Agency: U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
Organization: Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security, Center for Nutrition (REFS/CN)
Position Title/Grade/Series: Program Officer (Senior Nutrition Advisor), FL-0343-02
Location of Position: Washington, DC
Open Period: February 9, 2024 – March 1, 2024
Appointment Type: This is an excepted service, time-limited appointment, not-to-exceed two years and eight months.
Salary: (USD) $132,860 – $191,900 per year
Number of Vacancies: One

Description of Organization: USAID’s Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security (REFS) is responsible for worldwide leadership and integrated technical expertise of the programming of USAID in agricultural-led growth and environmental sustainability. REFS’ expertise encompasses resilience; environment; food security; nutrition; water security, sanitation, and hygiene; climate; infrastructure; and energy, with the goals of increasing resilience, sustainability, self-reliance, and enhancing U.S. national security and economic prosperity.

REFS’s Center for Nutrition (CN) leads the Agency’s multi-sectoral nutrition work. Through technical assistance, training, and curated learning products, CN supports USAID Missions’ programming, policy, and partnership work in nutrition-sensitive agriculture, nutritious food systems, and food safety. CN manages global research and analysis investments to generate nutrition-sensitive innovations and evidence for wide application. Through strategic engagement and partnership, CN influences global nutrition-sensitive agriculture investments and agendas. CN houses the secretariat for the Agency’s Nutrition Leadership Council, responsible for strategic alignment of USAID’s multi-sectoral nutrition programming.

Description of Position: The Senior Nutrition Advisor will undertake the following duties and responsibilities:

Technical Leadership and Guidance (50 percent):
The incumbent will provide thought leadership on nutrition-sensitive agriculture programming and research that promotes the achievement of objectives as outlined in the United States Government’s (USG’s) Global Food Security Strategy and the USAID Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy. The incumbent will keep up to date on current research and best practices, critical country and regional-level sector analyses and data and assist in project design and management. The incumbent will serve on REFS Country Support Teams, promoting cross-sectoral linkages and integration of cross-cutting issues through a nutrition and food safety lens. In addition, the Senior Nutrition Advisor will curate nutrition-sensitive evidence into learning products to support field programs in Feed the Future and nutrition priority countries and influence Agency policies, programs, and partnerships.

Project and Activity Management (35 percent):
The Senior Nutrition Advisor will provide high-level technical, analytical, and managerial support for all stages of program design and implementation. The incumbent will manage contracts, cooperative agreements and/or grants that build the evidence base for nutrition-sensitive agriculture and food systems and provide tools and resources to support multi-sectoral nutrition field programs. Program management duties include providing financial and administrative oversight of programs, and managing activity managers where appropriate.

Liaison Services and Relationship Management (15 percent):
The Senior Nutrition Advisor will oversee key multi-sectoral nutrition partnerships within the Agency and externally. The incumbent will cooperate, liaise, and serve as a key point of contact with persons and groups both inside and outside of USAID on issues related to nutrition-sensitive agriculture and food systems. The incumbent will coordinate project design and activities with other USAID Bureaus and offices, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), other USG agencies, donors, and other key stakeholders. The incumbent will establish and develop working relationships with external organizations, implementing partners, and the private sector, as required.
Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level FS-3 of this position. Examples of specialized experience include:
• Providing advice and assistance to governments, international organizations, and to various public, nonprofit, and private agencies and organizations on matters relating to multi-sectoral nutrition and agriculture activities;
• Conducting studies and performing other analytical work related to the planning, development, organization, administration, evaluation, and delivery of multi-sectoral nutrition and agriculture programs; and
• Designing, managing, evaluating, and/or implementing multi-sectoral nutrition and agriculture programs; and
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a Secret-level security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Sectoral expertise in nutrition, public health, or agriculture;
• Advanced degree in nutrition, public health, biological sciences, agriculture, or related field; and
• Demonstrated experience in designing, guiding, or implementing nutrition or agriculture programming in low and middle income countries.

Interested candidates must submit the following:

• A resume/CV, and
• A short written statement of interest.

Please submit your application package to REFSjobs@usaid.gov with the subject line: “FSL APPLICATIONPACKAGE: Program Officer (Senior Nutrition Advisor), FL-0343-02, REFS/CN, PD #40638.” Application submissions are required by 11:59p.m. EST, March 1, 2024. Incomplete packages or packages not submitted by the deadline with the specified subject line will not receive consideration. This notice may be used to fill additional vacancies, as the workforce needs of the Bureau may change.

USAID Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Commitment
USAID envisions a world where all individuals are valued, have equitable access to opportunities, and are included, respected, and safe in their societies. USAID embraces diversity as outlined in USAID’s Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement. We seek to elevate and include the voices of the USAID workforce, recognizing and valuing the unique contributions of all stakeholders. USAID also strives to improve equity for underrepresented communities that have historically been denied fair and just treatment and improve accessibility in all facets at USAID.

Additional resources include:
EEO Policy Statement
Reasonable Accommodation Policy

Any questions concerning this notice may be directed to Ingrid Weiss at iweiss@usaid.gov.