Avis de recrutement : IFAD recherche un.e Spécialiste technique principal (Inclusion sociale et nutrition) à Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

The Senior Technical Specialist (Social Inclusion and Nutrition) serves as IFAD’s technical expert in their area of expertise. The incumbent supports country/regional programs by providing state-of-the-art regional technical advice on nutrition and social inclusion throughout the project cycle  and contributes to the corporate agenda, knowledge building and dissemination as well as strategy and policy setting in their technical area of expertise.
Within their areas of responsibility, the Senior Technical Specialist (Social Inclusion and Nutrition) exercises a high degree of independence in providing technical support to the design and implementation of country programmes and/or investment projects. The incumbent at this level performs the full complexity range of work, including the analysis and approval ofintegrated projects and programmes within complex settings. The incumbent works collaboratively with the Regional Technical Leads, thematic Technical Specialists, Country Directors (CD)/Head of Multi-Country Offices (MCO) and other staff to ensure consistency, cohesion and synergy in the application of technical advice and provision of programme development support.

1.SENIOR TECHNICAL ADVICE to country programmes: The Senior Technical Specialist (Social Inclusion and Nutrition) provides technically authoritative advice on key aspects of nutrition and social inclusion to improve the capacity of IFAD to position itself as an influential global player in rural transformation. . Accountabilities may include but are not limited to: (a) Providing nutrition and social inlcusion advice and assessments, in accordance with exisiting guidelines, technical opportunities for development of investment projects and programmes and supporting/overssing their execution; (b) Participating in country programme management teams and providing technical, analytical inputs to IFAD’s country strategic opportunity papers (COSOPs) and Country Strategic Notes (CSNs), project designs as well as to other policy documents related to rural development, poverty reduction and food systems;  (c) Participating in project missions and providing senior technical advice to ensure quality of operations.

2. POLICY AND STRATEGY ADVICE AND DEVELOPMENT: The Senior Technical Specialist (Social Inclusion and Nutrition)provide technically authoritative advice informed by empirical evidence to improve the capacity of IFAD to position itself as an influential global player in agricultural and rural development. Accountabilities may include but are not limited to: (a) Providing IFAD staff and partners with up-to-date and evidence-based advice on relevant policy, institutional and technical matters; (b) Providing evidence-informed recommendations to IFAD management on IFAD’s rural development agenda using a wide range of data sources and analytical tools; (c) Providing support to IFAD senior management’s participation in high level fora with policy implications for rural transformation, including proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, and preparing documents and presentations; (d) Contribute to the preparation of policy-oriented products (e.g., briefs, guidance notes) to advance IFAD’s voice in the global debate on rural transformation, in close collaboration within PMD and other SKD divisions.

3. KNOWLEDGE AND ADVISORY SERVICES: The Senior Technical Specialist (Social Inclusion and Nutrition) enhances the development of viable and sustainable policies and supports regional and global thematic input through authoritative technical knowledge sharing for their area of specialization. The incumbent will ensure access to the latest sources of knowledge and innovation, strengthen technical capacity and establish new knowledge and advisory partnerships. Accountabilities may include, but are not limited to: (i) Supporting intelligence gathering and analysis of debates relevant to inclusive and sustainable rural transformation and facilitating knowledge sharing and experiences in this area within SKD, IFAD and other stakeholders in the global and regional arena; (ii) Supporting the coordination of the relevant knowledge development and dissemination with institutions outside of IFAD, within the regions concerned and national Institutions, disseminating knowledge and lessons learned with external partners and stakeholders through publication of Occasional Papers, journal articles, seminars and workshops, through electronic media and the development of new knowledge products and operational tools that are informed by learning from the field; (iii) Participating in IFAD-wide thematic discussions and developing appropriate technical and operation approaches of relevance to the country/divisional strategies and programmes; (iv) Planning and leading learning events to strengthen IFAD’s knowledge on social inclusion and nutrition sensitive agriculture and food systems, quality support to operations and capacity to engage in global debates with policy implications for rural transformation.

4. PARTNERSHIP BUILDING AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES: Senior Technical Specialist (Social Inclusion and Nutrition) develops and maintains a network of strategic partnerships that can help advance IFAD’s mandate and messages around rural transformation in the global debate. The incumbent develops peer contacts inside and outside IFAD to keep up-to-date on activities at the country and regional levels, to support joint advocacy and for knowledge sharing to enhance the Fund’s profile as a highly competent and viable partner in development. Accountabilities may include: (a) Building partnerships with centers of excellence, complementary technical organizations and specialized departments of other development institutions (including United Nations agencies, International Financial Institutions, bilateral cooperation agencies, non-governmental organizations, and others) as strategic partners at global, regional and country levels; (b) Strengthening IFAD’s representation and communication in policy and technical dilaogue processes and strategy issues (including representing IFAD at international, regional, inter-agency meetings, seminars and conferences); (c) Developing and cultivating alliances in key global and regional policy forums such as the UN Nutrition, SUN Movement to strengthen IFAD’s influence over time, with a strategic focus onnutrition and social inclusion.

5. MONITORING, EVALUATION AND REPORTING: The Senior Technical Specialist (Social Inclusion and Nutrition) supports the Director/Lead Technical Specialists in knowledge management and other monitoring and reporting activities to enhance country level programme and funding decisions.

6. MANAGERIAL FUNCTIONS: The Senior Technical Specialist (Social Inclusion and Nutrition) is accountable for integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of IFAD resources. This includes, among others, people management through support to recruitment of technical specialists and technical leadership/capacity development, coaching and mentoring of new and/or more junior staff, supervisory role and evaluation of performance of professionals, consultants, interns and general service staff under their purview.

Assignments require the provision of authoritative technical expertise in the field of specialization. The impact of work by the incumbent directly affects the overall country programme and contributes to regional and corporate policy and strategy. Senior Technical Specialists (Social Inclusion and Nutrition) design and contribute to the delivery, implementation support and supervision of investment projects and country programmes. The impact on the overall IFAD country and regional programmes is significant in projecting the Fund’s role/capacity as a reliable, viable partner in development. Work is intricate in that it requires consideration of a wide range of technical factors and related data, national policies relevant for the economic policy concerns of the international organization. Senior Technical Specialists (Social Inclusion and Nutrition) also monitor and guide the work of external consultants and participate as experts in field missions and in the servicing of intergovernmental and expert group meetings of a technical nature.
Work at this level normally is not reviewed for technical accuracy. Senior Technical Specialists (Social Inclusion and Nutrition) thus exercise independence and initiative in assessing needs and advising governments. Decisions are made on the research or analytical strategies to be followed in resolving problems of concern in the technical area. Established methods and procedures are adapted as necessary in order to achieve desired results.

The work relationships of Senior Technical Specialist (Social Inclusion and Nutrition) involves the provision of technical advice and the negotiation and resolution of problems that arise in technical project design and appraisal, supervision/implementation support and in the preparation of studies and reports. The incumbent serves as an expert in social inclusion and nutrition and works with full technical independence in the provision of technical expertise and methodological guidance at the country level, as well as regionally as required. Contacts are with counterparts and senior officials within other United Nations organizations, IFIs, having related programmes and with officials of governments, non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations, research institutes and academia. In servicing intergovernmental bodies, expert working groups and other meetings, the Senior Technical Specialist provides technical expertise and recommendations for investment, policy formulation and official conclusions in a consultative and Specialist capacity; they also may provide information regarding the organization’s policies, and act as the representative of the organization. Maintain contacts to identify and evaluate emerging developments.

Position specifics: They work collaboratively with respective ECG technical specialists, PMI thematic Technical Specialists, and other staff to ensure consistency, cohesion and synergy in the application of technical advice and provision of programme development support facilitating knowledge flows and building of communities of practices.

Education:

• Level –  Advanced university degree from an accredited institution listed on https://www.whed.net/home.php in a job related field (*):
• Areas – Social studies, Nutrition, Agriculture, Rural Development, Natural Resource Management, Environmental studies, Climate change, Agricultural Economics, Agro- ecological production systems, food security or related field

(*) Note:  For internal candidates, this requirement will be assessed in line with the provisions set forth in the IFAD’s Human Resources Implementing Procedures. 

Experience:

• At least eight (8) years of progressively responsible professional experience in field of expertise.
• Two (2) years in a multi-cultural organization or national organization providing support on a global scope.

Languages:

• Required English and French (4 – Excellent);
• Desirable: Spanish, or Arabic (3 – Good).

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