Nutrition and Food Systems Specialist

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

FAO's Food and Nutrition Division (ESN) assists Members to improve diets and raise levels of nutrition, as well as provides support with appropriate policies, strategies and methodologies for improving the efficiency and inclusiveness of their agriculture and food systems. As a knowledge leader, areas addressed include dietary assessment, support on nutrition-sensitive food and agriculture policies and programmes, effective nutrition promotion programmes, food value chains, market linkages, post-harvest handling, food loss and waste reduction and nutrition-sensitive agro-processing. FAO is committed to support Members in their efforts to improve achieving better nutrition, aligned with FAO Strategic Framework 2022-2031, and with the Vision and Approach for FAO’s Work in Nutrition 2025-2031 (VAN).

Reporting Lines

The incumbent works under the overall guidance of the Director, Food and Nutrition Division and direct supervision of a Nutrition Officer.  

Technical Focus

The technical focus of the work is utilizing the incumbent’s expertise in healthy diets and good nutrition to facilitate and support the processes for mainstreaming nutrition across FAO’s Programme of Work and Budget, aligned with FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022-2031 and Vision and Approach to Nutrition 2025-2031.  This includes consolidating and mobilizing data and evidence for provision of technical assistance across food and agricultural projects for greater impact on nutrition, implementation of capacity strengthening initiatives for increasing nutrition impact of food and agricultural programming, measuring results of such actions and development and implementation of global public goods such as guidance, guidelines and standards for nutrition-sensitive food and agriculture policies, programmes, and investments.    

Tasks and responsibilities

The Consultant will provide support to FAO’s work on evidence-based policies and programmes on efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems to enable access to and consumption of healthy diets for all. Tasks and responsibilities will include any combination of the following: 

•     Provide specialized expertise in nutrition and healthy diets in the context of actions across subsectors of agrifood systems such as agriculture, fisheries, and forestry. 
•     Provide specialized expertise for the development of evidence-informed global/regional strategies and tools for use by FAO Members and partners in the areas of nutrition-sensitive food and agriculture policies and programmes and/or effective nutrition education and promotion of healthy dietary patterns.
•     Assist with developing global public goods such as guidance or resources in support of FAO’s contributions to strengthening nutrition through food-based approaches. 
•     Compile evidence, lessons learnt and good practices in nutrition-sensitive policies, programmes and investments across agrifood systems from ecosystems, through production, value chains and consumption.  
•     Assist FAO and FAO Members to increase their capacities in the design and implementation of nutrition-sensitive policies, programming and investments across a variety of sectors.
•     Provide nutrition expertise and technical assistance to FAO Members in food and nutrition-relevant policy and programme design and implementation including nutrition integration into policies across multiple sectors and subsectors of agriculture, climate, environment 
•     Prepare evidence-based content that may contribute to global nutrition and food systems governance mechanisms and global policy dialogue on nutrition and food systems
•     Provide expertise in the monitoring and/or evaluation of policies and programmes designed to integrate nutrition into agriculture, climate and other sector programmes, including development of evidence based theories of change, results frameworks, selection of indicators, methods and related activities
•     Perform other duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•     Advanced university degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in nutrition, nutritional epidemiology, other field related to food security and nutrition or any other discipline relevant to the work of the Organization;  
•     A minimum of one (Level C) or five years (Level B) or ten years (Level A) of relevant professional experience in nutrition and/or food systems for nutrition; 
•     Working knowledge of English, French or Spanish and limited knowledge of one of the other two or Arabic, Chinese, Russian.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

•     Work experience in more than one location or area of work;
•     Experience in providing expert advise, technical assistance for nutrition-sensitive programming in agrifood sectors;  
•     Experience in developing or managing nutrition initiatives;  
•     Experience in capacity strengthening efforts for nutrition sensitive policy and programme;   
•     Familiarity with advocacy at high level with policy makers and technical experts;  
•     Track record of quality technical writing in at least one of the areas listed above;
•     Familiarity with the institutional frameworks and international governance mechanisms for food security and nutrition (e.g. UN General •     Assembly, UNSCN, CFS, SUN, N4G, etc.) an asset.