Team Lead, Analytics and Evidence for Diets and Nutrition

Job Posting Organization:
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization dedicated to saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build pathways to peace, stability, and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impacts of climate change. Established in 1961, WFP operates in over 80 countries, employing thousands of staff members who are committed to the mission of eradicating hunger and improving nutrition. WFP is recognized for its efforts in providing food assistance and is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, reflecting its significant contributions to global peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security through humanitarian efforts. WFP values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, encouraging qualified candidates from various backgrounds to apply.

Job Overview:
The Team Lead position within the Nutrition, School Meals and Social Protection Service (PRGS) at WFP is pivotal in managing two analytical teams focused on Nutrition and Diet analytics. The role involves overseeing the development and implementation of work plans for the Modelling and Mapping risk of Inadequate Micronutrient Intake (MIMI) and Systems Analysis for Nutrition (SAN) teams. The Team Lead will represent WFP’s nutrition analytics, ensuring integration with broader nutrition, school meals, and social protection programming. This position requires strategic leadership in generating and utilizing evidence on nutrition and diets to inform policy and program decisions, engaging with key stakeholders, and promoting the use of innovative analytical approaches to enhance food security and nutrition outcomes.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Team Lead will be responsible for providing strategic leadership for nutrition and diet research, ensuring quality assurance in the design and implementation of analytical methods. This includes overseeing stakeholder consultations, managing strategic relationships with partners, and identifying funding opportunities. The role also involves leading multidisciplinary teams, managing budgets, and ensuring effective communication of analytical findings to diverse audiences. Key accountabilities include guiding the development of proxy indicators for dietary deficiencies, promoting knowledge sharing across teams, and representing WFP at academic and technical forums. The Team Lead will also coordinate the submission of research manuscripts to peer-reviewed journals and support WFP’s corporate work related to nutrition and diet analytics.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree in Nutrition, Food Science, or Public Health with a major in Nutrition. A minimum of eight years of professional experience in an analytical role related to nutrition is required, with experience in large-scale food fortification or local food solutions being advantageous. Demonstrated experience in supervising multidisciplinary teams, managing research and analyses, and engaging with diverse stakeholders is essential. Strong communication skills, the ability to present findings to various audiences, and a proven track record in building partnerships and negotiating funding are also required.

Educational Background:
An advanced university degree in Nutrition, Food Science, or Public Health with a focus on Nutrition is mandatory for this position. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of nutrition and diet analytics, as well as for effectively leading research and analysis efforts within the organization.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of eight years of relevant professional experience in nutrition analytics, with a strong emphasis on managing large teams and delivering results-driven outcomes. Experience in conducting research and analyses with diverse data inputs, including food and nutrient availability and intake, is essential. Candidates should have a history of engaging stakeholders to develop evidence-based policy recommendations and a strong background in building operational capacity within national institutions and technical partners.

Languages:
Fluency in English (level C) is mandatory, along with intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language such as Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, or Portuguese. Proficiency in these languages is important for effective communication and collaboration within the international context of WFP's operations.

Additional Notes:
This is an International Professional position open to all nationalities, classified as 'non-rotational,' meaning the incumbent will not be subject to regular reassignment unless the position is reclassified. The selected candidate will be employed on a fixed-term contract with a one-year probationary period and will be required to relocate to Rome, Italy. WFP offers a competitive compensation and benefits package in line with ICSC standards, including a basic salary, post adjustment, relocation entitlement, and various allowances. Employees are entitled to 30 days of annual leave, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, a pension plan, and medical insurance.