Senior Technical Advisor_International Consultant CST III

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JOB TITLE: Senior Technical Advisor, seconded to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment

1 months (September 2026 onwards)BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:Undernutrition and food insecurity remain persistently high in Lao PDR, with stunting rates among children under five reaching as high as 54 percent in some provinces. Children who are chronically malnourished during the first 1,000 days can suffer irreversible damage to their physical and cognitive development. Improving children’s and women’s nutrition is critical to breaking the intergenerational cycle of undernutrition. Given the negative impacts of chronic undernutrition on health, productivity, educational attainment, and income‑earning potential, addressing this challenge is essential for sustained national economic growth.In line with the 10th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (2026–2030), which emphasizes economic diversification and quality growth, human capital development and poverty reduction, and climate resilience, the National Action Plan on Transition toward Sustainable Food Systems Transformation (2025–2030) has been launched under the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE). This action plan explicitly positions food systems as a cross-cutting driver linking production, nutrition, health, environmental sustainability, climate resilience, and inclusive economic growth.In alignment with these national plans and priorities, and in the context of Lao PDR’s transition toward graduation from Least Developed Country status in 2026, WFP is pursuing a shift from direct implementation toward strengthened national and local capacities under its next Country Strategic Plan (2027–2031).In this regard, the establishment of a senior advisory function embedded within MAE provides a practical mechanism to support this transition agenda while reinforcing government leadership and ownership. The incumbent will also provide high-level strategic and technical support to advance the integration of nutrition-sensitive and climate-smart agriculture, food systems transformation, resilience building, and multisectoral coordination within MAE policies, programmes, and investment frameworks.From a WFP programme perspective, this advisory role is also expected to strengthen coherence and alignment across WFP’s agriculture, nutrition, and resilience-related portfolio under the MAE.ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:Embedded in the government structure of Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE), the senior technical advisor will support the strengthening of institutional and technical capacity of government counterparts with following responsibilities and duties: · Provide overall strategic and technical advisory support to the MAE including in the area of nutrition-sensitive and climate-smart agriculture, livelihood approaches, resilience building, and food systems transformation.· Guide the integration of nutrition and climate change into agricultural policies, programmes, and investment frameworks aligned with national strategies and development partner priorities and advise on required policy changes.· Support the design, implementation and monitoring as well as quality assurance of programmes related to nutrition-sensitive and climate-resilient agriculture and food systems transformation supported by WFP to MAE.· Gather and promote knowledge products where required to build evidence-base for scalable approaches for the MAE.· Provide technical advice to the current WFP project portfolio such as the AFN-II and BRRRP plus any future projects within the same portfolio; this includes advisory towards budgeting and programming, implementation and monitoring of activities, coordination with relevant other ministries and entities, and reporting.· Support formulation and implementation of strategies promoting diversified, nutrient-dense, and climate-resilient production systems across value chains.· Support development of tools, training materials, and on-the-job mentoring and training.· Facilitate cross-sectoral coordination across agriculture, nutrition, health, education, and social protection sectors to ensure integrated programming and advise Ministry on coordination gaps.· Provide high-level advisory support to government in engaging with development partners (e.g., IFAD, ADB, World Bank, UN agencies) aligning their plans and priorities.· Lead and coordinate with the MAE the development of a transition strategy, including a costed, time-bound plan, considering and integrating national and subnational government planning and budgeting processes to ensure sustainable financing and ownership.· Guide evidence generation, including analytical work, feasibility assessments, and use of data to inform decision-making and programme design as well as adjustment to implementation.· Support development of monitoring frameworks and indicators to track outputs and outcomes of the projects under the Technical Advisors portfolio.· Oversee documentation and dissemination of best practices, lessons learned, and knowledge products to inform scaling and policy development. QUALIFICATIONS and experiences:The successful candidate will be a mature, team-oriented professional with good analytical and communication skills. He/she should be able to strike rapport with personnel at different levels, including the government, international organizations and other stakeholders. A strong self-motivated individual working with no or minimal supervision, able to travel to the rural areas and meet tight deadlines is required. The person should have excellent skills in written and spoken English, and be fully conversant with computer use.Education:Advanced university degree (master’s or higher) in Agriculture, Agricultural economics, Food Systems, Nutrition, Environmental Science, Climate Change, or a related field.Experience:- Minimum 15 years of progressively responsible experience in agriculture, rural development, or food systems programmes.- Proven experience working with government institutions, specifically the Ministries of Agriculture and Environment, in technical advisory roles.- Demonstrated experience in designing and implementing nutrition-sensitive and climate-resilient agriculture programmes.- Experience in food systems transformation, including value chain development and market linkages.- Strong track record in multisectoral coordination across agriculture, nutrition, and related government sectors.- Experience working with international organizations (e.g., UN agencies, IFIs such as IFAD, ADB, and World Bank) is highly desirable.- Experience in Lao PDR and understanding on the culture are advantages.Knowledge & Skills:- Demonstrated expertise in nutrition-sensitive agriculture, climate-smart/resilient agriculture, and/or food systems transformation.- Strong understanding of Laos-specific context, in terms of the government structure after the restructuring, national and agriculture sector plans and priorities.- Strong familiarity with the current international development frameworks related to food security, nutrition, and climate resilience in Laos.- Excellent analytical, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills.- Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, particularly with government institutions and development partners.- Proven ability to lead complex technical assignments, provide strategic guidance, and deliver high-quality outputs.Languages:- Fluent in English. Knowledge of Lao language is an asset.

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