Nutrition Coordinator
Organizational Context
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian organization, dedicated to saving lives in emergencies and building pathways to peace and prosperity. WFP utilizes food assistance to support people recovering from conflict, disasters, and extreme weather. The organization values diversity, inclusion, and a skilled, high-performing workforce committed to its mission.
Job Purpose
The Nutrition Coordinator will play a pivotal role in supporting the Resident Coordinator and the Government of Lesotho in advancing the national nutrition agenda. This position focuses on strengthening coordination mechanisms, mobilizing resources, engaging diverse stakeholders, and enhancing accountability across various sectors and governance levels. The role involves providing strategic advice on nutrition policies and interventions, ensuring their integration into national development processes and UN programming, particularly within the Food and Nutrition Strategic Framework (2026-2031) and Lesotho's Nutrition for Growth (N4G) commitments. Key responsibilities include fostering multisectoral coordination under the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, facilitating partnerships with government, UN agencies, development partners, civil society, academia, and the private sector, and supporting the operationalization of traditional leadership commitments. The coordinator will also drive resource mobilization efforts, promote evidence-based advocacy, and support communication strategies to raise public awareness and encourage nutrition-sensitive actions.
Responsibilities
The Nutrition Coordinator will play a pivotal role in advancing Lesotho's national nutrition agenda by enhancing coordination, resource mobilization, and stakeholder engagement. This position, based in Maseru and reporting to the Resident Coordinator, involves providing strategic advice on nutrition priorities and ensuring their integration into national development processes and UN programming. A key responsibility is strengthening multisectoral coordination under the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, fostering collaboration among government bodies, UN agencies, development partners, civil society, academia, and the private sector. The coordinator will also support the integration of traditional leadership commitments into national frameworks and facilitate resource mobilization through strategic partnerships. This includes promoting public-private sector engagement for nutrition-sensitive investments and advocating for nutrition through evidence-based communication, dissemination of best practices, and development of advocacy materials. The role requires establishing and maintaining effective coordination mechanisms, supporting engagement with traditional leadership structures, and developing communication strategies to raise public awareness and encourage youth participation in nutrition initiatives. Ultimately, the Nutrition Coordinator is accountable for driving progress on national nutrition goals through robust coordination, strategic partnerships, and effective advocacy, ensuring alignment with national and international commitments.
Work Experience
Requires a minimum of 7 years of experience in multi-sector coordination, policy advocacy, or program management. Proven experience working with traditional leadership structures and government institutions is essential. Strong planning, project management, facilitation, negotiation, and communication skills are necessary. Familiarity with UN coordination mechanisms and nutrition governance frameworks is also required.
Skills
Multi-sector coordination, Policy advocacy, Programme management, Traditional leadership engagement, Government institution collaboration, UN coordination mechanisms, Nutrition governance frameworks, Resource mobilization, Partnership building, Strategic communication, Advocacy, Youth engagement, Project management, Facilitation, Negotiation, Planning