Senior Food System Advisor - Seconded to MOA

JOB TITLE: Sr. Food System Advisor - Seconded to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA)

TEAM/PROGRAMME: Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture and Food Systems (NSA&FS) in Ethiopia Project

LOCATION: Addis Ababa

GRADE: 1A

POST TYPE: National

Child Safeguarding: Level 1

The role holder will not have contact with beneficiary children or access children’s personal data as part of their work and have limit field travel.

Project Background:

Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture and Food Systems (NSA&FS) in Ethiopia Project is a three-year (Nov. 17/2025 - Oct. 31/2028) project funded by Gates Foundation which is a follow-up of the NSA CASE project phased out in Nov 2025. The project has three main primary outcome areas: Strengthened food system and nutrition governance to enable effective implementation of the NS-AFSS and the FST-RM of the Ethiopia Food System Transformation Vision 2030, Strengthened institutional and human resource capacity to implement food system and nutrition strategies at all levels, and Strengthened Data Systems, Innovation and Learning. This project will primarily target the federal MoA and the three Regional Bureaus of Agriculture (Amhara, Oromia and Somali). By addressing both systemic and capacity-related barriers, this project will directly contribute to the Ministry’s objectives and drive sustainable improvements in food and nutrition outcomes.

To achieve the proposed objective, the project will provide direct technical and financial support to the MOA through a grant-under-grant approach. It will be implemented in close collaboration with Save the Children USA (SC-USA), Save the Children International (SCI), the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), and other relevant stakeholders. The project will also work closely with organizations focused on food system policy and nutrition-sensitive agri-food system approaches, in coordination with the MOA.

The main focus areas of the project includes: Enhanced Food System and Nutrition Governance; Strengthened Food System and NSA Coordination; Increased resource mobilization to support the implementation of food systems and nutrition strategies; Enhanced institutional capacity; Strengthened technical capacity to operationalize the FST-RM and NSA strategies; Operationalization of AGMIS-2 to generate and use data for planning, implementation, and accountability of food system and nutrition strategies; Strengthened capacity for NSA data collection, management, and use; and the Adaptation, testing, and institutionalization of innovations in food systems for nutrition. Therefore, SCI is seeking a Food System Policy Advisor seconded to the MOA, who will be responsible to coordinate and manage an effective implementation of the project outcomes across all levels.

Role Purpose:

The Sr. Food Systems Advisor will provide high-level strategic and technical leadership to strengthen food systems governance, policy coordination, and institutional capacity within the Ministry of Agriculture under the NSA&FS Project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In close coordination with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, and other relevant sectors, the Advisor will lead and coordinate the establishment and operationalization of the National Food Systems and Nutrition Council and provide strategic support to the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee for Food Systems and related national initiatives, ensuring effective multisectoral collaboration, joint planning, harmonized implementation, and shared accountability.

The Advisor will guide the design and implementation of system-oriented food systems strategies, governance frameworks, and coordination mechanisms aligned with national priorities, while strengthening institutional capacity at federal and regional levels. S/he will mentor the Ministry’s Food and Nutrition Office leadership and technical teams, support resource mobilization and data-driven decision-making, and continuously assess governance, technical, and M&E systems to ensure sustainable, nationally owned food systems transformation.

Scope of Role:

Reports to: The post holder will directly report to the Food and Nutrition Office Head - MoA and Senior FSLR & Cash Manager – Save the Children Ethiopia

Staff directly reporting to this post: None

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Governance, Policy Coordination, and FSNC Leadership

• Lead and provide technical support for the establishment, institutionalization, and operationalization of the Federal Food System and Nutrition Council (FSNC), including development of governance arrangements, terms of reference, coordination mechanisms, and annual work plans.
  
• Provide continuous technical, coordination, and capacity-building support to Regional Food System and Nutrition Councils, strengthening their leadership, functionality, and linkage with the federal FSNC.
  
• Spearhead multisectoral collaboration and coordination among MoA, MoH, MoI, and other relevant ministries and agencies to ensure coherent implementation of the National Food and Nutrition Strategy and Food Systems policies.
  
• Facilitate inter-ministerial platforms to strengthen joint planning, implementation, monitoring, and accountability across agriculture, nutrition, health, industry, and other relevant sectors.
  
• Support alignment of sectoral strategies, policies, and investment plans to reduce fragmentation and duplication and improve food and nutrition outcomes.
  
• Promote effective engagement of development partners, civil society organizations, academia, and the private sector within FSNC structures at federal and regional levels.
  
• Support integration of evidence-based decision-making, shared food systems and nutrition data, and synchronized information flows for use by inter-ministerial coordination bodies.
  
  Technical Assistance and Capacity Building
  
• Work closely with NSA&FS project director and technical staff to provide technical and strategic leadership, setting priorities in designing and managing the implementation of the project’s NSA and food system activities in collaboration with other technical advisors and experts in the MOA.
  
• Provide overall technical guidance and leadership for implementation of nutrition sensitive agriculture and food system activities using global NSA best practices and agriculture-to-nutrition pathways.
  
• Provide technical leadership for system strengthening and capacity building approach for the National NSAFS strategy and Ethiopian Food Systems Transformation.
  
• Provide technical assistance to the ministry to develop and roll out revised NSA strategies, guidelines, packages and training manuals for agrarian, agro-pastoralist and pastoralist settings.
  
• Provide support for leadership strengthening of the NSA forum, task force and sub-committee of development partners at federal and regional levels.
  
• Work closely with Alive & Thrive and other projects from the MOA perspective for functioning of the national and regional Food system and Nutrition Council (FSNC)
  
• Support the MOA to identify and mapping key development partners and private sectors that would play a strategic role in programming and implementing the National Food and Nutrition Strategies and Food System initiatives.
  
• Provide technical assistance for the ministry in mobilizing adequate resources from potential resource partners for effective implementation of NSA strategies.
  
• Provide technical assistance for the ministry and regional BoAs to create strong food and nutrition organizational structure in line with existing challenges and emerging demands.
  
• Support and contribute federal MoA and regional BoAs in providing NSA and Food Systems TOT.
  
• Contribute to NSA, Food Systems and related assessments, setting indicators, preparation of costed annual plan and its effective implementation and improve M&E using AGMIS.
  
• Support the senior M&E expert in report writing and timely submission to save the Children.
  
  Representation and Advocacy
  
• Represent Save the Children Ethiopia and the project in relevant internal and external forums like National Food System, NSA Forums, Task Forces and donor meetings (as appropriate).
  
• Closely work with advocacy/communication team to support the MOA to conduct national and regional multi-stakeholder food and nutrition advocacy forum and identify champions, ambassadors and advocacy groups for the NSA Strategies and Food Systems.
  
• Support the ministry in designing and providing high-level advocacy and engagements to advance policy implementation and resource mobilization.
  
  People management, mentoring and development
  
• Support the MOA to recruit, train and mentor food and nutrition experts at federal and regional level to execute the activities planned under the sub-grant and cascade the Food and Nutrition Strategies to regions, zones and Woredas
  
• Support the MOA to implement its gender inclusion plan, climate resilient NSA and nutrition behavioral change communication to maximize NSA and nutrition outcomes.
  
  Assessment, monitoring, evaluation and documentation
  
• Work with project staff and MOA MEAL experts to incorporate nutrition objectives, indicators and targets into MOA strategies, programs, and annual work plans
  
• Facilitate the annual performance review and work planning processes in close collaboration with the project and FNO/MOA
  
• Work closely with the MEAL experts to ensure all NSA components have robust monitoring plans, reviews and evaluations in line with the project design and donor guidelines
  
• Support the MEAL experts of the FNO/MOA in preparation of narrative reports for donor(s) and Save the Children as required, ensuring these are of a high quality and submitted for review in a timely manner.
  
• Support FNO/MOA in improving data systems for evidence-based planning and decision making.
  
• Work closely with project technical staff and MOA MEAL expert in documentation of key best practices and learnings
  
• Ensure technical compliance with donor and members requirements.
  
  Project Management and Reporting
  
• Contribute to project annual work plans, budgets, and performance frameworks.
  
• Ensure timely reporting of policy-related deliverables to donors and stakeholders.
  
• Provide technical inputs for proposals, strategy documents, and donor engagements.
  
• Contribute to risk management, sustainability planning, and cross-cutting integration of gender, youth, and climate-smart approaches.
  
• Support project planning with the other members of the project team
  
• In collaboration with Advocacy, Partnership and OD Specialist, conduct targeted advocacy with the MOA and Civil Service Commission decision makers on the establishment/strengthening of Food and Nutrition structure
  
• Support the Food and Nutrition Office on the development and revision of strategies, guidelines and manuals for the agriculture sector
  
• Responsible to communicate project implementation progresses, spendings and challenges to the Project Director and forming mitigation plans with the MOA and other stakeholders
  
• Ensure data-driven decision-making, leveraging insights to inform future project strategies.
  
  General:
  
• Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child safeguarding, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.
  
  SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)
  
  Accountability:
  
• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
  
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.
  
  Ambition:
  
• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for her/himself (and her/his team), takes responsibility for her/his own personal development and encourages others to do the same
  
• Widely shares her/his personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
  
• Future orientated, thinks strategically and can visualize and high-level goals and objectives and translate them into practical tasks and see a road to achieving those goals.
  
  Collaboration:
  
• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with his team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
  
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
  
• Approachable, good listener, diplomatic
  
  Creativity:
  
• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
  
• Willing to take disciplined risks
  
  Integrity:
  
• Honest, encourages openness and transparency
  
  QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
  
  Education
  
• Minimum of MSc/MA/ PhD. degree in an area of Food Science, Food System Governance, Public Relation, Livelihoods and Rural development, Rural Development, Agriculture, Social Science, Development Management, Public Policy, Public Health, Nutrition, or equivalent.
  
  Experience
  
• Minimum of 8–10 years of progressive experience in food systems, agriculture, food and nutrition policy, multisectoral coordination, or systems strengthening.
  
• At least 5 years of leadership experience in relevant sectors, particularly managing NGO/UN food systems and nutrition programs.
  
• Proven experience coordinating and collaborating across multiple sectors in the implementation of Food and Nutrition Strategies and policies.
  
• Strong working relationships with food system governance bodies, including Regional Food System and Nutrition Councils, with demonstrated engagement in the development of the Food System and Nutrition Council establishment proclamation.
  
• Demonstrated experience advising policymakers, facilitating high-level dialogues, and influencing policy and strategic processes.
  
• Strong technical background in food systems, governance and/or nutrition-sensitive agriculture.
  
• Experience contributing to the development of Ethiopia’s Food Systems Transformation Roadmap is highly desirable.
  
• Excellent knowledge of multisectoral coordination mechanisms and food systems governance frameworks.
  
• Experience working on donor-funded programs (e.g., USAID, EU, GF, etc.) is an added advantage.
  
  Technical Skills
  
• Strong understanding of food systems frameworks (FAO, FNS pathways).
  
• Proficiency in policy analysis, evidence synthesis, and political economy analysis.
  
• Good understanding of monitoring, evaluation, data systems, and results management.
  
• Open to new ideas, approaches, collaborative engagement,
  
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex systems concepts into actionable policy recommendations.
  
• Strong writing skills (policy briefs, strategies, technical reports).
  
• Demonstrated ability to write and analyze assessments, including planning/participating in assessments and evaluations
  
• Ability to work with diverse people and experts
  
• Strong ability to work on a tight schedule and under pressure
  
• Knowledge of standardized recipe development, food composition, and nutrient preservation
  
• Ability and willingness to travel to field sites and work in remote locations, often for prolonged periods of time
  
• Ability to comprehensively analyze data and draw conclusions to inform achievable work plans
  
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching
  
• Strong results orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mind-sets
  
• Ability to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner
  
• Fluency in English, both verbal and written
  
• Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children strategy, vision, mission, values and principles, good understanding and commitment to principles of child rights and child protection.
  
  Safeguarding & Compliance
  
• Uphold organizational safeguarding, ethics, and code of conduct policies.
  
• Ensure that all policy and operational recommendations reflect child-safe and gender-responsive practices.