Programme Specialist - First Foods for Children

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Position Title: Programme Specialist - First Foods for Children
Location: Brussels
Country: Belgium
Deadline Date:

Job Details

Job Posting Organization:
UNICEF, established in 1946, operates in over 190 countries and territories with a mission to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential. The organization is committed to promoting the rights of every child and offers diverse opportunities for personal and professional development. UNICEF prides itself on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Job Overview:
As a Programme Specialist - First Foods for Children, you will coordinate UNICEF’s efforts under the First Foods Africa initiative, which aims to promote the local production of nutritious, safe, affordable, and sustainable foods for young children. This role involves working closely with UNICEF teams, national authorities, technical experts, and investment partners to support Africa-based companies in developing high-quality first foods. You will have the opportunity to drive innovation, generate knowledge, and make a lasting impact on nutrition" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">child nutrition worldwide. The position requires a strong focus on program coordination, technical assistance, capacity building, partnership management, knowledge management, and resource mobilization to ensure the successful implementation of the initiative.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Programme Coordination and Implementation: Coordinate with UNICEF Programme Group and Supply Division to provide technical support to Regional and Country Offices in planning, implementing, and monitoring interventions focused on strengthening local production of nutritious first foods. Collaborate with national and regional authorities, technical experts, and private sector actors to incentivize production that meets dietary needs and quality standards. Develop systems to monitor progress and results in the implementation of First Foods Africa, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s vision and strategies.
• Technical Assistance and Capacity Building: Provide tailored technical support to selected Africa-owned companies to strengthen their business models for producing nutritious, high-quality, and safe first foods. Facilitate capacity-building initiatives to ensure compliance with quality and safety standards, including product fortification and sustainable production practices.
• Partnership Management: Work closely with development partners, investment partners, and private sector stakeholders to mobilize expertise, funding, and technology for local production of nutritious first foods. Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with governments, academia, civil society organizations, and technical agencies to enhance collaboration.
• Knowledge Management and Innovation: Contribute to knowledge generation by documenting programmatic experiences, innovations, and lessons learned related to local food production. Develop and share technical tools, case studies, and guidance documents to support the expansion of First Foods Africa.
• Resource Mobilization and Advocacy: Support resource mobilization efforts by developing proposals, technical briefs, and donor reports. Advocate for increased investment and policies to support local production of nutritious first foods for children. Represent UNICEF in various fora to promote the First Foods Africa initiative and share results.

Required Qualifications:

• Education: Advanced university degree (master’s or above) in Food Technology, Food and Nutrition Science, or a related field is required. Degrees and experience focusing on food production, food quality, food safety, and food systems are highly desirable.
• Work Experience: A minimum of 8 years of professional experience in nutrition, food systems, business development, or a related field, with a focus on improving food availability and quality is required. Proven experience working with private sector actors, particularly in food production, quality control, and supply chains is desirable.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree (master’s or above) in Food Technology, Food and Nutrition Science, or a related field. Additional qualifications focusing on food production, food quality, food safety, and food systems are highly desirable, indicating a strong foundation in the relevant areas of expertise necessary for this role.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 8 years of professional experience in nutrition, food systems, business development, or a related field. This experience should focus on improving food availability and quality, demonstrating a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the food production landscape. Experience in capacity building, policy development, and multi-stakeholder partnerships is also highly valued, as it reflects the ability to work collaboratively with various stakeholders to achieve common goals.

Languages:
Fluency in English and French is required for this position. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, or Spanish) or a local language is considered an asset, enhancing communication and collaboration with diverse partners and stakeholders.

Additional Notes:
The position is full-time and may involve international travel. UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply. The organization offers flexible working arrangements, paid parental leave, and reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and adherence to UNICEF’s standards and principles is mandatory. Appointments may also be subject to medical clearance and vaccination requirements.