The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks a qualified candidate to serve as a Senior Technical and Policy Advisor for an 18 month appointment. The position will be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and reports primarily to the Head of Partnerships/Business Development of the Director's General Office, who is the program manager of the Ethiopia NIPN Technical Advisory Project (ENTAPP). This project is funded by the European Union and it aims to strengthen the capacity of the Ethiopian Public Health Institute to establish a National Information Platform for Nutrition (NIPN). Final grade level will be determined by demonstrated expertise and experience.

Essential Duties:

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Support the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) in implementing the National Information Platform for nutrition (NIPN);
• Identify and facilitate the needed stakeholder engagement to support an effective NIPN process;
• Support the NIPN Coordinator at EPHI in various project management planning and reporting processes, as the need arises;
• Assess periodically NIPN progress, identify bottlenecks for implementation, and identify solutions;
• Identify, plan and implement IFPRI's capacity strengthening support to the NIPN implementation unit and relevant NIPN stakeholders, with a focus on nutrition policy analysis and communicating research findings to decision makers;
• Identify external IFPRI collaborators to provide needs-based support and supervise their work;
• Help to interpret the findings of the analysis from the NIPN implementation unit, such as appropriate framing of evidence for use by policy makers and implementers;
• Make recommendations about changes to policies and programs or for new policies and programs to improve nutrition in all sectors;
• In consultation with EPHI, mobilize experts in nutrition research, policies and programs among development partners, implementing partners, national institutions, and research institutions to contribute to the work of the NIPN;
• Together with the NIPN Coordinator at EPHI, prepare and facilitate meetings with senior advisors, policy and programmatic decision makers, the national Monitoring, Evaluation and Research Steering Committee, and the NIPN Advisory Committee to discuss the progress and planning of NIPN, explain the NIPN research outputs and findings;
• With the NIPN project coordinator, proactively seek opportunities to promote the work of NIPN and to share policy relevant evidence generated by NIPN, by other departments at EPHI, and by IFPRI at different national fora aimed at policy and program influence;

• Prepare the meetings of the ENTAP Technical Committee, document the meetings, and produce meeting proceedings;
• Interact and liaise with the NIPN Global Support Facility hired by the European Commission;
• Supervise and guide ENTAP's locally hired research assistant, also based in Addis Ababa;
• Review regularly ENTAP's programmatic and budgetary implementation and draft necessary progress reports for internal IFPRI and donor reporting.

Required Qualifications:

• Masters degree in Nutrition, Social Policy, Public Policy or Health Policy and Management;
• At least 10 years of experience in translating research for policy, ideally for nutrition or health;
• Experience in facilitating the development of policies and programmes with government advisors;
• Well-informed about the process of evidenced-based policy development in government;
• Ability to effectively communicate policies and programs for nutrition to senior policy advisors, technical experts, development partners, and government staff;
• Experience with project and financial management;
• Knowledge of the nutrition policy environment in Ethiopia.

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) is an equal employment opportunity employer - F/M/Disability/Vet/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity.