Organizational Setting

The main aim of the FAO country offices, which are headed by an FAO Representative, is to assist governments to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.


Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) is a multi-stakeholder movement to reduce hunger and under-nutrition and contribute to the realization of all the Sustainable Development Goals, with a specific focus on the importance of first 1,000 days of life to prevent malnutrition. The Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) movement focuses on promoting the implementation of evidenced-based nutrition specific and nutrition sensitive interventions, integrating nutrition goals into broader efforts by bringing together other sectors and multiple actors to scale-up nutrition actions.
Liberia joined the SUN movement in 2014. The government recruited a SUN Focal Point in late 2017 and establish a SUN secretariat responsible for coordination government and stakeholders working on nutrition in MOH.  The SUN Focal Point is currently hosted by the Nutrition Division of the Ministry of Health.  The SUN Civil Society Alliance (SUNCSAL) and UN Network were established in 2016 but other SUN Networks (academia, business, donor) are not yet in place.  

REACH (Renewed Efforts against Child Hunger and Undernutrition) is a UN inter-agency partnership founded by FAO, UNICEF, WFP and WHO and joined later by IFAD. REACH is a service of the UN network with tools, human resources and experiences that can be drawn upon to achieve the UN network strategy outcomes. Since its establishment in 2008, REACH has successfully employed and refined a country-centred, multi-sectoral approach to help strengthen national capacities for nutrition governance and scale-up of nutrition actions to reduce malnutrition. The UN Network for SUN Strategy 2016-2020 outlines the commitments and contributions of the United Nations towards the SUN Movement and aims to (i) provide enhanced harmonization and coordination by UN agencies; and (ii) provide support to national nutrition efforts for scaling up interventions.

REACH support is adapted in accordance to the needs of each country to support the following outcomes: 
Outcome 1: Increased awareness of the causes of malnutrition and potential solutions. 
Outcome2: Strengthened national policies and programmes with increasing resources/budgets.
Outcome 3: Increased human and institutional capacity to support the scaling up of nutrition actions at all levels. 
Outcome 4: Increased efficiency and accountability of national efforts. 
Outcome 5: Harmonized and coordinated United Nations nutrition efforts.
The UN seeks the services of a Facilitator to support REACH activities in 2018-2022. The Facilitator will be hosted by FAO and will work closely with the SUN Focal Point and other staff with nutrition governance responsibilities. 
The National Facilitator will work under the supervision of the Chair of the UN Network. For day-to-day support, the Facilitator will liaise with the SUNFP and UN nutrition focal points. He/she will also work in close liaison with the REACH Regional Facilitator and UN Network/REACH secretariat. He/she in consultation with the SUN Focal Point and UN network will be responsible for the following duties:


Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Liberia, the direct technical supervision of Nutrition Focal Person - SFW and the Chair of the UN Network, the incumbent will be in close liaison with the REACH Regional Facilitator and UN Network/REACH secretariat and in consultation with the SUN Focal Point. the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:


Technical Focus

The REACH facilitator will provide oversight to the implementation of the UN Network/REACH Country Work Plan (CWP) and will liaise with the SUN Secretariate, government, civil societies, UN network, donor communities and other stakeholders to advocate for investments in nutrition, integrate nutrition across multiple sectors and strengthen governance and accountability for nutrition within the country.  


Tasks and Responsibilities

The incumbent will undertake the following:

Strategic planning and analysis
•    Provide analytical support in the completion of multi-sectoral nutrition analyses (including, country multi-sectoral nutrition overview, stakeholder, and action mapping) led by SUN National Secretariate and ensure relevant national and sub-national counterparts are able to utilise the REACH tools.
•    Work with key nutrition and food security stakeholders, facilitate building of consensus on country core nutrition actions to be scaled up.
•    Identify and facilitate linkages and leverage with other in-country initiatives on nutrition and processes to avoid duplication and to ensure alignment where necessary.
•    Work closely with key stakeholders and the UN Network and provide policy support and facilitation in the review of the national nutrition policy and the development of a costed national multi-sectoral nutrition plan to scale-up nutrition actions, with a clear M&E framework.
•    Support MOH/SUN Secretariate in routine/planned activities, follow-up on the logistic support provided under REACH, while ensuring that National REACH Facilitator will sit in MOH/SUN Secretariate for two days per week. 
Multi-sectoral/Multi-stakeholder Coordination 
•    Work closely with key stakeholders (SUNCSA Network, multi-sectoral platform (MSP) and the UN Network, advocate for the establishment of multi-sectoral coordination mechanisms and structures including roles and responsibilities.
•    Support the establishment of stakeholder networks –Business, Academia and Donors for more effective engagement in the MSP.
•    Support the SUN Focal Point to strengthen the multi-sectoral/multi-stakeholder co-ordination at national level through co-ordinated engagement of multiple sectors and stakeholders including the various SUN country networks (key line ministries, UN agencies, CSOs, business and donor partners) to address key nutrition issues and/or nutrition related challenges outlined above. 
Advocacy and knowledge sharing
•    Support the UN Network and SUN Focal Point within country advocacy messages including the development of a national advocacy and communications strategy. 
•    Facilitate and document the experience-sharing of good practises and lessons learnt through case-studies and regular updates and share the good practices from other countries with stakeholders in Liberia
UN coordination in nutrition
•    Facilitate synergized/integrated effort of UN system for coordinated support to government.   
•    Support completion of UN inventory on nutrition actions.
Management and Admin
•    Coordinate work and mission of REACH team in-country.
•    Supervise short-term consultants - as required.
•    Work with the UN finance officer to monitor REACH financial resources in-country.
•    Prepare regular progress and donor reports in close liaison with the UN Network nutrition focal points.
•    Perform other related duties as required.
Support UN leadership to engage with Government to finalise the SUN Focal Point in Vice President’s office or with Minister of Finance and Development Planning or Ministry of State. 

 

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING


Minimum Requirements

•    Advanced university degree in public policy or administration, management, public health, nutrition, agriculture, or related field.
•    At least 7 years of professional experience in managing nutrition, food security, public health programs, policy processes.
•    Working knowledge of English.
•    Candidate should be national of Liberia.
 

FAO Core Competencies

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


Technical/Functional Skills 

•    Technical background in nutrition, food security, and/or public health; OR technical background in management and change management.
•    Knowledge of the SUN Movement is an asset.
•    Proven ability to strengthen capacity of national counterparts and partners to sustain activities and decentralised processes.
•    Strong skills in facilitation, project management, team building, and conflict resolution or mediation.
•    Ability to manage and conduct large and complex analyses, including collating and presenting multi-source data, monitoring and evaluation and progress reporting.
•    Excellent stakeholder engagement skills.
•    Ability to work in a team and good interpersonal skills.
•    Good computer applications skills.
•    Good planning and organizational skills.
•    Sense of initiative and anticipation.


Selection Criteria 

•    Extend of experience in nutrition, food security, and/or public health; OR technical background in management and change management.
•    Independent worker and excellent skills working as part of a team.
•    Excellent reading, writing and communication skills in English
•    Very high skills/knowledge of background related to the ToR’s Requirements
•    Experience with UN, and  public sector would be an asset
•    Experience in managing multi-parties and multi-sector working groups.
•    Experience in institutional capacity building at the national level.
•    Experience in the Liberia country context.
•    Previous working experience with governments, donors and civil society organizations is an asset. 
•    Experience in monitoring and evaluation.
•    Experience in decentralization processes is desirable.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing) Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help please contact: Careers@fao.org Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/   For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/   Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances. 

This vacancy is archived.

Recommended for you