How can you make a difference?

Under the overall supervision of UNICEF Kenya Chief of Nutrition, the Nutrition Specialist TA will be responsible for technical support in the development and implementation of policies, programmes, advocacy and knowledge generation for food systems transformation for children, addressing all forms of malnutrition and covering young children, school age children and adolescents, and mothers.

The key responsibilities of the Nutrition Specialist, Food Systems for Children are summarized as follows:
Support evidence generation and strategy development to operationalize UNICEF’s global work on Food System in the Kenyan context

• Contribute to the development and results-based planning of sectoral program goals and objectives by identifying data gaps; generating evidence on food systems as they relate to all forms of malnutrition, the landscape of existing policies, strategies and stakeholders; identifying entry points for UNICEF and developing corresponding strategies.
• Serve as a focal point and collaborate with UNICEF ESARO Food Systems consultants from Bioversity on the work to operationalize UNICEF Food Systems for Children approach in the context of Kenya.
• Contribute to the development and/or introduction of new, innovative approaches within UNICEF and other UN agencies by keeping abreast on research and cutting-edge practices in nutrition and food systems.
• Facilitate approval and review of food systems programming

Support UNICEF Kenya’s work to improve children’s food environments where children live, learn, and meet through actions in public sector policies and programmes and in private sector products and practices.

• Participate in technical committees/working groups and provide high quality and timely technical guidance in support of on-going regulatory and legislative policy initiatives, including food and beverage marketing restrictions, front of pack labeling system, and fiscal measures such as unhealthy food tax and healthy food subsidies.
• Provide technical assistance to Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health on design or improvement of national school food and nutrition policies, including school meals guideline, nutrition curricula, healthy school canteens and restrictions on marketing and selling of unhealthy foods through primary and secondary schools.
• Contribute to and support the assessment of existing policies and guidance on procurement of foods, identification of gaps and development of guidance on procurement of healthy foods in public institutions including schools in Kenya.

Lead UNICEF Kenya’s work to improve children’s foods and positive food practices through actions in public policy, guidelines and standards, and food supply chain including in emergencies

• Serve as a focal point and collaborate with UNICEF ESARO Food Systems consultants from Tailored Food to identify and take forward initiatives and innovations on improved first foods for children in all contexts – humanitarian and development.
• Lead the food systems component of UNICEF Kenya’s implementation of the Global Action Plan on the prevention of wasting, with particular focus on the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) region of Kenya.
• Lead UNICEF Kenya’s work on developing national standards for commercially produced complementary foods (CPCFs) through consolidating and coordinating exchange of evidence resulting from UNICEF’s and partners’ research activities (including marketing and advertising of CPCFs, nutrient content and healthiness, purchasing and consumption dynamics, informal market data), in coordination with ESARO’s efforts to develop regional standards.
• Work together with UNICEF SBC colleagues and other partners to review and identify opportunities to integrate effective SBC on diets through the life course (addressing all forms of malnutrition), including innovative approaches, into existing platforms and channels, including MIYCN and community engagement.

Support thought leadership, advocacy, stakeholder engagement and capacity building related to food systems for children

• Support preparation of regular and mandated sectoral program/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.
• Ensure the effective communication and networking developed and maintained through partnership and collaboration within the nutrition sector, and other relevant sectors including WASH, education, agriculture, and social protection by engagement of government counterparts, UN agencies, appropriate private sector and national stakeholders.
• Produce quality thought leadership/knowledge products on food systems for children for internal and external use – peer reviewed articles, UNICEF reports, policy briefs, case studies, advocacy pieces, multi-media materials, presentations (including on the findings from the landscape analyses and other assessments and documented experiences from various countries on introducing and implementing legislative measures, policies and programmes).
• Organize and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of partners and stakeholders to promote healthy food systems and environments, improved nutrition practices and diets for children and adolescents.
• Support the dissemination of UNICEF’s global guidance on engagement with and on the food and beverage industry, and ongoing monitoring and dialogue to safeguard against conflicts of interest.
• Support the preparation of communication and information materials for and participate in multi-agency discussions to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support fund raising for UNICEF’s nutrition and food systems programming for children.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in public health or nutrition (preferably with specialized training in one or more of the following: public health and nutrition planning, health and nutrition education, health care system management, overweight and NCD prevention or epidemiology); food systems, food policy, food technology, social policy, social development, community development, food policy, or other relevant disciplines.
• A minimum of 5 years demonstrated experience of working in nutrition and food systems agenda
• Experience in designing and implementing food and nutrition policies/programs in liaison with government.
• Proven experience in training, support supervision, excellent communication and interpersonal skills and a strong attention to details.
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, participate as an effective team member, and follow tasks through to completion.
• Capacity to analyze and synthesize information from multiple sources to gain understanding and set realistic strategies for nutrition and food systems agenda.
• Experience in health/nutrition programme in a UN system agency or organization is an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.