Young Professional Officer (School Food and Nutrition)

Job Posting Organization:
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations is a specialized agency that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Established in 1945, FAO has over 194 member countries and works in more than 130 countries worldwide. The organization aims to achieve security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. FAO's nutrition" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Food and Nutrition Division (ESN) focuses on improving diets and nutrition levels globally, providing support to member countries in developing effective policies and strategies for sustainable agriculture and food systems. The organization emphasizes partnerships with various stakeholders, including other UN agencies, to enhance the effectiveness of its initiatives.

Job Overview:
The Young Professional Officer (School Food and Nutrition) position is situated within the Food and Nutrition Division (ESN) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy. This role is pivotal in contributing to FAO's collaborative efforts with partners to generate data that strengthens the impact of school meal programs from design to implementation. The officer will engage in research, analysis" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">technical analysis, and project-related services to support the delivery of assigned projects, products, and services. The position requires a proactive approach to analyzing relevant technical, social, economic, environmental, and technological information, as well as maintaining records and updating databases. The officer will also provide technical support to various projects and collaborate in the development of training tools and materials, organizing workshops and seminars, and participating in meetings and consultations. This role is essential for advancing FAO's mission to improve child nutrition and support local agrifood systems through effective school-based food and nutrition programs.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Young Professional Officer will be responsible for a variety of key functions, including:

• Analyzing relevant technical, social, economic, environmental, and technology information, data, and statistics for input into various documents.
• Maintaining records and updating databases and web pages to ensure accurate and accessible information.
• Providing technical support to various projects, ensuring that all initiatives are aligned with FAO's goals.
• Collaborating in the development of training tools and materials, as well as organizing workshops and seminars to enhance knowledge sharing.
• Participating in the organization and follow-up of meetings, consultations, and conferences, producing required materials, and providing information and assistance to partners.
• Compiling and reviewing existing methodological approaches, tools, and indicators related to school meal nutritional quality assessment.
• Supporting the development of research proposals and survey protocols to enhance data collection efforts.
• Assisting in the development of guidelines and adaptation of standardized data collection tools, including nutrition guidelines analysis and menu analysis.
• Supporting data collection with multiple partners and ensuring the consolidation, cleaning, validation, and documentation of data collection processes. 1
• Contributing to the design of standardized data collection protocols, including sampling approaches and data collection instruments. 1
• Assisting in piloting and field-testing data collection protocols and tools in selected countries. 1
• Supporting coordination with partners and networks engaged in data collection activities on the nutritional quality of school meals.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must meet the following minimum requirements:

• An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in nutritional sciences, nutritional epidemiology, or a related field.
• At least one year of relevant experience in nutrition research, data collection, and analysis, particularly in the design, implementation, analysis, and publication of quantitative surveys.
• A working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish).

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes an advanced university degree, specifically a Master's degree or equivalent, in fields such as nutritional sciences, nutritional epidemiology, or other related disciplines. This advanced education is crucial for understanding the complexities of nutrition and its impact on health and food systems.

Experience:
The position requires candidates to have at least one year of relevant experience in nutrition research and data collection and analysis. This experience should particularly focus on the design, implementation, analysis, and publication of quantitative surveys. Additional experience in research design and data collection in field settings across multiple contexts is considered an asset, as is work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions.

Languages:
Candidates must have a working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English, which is essential for communication and documentation purposes. Additionally, candidates should possess intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of another FAO official language, which could include Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish. Proficiency in these languages will facilitate collaboration with diverse stakeholders and enhance the effectiveness of the officer's contributions.

Additional Notes:
Candidates applying for this position should be 32 years of age or younger as of 31 December of the year of application. It is important for all candidates to adhere to FAO's values, which include a commitment to the organization, respect for all individuals, and a dedication to integrity and transparency. The position is likely to be full-time, and while specific details regarding contract duration and compensation are not provided, candidates should be prepared for a role that demands a high level of commitment and engagement in FAO's mission.