Project Management, Programme Management

Vacancy code VA/2023/B5007/25946

Level ICS-11

Department/office ECR, GVA, Geneva

Duty station Geneva, Switzerland

Contract type Fixed Term

Contract level P4

Duration One year, initially. Renewable subject to programme need, funding availability and satisfactory performance

Application period 28-Apr-2023 to 19-May-2023

Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement.

Functional Responsibilities

1. Strategic country support to a food systems approach

• Identify, monitor and analyse trends and emerging issues with respect to the wider food system.
• Identify other global challenges that affect nutrition and the work of the SUN Movement, either directly or indirectly, such as climate change, conflict, displacement, environmental and social protection and trade and economic development, which impact the key principles and core themes of the SUN Movement.
• Assess national, regional and global food systems trends that might affect the SUN Movement; recommend solutions/possible actions by the Coordinator and or Secretariat in response.
• Advise and support the analysis and direction setting of the SUN Movement, with particular consideration to policies and strategies, multi-sectoral progress and inter-agency collaboration required to ensure a food systems approach to transformation.
• Develop documents for and input to the SUN Movement’s planning processes, including written briefings related to food systems.
• Make recommendations for the SUN Movement’s actions across nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive sectors, through strengthened food and health systems, and with a focus on gender and economic equity, social inclusion, accountability, corporate responsibility and financing.

2. Alliance building, networking, policy guidance and advocacy 

• In collaboration with relevant SMS colleagues and key stakeholders across the Movement and Secretariat, contribute to the development and implementation of food systems-related policy engagement.
• Provide advice on key (potential) partners in food systems/nutrition/health,climate/trade/economics and education including UN family, national and international NGOs and associations and civil society.
• Collaborate with the SMS communications and advocacy colleagues  , ensure visibility of activities with donors and press, including press releases, meetings and field visits, as well as strengthened communication activities around food systems interventions.
• Participate in advocacy efforts for food systems approaches with existing donors, governments and other actors, explore possibilities and engage with new donors.
• Contribute to conferences, seminars and academic fora related to his/her assigned area of expertise.
• Represent the Coordinator and/or the SUN Movement Secretariat (when requested) in public events, task forces, working groups etc on food systems, food security and social sectors activities.

3. Support to the Coordinator

• Develop and maintain relations with government officials, donors, missions and other SUN stakeholders at the working level to understand issues and policies of mutual concern.
• Contribute food systems expertise to notes, background papers, talking points, speeches and other correspondence for the Coordinator and lead on these products as requested..
• Provide expert information to the Coordinator regarding wider food systems issues, related to the positioning of the SUN Movement.
• Support the Coordinator’s function by contributing in shaping the Secretariat’s thinking and execution of new food systems concepts, approaches and priorities for the future direction of the SUN Movement, including its Global Support System.

4. Capacity building and knowledge management

• Provide technical assistance to priority countries in support of food systems nutrition-sensitive programming, especially as it relates to food environment, consumer demand, private sector engagement and/or food policy.
• Support the capacity strengthening of staff across the Secretariat in terms of wider food systems issues, including advice and training as required.
• Participate in the development of improved tools and methodologies for food systems analysis.
• In collaboration with various stakeholders across the Secretariat (particularly MEAL/KM and communications and advocacy) lead the development and dissemination of key food systems-related lessons for key stakeholders.
• Support the development of new concept notes for future resource mobilisation on food systems.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

A. Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) nutrition or other relevant field is required.  
• A bachelor's degree with a combination of two additional years of relevant experience may be accepted  in lieu of the Master's degree.

B. Work Experience:

• A minimum of seven (7) years professional experience in international public health nutrition, international development  or agriculture, with a nutrition focus is required.
• Experience with food systems activities and demonstrated work on one or more food systems domains (food supply, food environment, private sector engagement for nutrition, consumer behavior, diet quality) is required.
• Experience working with government and NGO stakeholders on food systems, with a preference toward food system and nutrition programme design and implementation and/or policy is desirable.
• Experience translating complex technical material and research findings into tools that support evidence uptake is desirable.

C. Language:

• Full working knowledge of English is essential.
• Knowledge of another official UN language, particularly French , is an asset.