Organizational Setting

FAO assists Members to improve diets and raise levels of nutrition by providing support with appropriate policies, strategies and methodologies for improving the efficiency and inclusiveness of their agrifood systems. As a knowledge leader, areas addressed include dietary assessment, support on nutritionsensitive food and agriculture policies and programs, effective nutrition promotion programs, nutritionsensitive food value chain development, market linkages, food loss and waste reduction and nutritionsensitive processing.  FAO is committed to support Members in their efforts to improve nutritional outcomes as stated in the Rome Declaration on Nutrition (November 2014) and to mainstream nutrition across all of the work of the Organization.
The below objectives and tasks will significantly contribute to and are fully aligned with FAO new strategic framework 20222031, specifically supporting Better Nutrition (BN1`Healthy Diets for All’).
The FAO Regional Office is committed to support its program countries to strengthen their evidencebase for addressing nutrition related challenges from the food system perspective.  In this context, the development and implementation of food system based dietary guidelines, strengthening food and nutrition literacy, developing capacities in nutrition education, the implementation of holistic school feeding programs and improving the availability and affordability of healthy food choices through nutritionsensitive value chains are key priority areas for the region.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the Regional Program Leader and the direct technical supervision of the REU Food Safety and Consumer Protection Officer, the incumbent will perform duties related to nutrition responding to country needs. In collaboration with the national and international consultants, and in close coordination with the government counterparts.

Technical Focus 

Supporting countries in the development of evidenceinformed food security and nutrition policies and providing countryspecific technical guidance for the improvement of national food systems to deliver healthy diets for all considering all dimensions of sustainability is in the core of FAO’s mandate. There is increasing evidence on the global level related to the fundamental impacts of different food system elements (food production, processing, food trade and marketing, as well as consumer demanon nutrition and the hidden cost of unhealthy dietary patterns.

Tasks and responsibilities

The incumbent will undertake the following duties in the respective technical field:
•    Engage with government counterparts and relevant stakeholders to determine current level of capacity, gaps and needs and provide direct advice and guidance.
•    Organize national workshops and regular meetings with national experts to ensure continuous support.
•    Adapt and develop training materials in line with the relevant FAO guidance and methodologies
•    Build capacities and guide country experts and government officials in using and adapting approaches to the country setting and needs.
•    Support data collection and analysis on food security and nutrition.
•    Review final reports.
•    Support the formulation of evidencebased multilevel policy recommendations, national guidelines and country level initiatives through online and incountry training sessions.
•    Work closely with incountry teams, and FAO Country Offices and REU.
•    Report on all activities undertaken during the assignment.
•    Perform other tasks if required.

The incumbent is required to demonstrate outstanding expertise in at least one of the following areas:

Development and implementation of National Food System Based Dietary Guidelines (FSBD:
•    Awareness raising on FSBDGs and provide policy recommendations for the nutritionsensitive improvement of agrifood system policies and programs.
•    Demonstration of the potential of using FSBDGs, food system data and analysis for evidencebased policies.
•    Data collection and analysis (diet modellinto ensure that nutrition recommendations are evidencebased.
•    Formulation and piloting of technical recommendations and guidance materials.

Facilitate multisectoral engagement and support national coordination mechanisms to foster policy coherence for improved nutritional outcomes by applying the agrifood system approach: 
•    Advocating for multisectoral cooperation on nutrition, sharing international experiences and facilitation of national dialogues.
•    Support the integration of the national FSBDG and/or food systembased nutritionsensitive policy recommendations into national strategies and programs.

Design and implementation of school meal programs and nutrition education 
•    Strengthening school meal programs through improving standards and legislations based on the latest available scientific evidence on food safety and nutrition.
•    Adaption of international good practices for more holistic school food and nutrition education programs.
•    Assessment and improvement of the food environment of children.
•    Assessment of food and nutrition literacy of target populations.
•    Development of nutrition education materials for different audiences, including food and nutrition professionals, the general public and school aged children.
•    Design and implementation nutrition communication strategies and impactful community campaigns.

Food security and nutrition data collection and analysis
•    Food composition data collection, data compilation and analysis.
•    Food consumption data collection and utilization for evidencebased policies and programs.
•    Nutrition situation analysis and food system assessment

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    Advanced university degree in nutrition, public health, food science or related fields
•    Five years of relevant experience in food security and nutrition related project design and implementation
•    Working knowledge of English

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

•    Extent of knowledge and direct experience in designing and implementation of evidencebased food security and nutrition programs and policies;
•    Ability to plan and organize technical work and support the work of multidisciplinary teams;
•    Extent of experience in program/project management;
•    Analytical (nutrition data, policies, and programand advisory skills;
•    Knowledge of the socioeconomic conditions and developmentrelated policies and procedures in the target countries in Europe and Central Asia is an asset;
•    Specific knowledge on improving nutrition through the food system approach is an asset;
•    Working knowledge of Russian is an asset.

Selection Criteria 

•    PhD is an advantage
•    Limited knowledge of Russian or any other official language (Arabic, Chinese, French or Spaniswill be considered an asset