Policy Engagement Specialist

The Agricultural Development Economics Division (ESA) conducts economic research and policy analysis related to all five of the Organization’s strategic objectives (food security, sustainable agriculture, poverty reduction, inclusive food systems and resilient livelihoods). ESA provides evidence-based analytical support to national, regional and global policy processes and initiatives related to food security and sustainable agriculture.

The Monitoring and Analysing Food and Agricultural Policies (MAFAP) programme in ESA seeks to establish country-owned and sustainable systems to monitor, analyse, and reform food and agricultural policies to enable more effective, efficient and inclusive policy frameworks for agricultural transformation in sixteen countries in Sub- Saharan Africa and South Asia. +

The MAFAP programme is now looking for a Policy Engagement Specialist to join the programme’s team of policy advice and advocacy specialists. This team is responsible for the formulation and implementation of engagement strategies to ensure that MAFAP’s technical analyses are used to inform policy reforms in partner countries.

Under the direct supervision of the MAFAP Advice & Advocacy Coordinator, the consultant will lead the implementation of policy engagement activities on a portfolio of countries and/or policy issues. More in particular, the incumbent will perform the following tasks:

• Formulate and implement policy engagement strategies to promote the uptake of technical policy analyses in national policy processes and dialogues;
• Provide day-to-day guidance to MAFAP colleagues on interaction with senior policy-makers and on policy advice strategies, including in politically complex and sensitive policy areas;
• Contribute to the drafting of actionable and high-quality policy recommendations and policy briefs;
• Participate in, organize or facilitate high-level policy meetings, roundtables or other events related to food and agricultural policy reform in partner countries;
• Initiate and coordinate partnerships with non-government stakeholders, in particular with civil society organizations, donors, farmers’ organizations and the private sector, around specific policy issues;
• Contribute to the tracking of MAFAP’s engagement activities and impact in a dedicated Policy Issues Database, and draft success stories on the programme’s contribution to policy reform.
• Identify opportunities for outreach in media outlets in partner countries, where applicable.
• Perform other duties as required.

For this position, regular travel to countries in Sub-Sarahan Africa is foreseen.