Organizational Setting

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 agroprocessing. 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).

The position is in the Food and Nutrition Division (ESN), at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting Lines

The Nutrition and Food Systems Officer (Policy, Resilience and Agrifood Systems) reports to the Senior Nutrition and Food Systems Officer, under the overall guidance of the Director of the Food and Nutrition Division (ESN).

Technical Focus

Technical expertise to strengthen agrifood systems actions at the intersection of humanitarian and development programming to improve nutrition, resilience, and the quality of diets of those vulnerable to malnutrition, particularly women and children.

Key Results
Comprehensive technical, statistical, analytical and/or policy analysis services and the development of specialized tools, methodologies, systems and/or databases to support the planning, implementation/delivery and monitoring of the programme of work and related products, projects, publications and services.

Key Functions

• Plans and leads components of multidisciplinary teams and short-term work groups; leads and/or participates in divisional teams; participates in Organization-wide committees, project teams and working groups and provides specialized expertise on international technical networks and/or technical policy and standard setting bodies.

• Develops technical, statistical, analytical, monitoring and reporting frameworks and related tools, methodologies, systems and databases, etc. to support the planning, implementation/delivery and monitoring of the programmes of work, products, projects and services.

• Designs and conducts research, data collection, validation, analysis and/or reporting activities to support the development of technical standards, international instruments, innovative tools and methodologies, flagship publications/technical reports and/or policy proposals as well as the provision of technical specialist and/or policy advice and expertise.

• Responds to requests and provides technical/policy advice, assistance and solutions to Regional, Subregional and Country Offices and provides technical backstopping to field projects; promotes international cooperation and collaboration, advocates best practices and increased policy dialogue and provides technical expertise at international meetings and conferences.

• Collaborates in capacity development activities involving knowledge sharing, the organization of training workshops, seminars and meetings as well as the development of related materials, on-line tools and information kits.

• Participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the Strategic Framework and divisional plans.

Specific Functions

• Contributes to, consolidates and facilitates access to the latest data and evidence relevant for agrifood systems policy and programming in fragile and conflict affected situations, emergency operations and resilience building.

• Provides specialized expertise for the development of evidence-informed global/regional strategies and tools for use by Members and partners.

• Technically supports FAO Country Offices in developing programmes to enhance nutrition and healthy diets as part of agrifood policy and programming, especially in fragile and conflict affected situations, emergency operations and resilience building, including working on prevention strategies for child acute malnutrition.

• Technically supports FAO Country Offices in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of such programmes upon request.

• Provides technical expertise in healthy diets from sustainable agrifood systems in fragile and conflict affected situations in support to FAO's role in global advocacy, engagement and governance through platforms and partnerships such as the Global Nutrition Cluster, the Inter-Cluster Nutrition Working Group, the Food Security Cluster, the Global Action Plan on Child Wasting, etc.

• In collaboration with FAO dietary and nutrition data experts, provides technical advice and support in nutrition to normative work and global public goods such as the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) multi-stakeholder global initiative, the Global Report on Food Crises, etc.

• Leads the development of learning and knowledge products related to these areas of work.

• Performs other duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in nutrition, nutrition policies, or a related field is essential.

• Seven years of relevant experience in integrating nutrition into agrifood policies and programmes in fragile and conflict setting, emergency programming and/or resilience building, as well as experience working in low- or middle-income countries.

• Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of another official FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

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, particularly in field positions, is desirable.

• Extent and relevance of experience in generating, interpreting, and communicating data and evidence for decision-making for nutrition policy and programming, particularly in fragile and conflict affected settings and situations with limited data availability.

• Extent and relevance of experience in the integration of nutrition into agrifood policies and programmes with a focus on fragile and conflict affected settings, emergency programming and/or resilience building.

• Extent and relevance of experience in developing countries in humanitarian context.

• Familiarity with FAO's partner institutions (United Nations, non-governmental organizations, donors) is an asset.

• Demonstrated ability to manage a multidisciplinary team including home-based and office-based colleagues.

• Demonstrated ability to support resource mobilization.