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Agriculture and Nutrition Advisor (Technical Advisor I) in Washington, DC

FHI 360 is a nonprofit human development organization dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions. Our staff includes experts in Health, Education, Nutrition, Environment, Economic Development, Civil Society, Gender, Youth, Research and Technology– creating a unique mix of capabilities to address today's interrelated development challenges. FHI 360 serves more than 60 countries, all 50 U.S. states and all U.S. territories. FHI 360 seeks an Agriculture and Nutrition Advisor (Technical Advisor I) in Washington, DC.

Position Description:

The Agriculture and Nutrition Advisor leads FANTA’s Agriculture/Nutrition Linkages (ANL) Cluster. The Cluster’s work includes tools and methods development; the preparation and dissemination of technical materials, capacity building of key stakeholders; and the maintenance of FANTA’s global leadership position in all issues related to agriculture/ nutrition linkages.

FANTA-III works to improve nutrition and food security policies, strategies and programs through technical support to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and its partners, including host country governments, international organizations and NGO implementing partners. Focus areas for technical assistance include the prevention of undernutrition; nutritional assessment, care and support for HIV and other infectious diseases; food security; and emergency nutrition response. FANTA-III develops and adapts approaches to support the design and quality implementation of gender-sensitive field programs, while building on field experience to improve and expand the evidence base, methods and global standards for nutrition and food security programming.

Specific activities may include:

  • Provide strategic leadership on improving agricultural policy environment in ways that are sensitive and beneficial to nutrition.
  • Supervise the development of tools and approaches related to the household food access and livelihood components of food security, including income generation, agricultural productivity, microcredit, productive and conditional safety-nets, and agricultural risk reduction (e.g. crop and livestock insurance, inventory credit schemes, etc).
  • Work with FANTA’s Nutrition and Agriculture specialists in the development of tools and approaches that maximize the nutritional value of agricultural commodities, including through improved breeds/seeds, production techniques, post harvest handling, storage and product transformation.
  • Work with FANTA’s Senior Agricultural Specialist and other ANL cluster staff, in the development of tools and approaches that link the production of nutritionally beneficial commodities to value chains and that contribute to the implementation of sustainable income generating activities.
  • Supervise the development of tools to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of development programs that focus on food access and on the links between agriculture and nutrition.
  • Work with FANTA’s M&E Advisor to design, test, document and disseminate M&E tools and methods associated with ANL aspects, including indicator development, and management information systems.
  • Work with FANTA’s Global Leadership team in developing and documenting the uptake of evidence-based models that use food as food to promote sustainable household food access, strengthened livelihoods and improved nutrition/agriculture links.
  • Preparation and dissemination of technical materials
  • Supervise the preparation of draft technical reference materials, policy briefs and other documentation of evidence-based approaches to strengthen ANL at the household and community levels.
  • Supervise the adaptation and dissemination of materials on ANL for multi-year development programs such as Title II food assistance programs, and Feed the Future in-country programs.
  • Identify opportunities for dissemination of ANL evidence-base, tools and methods in other areas as pertinent (e.g. by linking with USDA, FAO, WFP, etc).
  • Ensure the strengthening of global capacities in ANL program design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation though FANTA’s participation in working groups and other organizations such as TOPS, CORE Group, etc.
  • Monitor, synthesize, document and keep FANTA staff informed on the content and evolution of national and international food security- and food aid-related policies, agreements and initiatives that are relevant to FANTA work, including actions undertaken by domestic, bilateral and multilateral institutions in response to economic, climatic and political changes.
  • Assist USAID to analyze changes in the international food security and food aid environment and provide support in translating the implications of such changes for policy maker audiences in the US.
  • Represent FANTA in national and international conferences, workshops, expert panels and similar venues.
  • Respond to requests from USAID for programmatic and technical information to support U.S. Government policies, strategies, and reporting on ANL. This may include drafting of guidance and strategies, synthesis and documentation of experience from field programs, and presentation of research results and the state of the evidence base on ANL aspects.
  • Participate in and support the development of Food Security Country Frameworks, focusing on the household food access and livelihood components.
  • Support the preparation relevant sections of FANTA III’s Annual Work Plans, Annual Reports and Quarterly Reports. Contribute to other reports of project progress and performance as required.
  • Carry out other job-related technical or managerial tasks as assigned by the DD-CP.
  • Directly supervise the work of 2-3 professional staff, who may themselves have supervisees and country backstopping duties
  • Act as leader of FANTA III’s Agriculture and Nutrition Cluster.


Minimum Requirements:

  • Master’s degree in nutrition, agricultural economics, agronomy or related international development field and at least 10 years of relevant work in international nutrition and/or food security programs development.
  • Extensive knowledge of programmatic approaches and models used in agricultural production and marketing, income generation and livelihood support activities.
  • Solid research background, as well as extensive experience developing, managing, tracking and reporting on R&D activities.
  • Experience in the international food aid arena preferred.
  • Experience working in the general USAID policy environment preferred.
  • Experience working with multi-disciplinary technical specialists.
  • Ability to prioritize and manage multiple activities.
  • Superior writing skills. Strong, well demonstrated organizational and interpersonal skills.
  • English fluency is essential. Fluency in at least one other language (French, Portuguese or Spanish) highly desirable.


FHI 360 has a competitive compensation package. Interested candidates may register online through FHI 360's Career Center at www.fhi360.org/careercenter or through the Employment section at www.fhi360.org. Please submit CV/resume and cover letter including salary requirements. Please specify source in your application.