View Vacancy – Sustainable Food Systems Policy Advisor, Sustainable Water and Food Systems team, (hosted by BE Brasilia)

Main purpose of job:

This position an exciting opportunity to be at the heart of UK-Brazilian collaboration under the Green and Inclusive Growth Partnership (GIG), focused on sustainable land use – including the links between agriculture, land use and food security and followed by a recent Joint Statement on International Climate Cooperation on the road to COP 30 and beyond. You will have the opportunity to shape and progress UK support to policy action for transition to sustainable agriculture and food systems in the Latin America region.

As Regional Policy Adviser under the Just Rural Transition Support Programme (JRTSP) you will lead to establish and coordinate relationships and develop programme governance with key regional stakeholders, particularly in Brazil and Colombia.  Given Brazil’s forthcoming UNFCCC COP30 Presidency, you will also play an important role to engage with, identify opportunities for and coordinate UK support to Brazil’s UNFCCC COP30 Presidency on efforts to drive transition to (environmentally) sustainable agriculture through agriculture and fiscal policy reforms. 

The Just Rural Transition Support Programme was approved in March 2024 to work with Governments and other key partners to support design and implementation of agriculture public policies and support (including agriculture subsidy reforms) that scale sustainable approaches to benefit livelihoods, climate adaptation, mitigation, and nature.

You will be responsible to support local mobilisation and JRTSP delivery in Brazil, Colombia and more broadly, through light touch engagement in the region, across all 4 core programme components. The programme aims to support inclusive design and implementation of agriculture and fiscal policy reforms to drive transition to sustainable agriculture. The programme components are: 1) partnership with the World Bank and Food Systems 2030 Trust Fund; 2) flexible support fund; 3) multi-stakeholder, global community of practice and 4) monitoring, evaluation and learning. You will work closely with the UK Mission, World Bank offices, Ministries of Agriculture and other relevant government departments as well as non state actors in Brazil and Colombia specifically and responding to broader requests for engagement from the region. 

You will lead to identify opportunities, develop and build relationships with the Brazil COP30 Presidency on measures to drive transition to sustainable agriculture through the UNFCCC processes and forums; in line with JRT and wider UK climate and nature policy objectives. 

You will work with key programme and delivery partners and build relationships through the JRTSP, including the World Bank, JRTSP delivery partners, UK embassies, and other key regional/national partners, to shape regional and national approaches, supporting design and mobilisation of JRTSP programme interventions and building synergies between international partners. 

You will play a central role in building strategic relationships and coordinating approaches on public policies and support with other international agencies operating in the region (e.g. the FAO, IFAD, MDBs) and across the World Bank at a regional and national level, and with UK embassies in Latin America.

You will also support wider Embassy climate and environment objectives. This may include supporting better alignment of JRT with initiatives, across the Brazil network’s priorities and initiatives, building effective relationships with in-country stakeholders and engaging in local and international events, and helping guide the ICF Brazil strategy. Climate, Nature and Energy work is a core part of the UK Embassy in Brazil’s focus, and this role sits alongside major programme and policy initiatives involving a range of UK government departments.

The post holder will be expected to work closely with other teams in UK Government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), including Sustainable Agriculture Manager and Agri Attache and DESNZ teams related to forest and land use, supporting the leveraging of our £510million International Climate Finance (ICF) portfolio in Brazil.  UK International Climate Finance (ICF) is an £11.6bn portfolio of Official Development Assistance (covering the period 2021-26), which includes a range of programmes designed to support low- and middle-income countries achieve a low carbon transition, providing £3bn of this ICF support has a significant portion focused on nature – halt deforestation and biodiversity loss, sustainable supply chains, promote bioeconomy and mobilise private finance  

The post holder be part of and report into the Sustainable Water and Food Systems (SW&F) team, based at headquarters in the Energy, Climate and Environment Directorate (ECED) of the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and will also be embedded in the climate team at the British Embassy in Brasilia.

Roles and responsibilities:

This role is 100% programme funded under the JRT-SP and all activities will contribute to delivering against the JRTSP Theory of Change and Results Framework. 

In this role you will be responsible for: 

Just Rural Transition Support Programme mobilisation and early phase delivery (60%)

• Supporting BE Colombia and BE Brazil to shape and mobilise FS2030 funded support to partner Governments for agriculture policy reform designed to deliver more resilient, sustainable agriculture, aligning with the UK government’s bilateral priorities and linked-programme approaches.
• Scoping and supporting response to regional opportunities for JRTSP related work including potential engagement with Brazil and more widely in Latin America, including through liaison with the World Bank regional teams and through opportunities for short term support under the JRTSP Flexible Support Fund.
• Supporting the mobilisation and strategic shaping of JRTSP Component 2 ‘Flexible Support Fund’ in JRTSP priority countries in the region, with work in Colombia an immediate priority, supporting to shape country strategy, governance and -country approach to short-term Technical
• Assistance facility and acting as a regional touch-point for in-country Facilitators managed by Component 2 Commercial Supplier. You will co-design activities and strategies, consider political-economy analysis within approaches and be responsible for supporting engagement with relevant donors (e.g. MDBs, BMZ, FAO) to join up approaches and look for partnership opportunities in recipient countries.
• Engaging JRTSP programme team to establish a regional role that will become a permanent posting advertised in next ORB.

Engagement with Brazil on JRTSP agriculture policy objectives in the context of COP30 (20%)

• Leading engagement with Brazil to identify and support responses to collaborate on progressing sustainable agriculture and food systems through COP30 processes and forums.
• Leading engagement with the World Bank at a regional level on JRTSP funded support through the Food Systems 2030 Trust Fund, including delivery of regional Policy Dialogues under the banner of the UK-World Bank convened Government-Government Global Agriculture Policy Dialogue.

Supporting the (JRTSP-funded) Global Agriculture Policy Dialogue (10%)

• Convening and coordinating approaches with other major donors and organisations working on policy reform and repurposing expenditures in Brazil and Colombia, to catalyse greater join-up in approaches and reduce the risk of fragmented international support.
• Considering how lessons learned could further improve policy approaches being tested and support reforms in other geographies in the region and globally, through the JRTSP and other UK government funded programmes or international initiatives (e.g. Rio Convention COPs and other key international fora).

Support to the embassy on wider work related to JRTSP agenda (10%)

• As part of the Embassy management team, proactively develop, manage and wield the most influence with the Embassy’s UK–Brazil contacts at all levels of seniority and in all sectors across the sustainable agriculture and climate work;
• Lead on steer for policy briefs, presentations and other reporting to HMG to inform the development and management of relevant programmes and policy development opportunities.
• As a senior member of the Embassy management team, to contribute to Embassy Governance and corporate structures, ensuring the Embassy delivers the highest standards of financial, programme and stakeholder management.  To carry out other tasks as required by Embassy senior management.

• Substantial relevant professional experience.
• Bachelor’s or postgraduate degree in a relevant discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience of strategic working on international climate and sustainable food systems issues.
• Strong knowledge of Brazilian and Colombian climate, environment, biodiversity and agriculture policies and related institutional frameworks on sustainable agriculture.
• Networking skills, comfortable working with a wide range of domestic and international stakeholders, from both government and industry.
• Strong track-record of relevant programme delivery. Proven project management skills.
• Proven ability to write fluently and persuasively in English about technical and policy issues for a senior UK audience.
• Excellent organisation skills, with an ability to analyse complex issues, prioritise, and develop strategy.
• Able to work at a fast pace in a complex and changing environment using own initiative.
• Self-directed, able to create a plan, prioritise initiatives and execute independently and in collaboration with others, to agreed deadlines.
• Ability to work well and have a flexible approach to work whilst under pressure; team player, driven by collaboration.
• Demonstrable interpersonal and relationship skills, and the ability to influence others.

Language requirements: 

Language:  English, Portuguese and Spanish

Level of language required:  Fluency in English and Portuguese (spoken and written) and B2 level equivalent in Spanish