Food Program Lead

POSITION OVERVIEW

We need nature to produce food. Crops need land and water to grow, animals need food and drink, and seafood needs a healthy enough marine environment.

However, the very way we produce food has evolved in such a way that threatens the natural resources needed in order to sustain it. Food production is the biggest cause of land conversion. Converting land for intensive agriculture brings a host of other problems, such as land degradation, water scarcity.

This vicious cycle is exacerbayed by food loss and waste. By the UN Food and Agriculture Organization definition, food loss is the decrease in the quantity or quality of food stemming from the decisions and actions made by producers and suppliers in the chain. Food waste, on the other hand, results from the decisions and actions of retailers, food service providers and consumers. Both food loss and waste, however, is tantamount to depleting a host of resources from production to disposal – resources which the poorest are most dependent on and have least access to.

In the Philippines, where there are about 14.2 million undernourished and 13.3 million food-insecure Filipinos (World Hunger Report, 2018) or nearly a third of the country’s population in total, food loss and waste is a great public concern. These social and environmental considerations have led the World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines (WWF-Philippines) to champion the concept and practice of sustainable food consumption and production in the country.

WWF-Philippines has been working to minimize the impacts of food production and consumption on nature and help address the country’s hunger problem through various projects and campaigns. One of the organization’s key strategies is the holistic approach to FLW – to regard food loss and food waste not just as two distinct issues but parts that make a continuum where each is a function of the other. The idea is to balance food security, efficiency and environmental targets.

The Food Program Lead will conceptualize, consult, plan and develop projects and programs based on dialogues with key stakeholders and WWF PH and WWF network. The Food Program Lead will work with units across WWF PH, public and private sectors to set and deliver science-based and data-driven targets. The successful candidate will report to the Director for Conservation.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead work streams for food projects and activities;
• Research, analyze, and interpret technical information on food production and consumption in the national and global contexts;
• Map the food supply and demand chains and identify where the loss and waste hotspots are;
• Develop projects and programs based on dialogues with food industry players, governments and WWF PH as well as WWF network;
• Collaborate with the fundraising units (Project Development and Marketing) on crafting proposals and reports;
• Create presentations and synthesize results for multiple audiences including WWF leadership and colleagues and external stakeholders;
• Work with Communications and Education for Sustainable Development units to raise awareness on food choices, food loss and waste, to complement the projects being developed/implemented;
• Oversee the implementation of projects as proposals are approved, and apply lessons in shaping the direction of the food strategy; and
• Perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in food-related courses/business management/hospitality/other social sciences; a relevant Master's degree is an advantage;
• 5+ years of relevant experience in project management;
• Experience in food system administration or agroecology
• Experience/experience in food loss and waste;
• Experience in managing grant proposals and grant reporting cycles;
• Strong proficiency in data analysis using MS Excel, data management best practices, and data visualization tools;
• Proactive problem-solving and excellent communication skills (written and verbal);
• Ability to work productively on independent research, data collection and analysis assignments and as part of a team; and
• Willingness to work flexible hours if needed.