Consultancy to Provide Technical Support to Advance Large-Scale Food Fortification and Iodine Nutrition Agenda in West and Central Africa

ABOUT UNICEF

The United Nations Children’s Fund works in more than 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, protect their rights and help them fulfil their potential from early childhood through adolescence.

UNICEF is seeking an experienced consultant to support Regional Economic Communities and Member States in advancing large-scale food fortification, universal salt iodisation and related nutrition policy priorities across West and Central Africa.

JOB DETAILS

Position: Large-Scale Food Fortification and Iodine Nutrition Consultant

Job Number: 594579

Location: Abuja, Nigeria

Working Arrangement: Office-Based with Travel Across West and Central Africa

Contract Type: Individual Consultancy

Contract Duration: 10.5 Months

Department: Nutrition and Child Development Section

Application Deadline: 2 August 2026

JOB SUMMARY

The consultant will provide high-level technical, policy and coordination support to relevant Regional Economic Communities and Member States to accelerate progress on large-scale food fortification, universal salt iodisation and other nutrition priorities across West and Central Africa.

The successful candidate will develop technical products, policy frameworks, operational recommendations and implementation roadmaps to strengthen food-fortification systems, institutional capacity, standards, regulatory frameworks, monitoring systems and regional coordination.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide technical support to Regional Economic Communities and Member States on large-scale food fortification and universal salt iodisation.
• Support regional and national efforts to strengthen institutional capacity for food-fortification programming.
• Prepare technical products, policy documents, guidance materials and draft frameworks.
• Support the development and harmonisation of regional food-fortification standards and regulatory frameworks.
• Develop operational recommendations for selected West and Central African Member States.
• Prepare technical documentation supporting regional commitments on large-scale food fortification and universal salt iodisation.
• Contribute to food-systems transformation initiatives, including the First Foods Africa initiative.
• Support policy reforms relating to food fortification, iodine nutrition and micronutrient-deficiency prevention.
• Develop technical specifications to strengthen ECOQMARK and related quality-assurance systems.
• Support the improvement of regulatory monitoring, compliance and quality-control systems.
• Develop country-specific implementation roadmaps for institutional reviews of food-fortification programmes.
• Support the assessment of universal salt-iodisation programmes and recommend areas for improvement.
• Facilitate high-level consultations, ministerial meetings, technical working groups and multi-stakeholder platforms.
• Engage governments, ECOWAS, African Union institutions, United Nations agencies, development partners, academia and private-sector stakeholders.
• Support regional coordination, consultation and documentation processes.
• Provide technical advice on premix supply systems, certification and cross-border regulatory frameworks.
• Prepare reports, presentations and technical recommendations for UNICEF and participating Member States.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Master’s degree in Nutrition, Partnerships, Advocacy, Development, Communications, Economics or another relevant discipline.
• Between 10 and 15 years of progressively responsible professional experience in public nutrition, food systems, public health or related development programming.
• Substantial professional experience in large-scale food fortification, universal salt iodisation or micronutrient-deficiency prevention.
• Demonstrated experience supporting regional or multi-country programmes in Africa.
• Previous experience working in West and Central Africa is preferred.
• Proven experience working with intergovernmental organisations such as ECOWAS, the African Union or other Regional Economic Communities.
• Experience working with governments, United Nations agencies, development partners, academic institutions or private-sector stakeholders.
• Strong experience in policy reform, standards development and regulatory frameworks.
• Experience supporting trade facilitation or programme implementation in low- and middle-income countries.
• Experience planning and facilitating ministerial meetings, technical working groups, consultations and multi-stakeholder platforms.
• Previous experience working with African Regional Economic Communities is desirable.
• Experience working in francophone West African countries is desirable.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Strong technical knowledge of large-scale food fortification.
• Strong knowledge of universal salt iodisation and micronutrient-deficiency prevention.
• Good understanding of food systems, food standards and nutrition policy.
• Knowledge of quality-assurance and quality-control systems.
• Knowledge of premix supply systems.
• Strong understanding of regulatory monitoring and compliance mechanisms.
• Good knowledge of regional trade systems, certification processes and cross-border regulatory frameworks.
• Strong policy-development and technical-writing skills.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and diplomacy skills.
• Strong stakeholder-management and coordination abilities.
• Ability to work with governments, development partners and private-sector organisations.
• Ability to work independently and manage complex regional assignments.

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required.
• Fluency in written and spoken French is required.
• Fluency or working knowledge of Portuguese is desirable.

APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

Applicants are required to submit:

• An updated UNICEF Talent Management System profile.
• A current CV.
• A cover letter.
• A separate financial proposal using the official UNICEF financial-proposal template.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested and qualified candidates should complete their application through the official UNICEF recruitment portal using the application link provided above.

Applicants should ensure that their profile and all required documents are completed and uploaded before submitting the application.

UNICEF does not charge applicants any fee during the application, assessment, interview, recruitment, appointment or training process. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Application Deadline: 2 August 2026.