Policy Coherence and Sustainable Food Systems Consultant

The consultant will provide technical, analytical, and coordination expertise to enhance policy coherence across food systems, climate, and biodiversity agendas, and to strengthen national and subnational capacities for integrated governance, planning, and reporting. The consultancy supports sustainable food systems transformation in the Yaque del Sur basin of the Dominican Republic under the SDG Fund Joint Programme.

Responsibilities

• Conduct a comprehensive diagnostic assessment of the integration between food systems policies and environmental policies, particularly climate change and biodiversity.
• Map and analyze the current policy landscape to determine the degree of integration between food systems policies and key environmental frameworks, including National Adaptation Plans (NAP), the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), and the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plan (NBSAP).
• Design a roadmap to strengthen policy coherence through the co-creation of interministerial coordination and governance mechanisms.
• Collaborate with the establishment and operationalization of the Food Systems Policy Lab, including governance structures, nomination of focal points, joint workplans, Terms of Reference and operational guidance.
• Coordinate and convene three Food Systems Policy Lab meetings and related workshops to strengthen capacities for integrated policy implementation, systemic coherence and governance approaches across food systems, climate and biodiversity agendas.
• Provide targeted capacity-building and technical support to national decision-makers to strengthen governance, cross-sectoral coordination and evidence-based policymaking, and to improve the integration of biodiversity conservation, climate resilience and gender-responsive approaches into food systems policies and actions.
• Participate in the design and delivery of one workshop on financing for sustainable, resilient and inclusive food systems, and facilitate dialogue among key stakeholders to explore financing opportunities and innovative financial instruments.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in policy, environmental sciences, political sciences, international relations, agriculture, management or related fields is required.
• Master’s degree in policy, environmental policy, environmental governance, sustainable development, agriculture, food systems, management or related fields is required.
• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in environmental policy, environmental governance, environmental management, agriculture and rural development, sustainable development, public policy, project management, or related areas is required.
• Experience in sustainable food systems is desirable.
• Experience working with government institutions, multi-stakeholder processes, and integrated policy frameworks is desirable.
• Experience working in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and/or Latin America and the Caribbean, including the Dominican Republic, is desirable.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Fluency in Spanish is required.

Skills

• Environmental Policy
• Environmental Governance
• Sustainable Development
• Agriculture and Rural Development
• Public Policy
• Project Management
• Sustainable Food Systems
• Policy Coherence
• Integrated Policy Framework
• Multi-stakeholder Process Leadership
• Governance Program Planning
• Monitoring and Reporting
• Technical Analysis
• Coordination
• Food Systems Transformation

Languages

English, Spanish