Individual Consultant Statistician to Support Mediation Analyses and Capacity Building

Job Posting Organization:
The CGIAR Science Program on Better Diets and Nutrition was launched in January 202

• This program aims to enhance the consumption of sustainable, healthy diets by challenging traditional approaches that primarily focus on production, technology, and efficiency. Instead, it positions consumers as the strategic entry point for systemic change. The program adopts a food systems approach grounded in the High-Level Panel of Experts on security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) framework, addressing five key constraints that shape diet quality: accessibility, affordability, availability, desirability, and agency. It operates across the entire food system—from consumers to producers—to generate evidence on system-wide solutions that tackle these constraints. Through research, engagement, and capacity sharing, the program builds evidence for solutions that support governance and drive investments aimed at achieving sustainable healthy diets while curbing the unhealthy megatrends that harm both people and the planet.

Job Overview:
The consultancy focuses on supporting mediation analyses related to the End-to-End (consumption, food environment, and demand) approach and building team capacity for this type of modeling. The Area of Work on End-to-End Solutions for Increasing Intake of Perishable, Nutrient-Rich Foods (AoW3) builds on the One CGIAR Research Initiative on Fruits and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets (FRESH) in Tanzania and Sri Lanka. The AoW3 expands the scope of FRESH to include other nutrient-rich foods, specifically aquatic foods and terrestrial animal-source foods (ASF). The consultancy will involve supporting mediation analyses and producing related manuscripts that explore the linkages among consumer demand/diets, markets/food environments, and production/supply for Tanzania and Sri Lanka. Additionally, the consultant will design and implement a program to build the capacity of BDN AoW3 teams to conduct mediation analyses.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will be responsible for the following duties: 1) Provide input into the Tanzania manuscript, ensuring that the mediation analyses are robust and well-supported by data. 2) Contribute to the Sri Lanka manuscript, focusing on the linkages among consumer demand, food environments, and production/supply. 3) Develop a slide deck for capacity-building sessions aimed at enhancing the skills of BDN AoW3 teams in conducting mediation analyses. 4) Collaborate with team members to ensure that the analyses align with the overall objectives of the CGIAR Science Program on Better Diets and Nutrition. 5) Participate in meetings and discussions to provide insights and updates on the progress of the analyses and capacity-building efforts. 6) Travel to Washington D.C. and/or international conferences as needed, up to two trips per year, to present findings and engage with stakeholders.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires a professor of statistics or quantitative methods with proven expertise in teaching mediation. The consultant must have demonstrated experience in conducting mediation analyses specifically related to agriculture, nutrition, and health pathways. This expertise is crucial for ensuring that the analyses are conducted accurately and effectively, contributing to the overall goals of the program.

Educational Background:
A strong educational background in statistics, quantitative methods, or a related field is essential for this position. The ideal candidate should possess advanced degrees (Ph.D. or equivalent) in statistics, quantitative analysis, or a closely related discipline, which will provide the necessary theoretical foundation and practical skills required for conducting complex mediation analyses.

Experience:
The consultant should have significant experience in the field, particularly in conducting mediation analyses within the context of agriculture, nutrition, and health. This experience should include a track record of published work in relevant areas, demonstrating the ability to apply statistical methods to real-world problems effectively. The level of experience required is that of a seasoned professional, ideally with several years of experience in similar consultancy roles or academic positions.

Languages:
While the job does not specify mandatory languages, proficiency in English is essential for effective communication and documentation. Additional language skills relevant to the regions of focus, such as Swahili for Tanzania or Sinhala/Tamil for Sri Lanka, would be considered advantageous but are not mandatory.

Additional Notes:
The consultancy is remote, with an estimated level of effort of 90 days, which will be confirmed upon hiring. The consultant is expected to submit a letter of interest along with their CV and daily rate, with all documents uploaded as a single PDF. The position does not specify a contract duration, but it is likely tied to the completion of the outlined deliverables.