Strategic Research Lead
WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles
Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance
Job Title: Strategic Research Lead
Type of Contract: Regular Consultant
Division: Nutrition
Duty Station (City, Country): HQ, Rome Italy
Duration: 11 months
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
As the world’s largest humanitarian organization, WFP prevents, detects, and treats malnutrition among some of the most vulnerable groups in the world. Reducing malnutrition to achieve zero hunger is the core of SDG 2 and improving diets and building human capital are foundational elements that interconnect multiple 2030 Agenda goals. However, after years of modest progress, there is a worsening nutrition situation globally which will erode resilience and exacerbate malnutrition rates, overload the already strained food and health systems, and hold back progress.
The inclusion of nutrition as a cross-cutting priority in WFP’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan is a commitment to maximise the contribution WFP makes to preventing malnutrition and improving diets – including in the face of shocks and crises. A key element to ensuring WFP and other actors can optimise impact on nutrition is to build evidence of what works. Whilst evidence of cost-effective strategies in nutrition has significantly improved over the past decade, important gaps remain in how to effectively address malnutrition and improve diets, particularly in contexts facing high levels of food insecurity and where shocks / crises threaten people’s nutrition.
WFP Nutrition is seeking a Strategic Research Lead to coordinate the development of an operational research strategy and to oversee implementation. The role will involve promoting coordination and coherence among internal and external stakeholders, ensuring strategic alignment on priority topics and promoting credibility and scientific quality of research – working in close partnership with academic partners.
ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
Reporting to the Chief of Knowledge Management and Digital Innovation (KMDI) in the Nutrition Division, the Strategic Research Lead will guide and provide strategic oversight of WFP’s work to contribute to the global evidence base for nutrition programmes and policies. This requires defining a research agenda that builds out of WFP’s areas of comparative advantage and contributes to key gaps in the global evidence base. It also involves coordinating efforts to translate evidence into practice in line with WFP’s commitment to integrate nutrition across its portfolio as described in WFP’s Strategic Plan 2022-2025. The role will also lead the development of WFP’s responses to research-related recommendations in strategic evaluations, with a focus on contributing to strengthened approaches for the prevention of malnutrition and improvement of diets in diverse contexts.
Guided by WFP and divisional strategic objectives, the Strategic Research Lead will:
- Coordinate identification of key gaps in evidence relating to nutrition and diets in fragile contexts that have relevance to WFP’s areas of comparative advantage – working closely with colleagues across WFP and externally as necessary
- Define WFP’s research priorities for the coming period and shape an associated research strategy
- Oversee and guide implementation of the research strategy in collaboration with relevant teams in WFP and with academic partners as appropriate
The Strategic Research Lead will also:
- Monitor global evidence related to WFP’s work in nutrition
- Support Strategic Objective Leads across the Division to identify opportunities and means to contribute to addressing gaps in evidence
- Build and manage academic relationships and other key partnerships to support delivery of the research strategy
- Identify solutions to addressing evidence gaps and drive progress in contributions to evidence generation, including via establishment of or participation in research consortia and communities of practice
- Represent WFP Nutrition in external fora related to nutrition research
- Review and contribute to WFP Nutrition publications and strategies
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
Education:
- Master’s degree or higher in public health, nutrition, epidemiology, food security, or a related field
Experience:
• 8 or more years of progressive responsibility in roles related to research and nutrition with foundations, INGOs, UN and/or academia. Experience with strategy/policy development preferred.
• Experience managing academic partnerships and/or research consortia
• Experience with emergency programming or demonstrated knowledge of work in humanitarian contexts preferred
Knowledge and Skills:
- Holistic thinker with a proven ability to build consensus towards updated approaches
- Ability to navigate the broad range of issue relating to malnutrition and diets – with particular experience of nutrition-related policy and programming in fragile contexts
- Knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methods, including related to impact evaluations
- Demonstrated project management skills
- Ability to identify needs and match them to appropriate solutions
- Good facilitation skills
- Strong writing, analytical and research skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills, and ability to work in multicultural settings
Language: English, French or another UN language preferred as a second language
Terms and Conditions
WFP offers a competitive compensation package which will be determined by the contract type and selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.
Please visit the following websites for detailed information on working with WFP.
http://www.wfp.org Click on: “Our work” and “Countries” to learn more about WFP’s operations.
Deadline for applications: 12 December 2022
Ref.: VA No. 178413
Qualified female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply
WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status
No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.
