Job Description

Policy Advisor, Nutrition and Food Security

Ottawa, ON, Canada \xe2\x97\x8f Virtual Req #955

Friday, May 26, 2023

Are you looking for more than a job? At World Vision Canada we offer challenging careers that change the lives of children all over the world and it will change yours too. Come and be part of a team of 400 Canadians with a vision for the world: Life in all its fullness for every child.

You will experience Christian faith in action helping to make real and lasting change in the lives of the world\'s most vulnerable children. Join the World Vision Canada team and be part of a powerful and effective force for good:

For Children. For Change. For Life.

Position: Policy Advisor, Nutrition and Food Security

Reports to: Director, Advocacy and Government Engagement

Position Term: Full Time Term till Sept 30, 2025

Workplace Type: Remote (Ottawa area)

At World Vision Canada, we are making the world better. Join us!

Are you a passionate policy and external engagement professional with a proven track record of government relations success?

Do you have experience with international development policy and program trends as they relate to Canada\'s international development and humanitarian priorities around nutrition and food security? Do you have experience in humanitarian and fragile contexts?

Do you thrive on navigating Ottawa\'s political and legislative decision-making process?

Have you worked on public engagement campaigns? Can you build consensus between organizations and individuals who have diverging interests and capacities?

If this sounds like you, we can\'t wait to hear from you!

Job Purpose:

The Policy Advisor- Nutrition and Food Security is responsible for designing and implementing policy change and advocacy campaign strategies while positioning World Vision Canada (WVC) as a go-to partner and program implementer.

Build relationships with key stakeholders, including policy makers, thought leaders and other NGOs for the purpose of increasing WVC\'s access to, and influence over, the development of relevant policies and to position WVC as a partner.

The Policy Advisor - Nutrition and Food Security will also engage and lead in Ottawa based coalitions and represent WVC at external events.

Gender equality is a priority focus of WVC. As such, all duties and responsibilities will be undertaken through a gender equality lens.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Proactively identify and pursue emerging opportunities to influence the Government of Canada\'s policies in nutrition and food security, especially in the context of fragility and the hunger crisis:

• Actively monitor Government of Canada activity as it relates to nutrition and food security policy and priorities.
• Proactively identify emerging policy opportunities and together with relevant stakeholders discern which opportunities are strategic and the best policy tactics to capitalize on.
• Lead the development and implementation of short and long-term policy change agendas.
• Be the policy change and key messages champion in a broad advocacy campaign on nutrition and food security.
• Develop policy research and write a diverse range of policy products (reports, briefing notes, letters etc).
• Engage in key stakeholder meetings; lead and or participate in internal teams and external coalitions to advance policy influence.

Support and/or lead WVC\'s nutrition and food security positioning through targeted external engagement:

• Proactively identify, scope, and engage in opportunities that showcase WVC\'s Nutrition and food security programming at a national (GAC and sector) and global level, in support of policy development, positioning and resource acquisition.
• Assess and advise on WVC representation at events and engagement in key moments.
• Initiate and maintain external relationships with appropriate government, funders, and civil society partners.
• Participate in regular World Vision Partnership policy and positioning coordination processes to facilitate coordination of influence opportunities.
• Be a subject matter expert on nutrition and food security, speak in clear and compelling ways, in public fora, the media, and with individual supporters, across WVC stakeholder communities.

Collaborate internally within WVC to develop joint strategy and messaging:

• Collaborate closely with Strategic Communications teams to advance short and long-term policy and external engagement objectives.
• Review communication strategies, press releases and other communication tools to ensure alignment with policy and external engagement objectives.
• Collaborate with program managers, business development managers and technical specialists to draw out relevant field experience and realities to ensure alignment of policy and external engagement priorities with resource acquisition objectives.
• Support senior leader\'s external engagements on nutrition and food security.

Qualifications required:

• Master\'s level degree in International Development or Political Science or a Master\'s level degree in disciplines covering nutrition and food security in an international context, with experience in related policy development.
• 5 years of policy influence experience with the Canadian government, including policy/advocacy positions in Ottawa or a comparable Canadian setting.
• Demonstrated ability to identify and champion emerging issues with government partners.
• Good knowledge of nutrition and food security issues in developing, humanitarian and fragile contexts.
• Good knowledge of the state of play of Canadian and international stakeholders in nutrition and food security.
• Demonstrated commitment to gender equality in the context of policy change/government relations.
• Proven knowledge of developing and implementing strategies for influencing Canadian government policy obtained by either working in a similar position in an NGO, for an elected official, or in a Government of Canada department.

Critical Skills:

• Ability to engage in technical discussions with and to influence senior policy makers and other critical stakeholders on nutrition and food security.
• Demonstrated ability to mobilize stakeholders into partnerships and alliances, lead and facilitate collaborative processes.
• Experience developing, researching, and writing policy papers and briefs.
• Ability to think strategically, synthesize complex information and develop innovative policy approaches.
• Bilingual (English/French) strongly preferred.
• Ability to thrive in a cross-cultural and Christian faith-based environment.

Work Conditions:

• The ideal candidate should be based in or near Ottawa to facilitate face-to-face meetings with government stakeholders.
• Some attendance at evening / weekend events may be required.
• Ideally, not restricted from lobbying the federal government.

Please submit - in one document - 1. your resume, 2. a cover letter (no more than two pages), which describes in one paragraph your most enjoyable experience to date in relation to this type of role.

Why consider us?

World Vision Canada has consistently been awarded Canada and GTA top employer awards.

We are Canada\'s largest development, relief, and advocacy non-profit organization.

We embody an Agile mindset here.

We offer competitive pay and benefits. Our comprehensive health benefits start at day 1 which includes a Health Spending Account.

We match pension contributions up to 6% and provide a top-up for pregnancy & parental leaves.

We offer extra time off for restoration by closing for an additional day on long weekends, 6 times a year.

We provide up to six weeks\' vacation, plus paid sick days, personal days & wellness days.

We offer a family-friendly, caring, and flexible work environment.

We bring life-saving support in times of disaster. We help poor communities to take charge of their futures. We provide small loans and training that boost family livelihoods. We work with policy makers to change the way the world is run. Our Christian faith teaches us that every child, regardless of gender, faith or race, is a precious gift to the entire world - and that their wellbeing concerns us all. We shall never rest while children suffer in situations that can be changed.

Our Core Values: We are committed to the Poor. We are Christian. We are Stewards. We value People. We are Partners. We are Responsive.

Qualified candidates must be able to demonstrate a commitment to the core values and mission of the World Vision partnership.

World Vision Canada takes our Safeguarding responsibilities seriously and we provide an environment that is safe for our child and adult beneficiaries. We have strong recruitment procedures to make sure the safest and most suitable people work with the children in our programs. We provide our staff and volunteers with ongoing supervision, support and training in their work with child and adult beneficiaries.

World Vision Canada welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

Thank you for your interest; however only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.

Other details

• Job Family Advocacy
• Job Function Individual Contributor
• Pay Type Salary
• Employment Indicator Remote with Travel/External Engagement

• Ottawa, ON, Canada
• Virtual

World Vision International