Policy Coherence and Sustainable Food Systems Consultant

Organizational Context

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority. This consultancy, based within UNEP's Latin America and the Caribbean Office in Panama City, supports efforts to strengthen integrated approaches for sustainable food systems transformation in the Dominican Republic's Yaque del Sur basin, contributing to a Joint SDG Fund Programme.

Job Purpose

This consultancy aims to enhance institutional and policy capacities for integrated and systemic food systems approaches within the Yaque del Sur basin. The role will strengthen national and subnational stakeholders' ability to align food systems priorities with biodiversity, climate, and development frameworks, fostering cross-sectoral coordination. Key objectives include producing high-quality analytical assessments, policy recommendations, and governance tools to support evidence-based decision-making and policy coherence. The consultant will also bolster national decision-makers' capacity to implement integrated policy and financing approaches for sustainable, resilient, and inclusive food systems, establishing foundations for sustained coordination and future programmatic phases.

Responsibilities

The consultant will conduct a comprehensive diagnostic assessment of policy integration between food systems and environmental agendas (climate change, biodiversity), mapping the current policy landscape and identifying gaps, overlaps, and inconsistencies. This includes evaluating alignment with frameworks like NAPs, NDCs, and NBSAPs. A roadmap for strengthening policy coherence through interministerial coordination and governance mechanisms will be designed. Additionally, the consultant will support the establishment and operationalization of a Food Systems Policy Lab, convening meetings and workshops to build capacity among national decision-makers for integrated policy implementation, systemic coherence, and governance. Targeted technical support will be provided to enhance evidence-based policymaking, integrating biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and gender-responsive approaches, with a focus on financing for sustainable food systems.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in environmental policy, governance, management, agriculture, rural development, sustainable development, public policy, or project management is required. Experience in sustainable food systems, working with government institutions, multi-stakeholder processes, and integrated policy frameworks is desirable.

Skills

Professionalism, planning and organizing, client orientation, ability to identify strategic issues, generate organizational direction, communicate links between strategy and work, provide technical leadership, negotiate, apply good judgment, analyze data, and manage operations. Fluency in English and Spanish is required.

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