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About Systemiq

Systemiq, the systems change company and certified B Corp, was founded to drive the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on climate change by transforming markets and business models in five key systems: nature and food, materials, and circular economy, energy, urban areas, and sustainable finance.

We are guided by the conviction that all system transformations are rooted in human transformations. We must continue to bring more diverse people and voices into real conversations to succeed. We know we don’t have all the answers; we may not even have all the right questions. But we know that open mindsets drive change, so relationships, people, and trust are at the heart of everything we do.

About FOLU

The Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU) is a self-governed coalition of organizations and individuals working collaboratively to achieve a shared objective: the urgent transformation of food and land use systems to deliver a better future for people, nature and climate. Within, FOLU’s Global Secretariat, the Global Knowledge & Engagement Team (KE team) is responsible for leading FOLU’s global thought leadership and influencing strategy to accelerate ambitious global action. Specifically, the KE team leads a suite of initiatives designed to shift behavior of corporates and financial institutions as well as influence national and international policy makers. We do this by developing targeted insights and synthesizing evidence-based research to support FOLU’s engagements with key stakeholders.

Our strategy for influencing international policy is based on the belief that current international frameworks and mechanisms for cooperation are not ambitious enough to accelerate multi-stakeholder action on food systems transformation across policy, business, finance and civil society. FOLU seeks to leverage key international fora – including the G7, G20, Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) as well as UNFCCC and UNCBD COP processes to accelerate national action and push for greater international ambition. We also seek to showcase how actions taken in FOLU priority countries can be beacons of light to inspire global action.

Position:

As Head of International Policy Engagement, you will play an essential part in the Food and Land Use (FOLU) Coalition’s ambition to shape international policy. Your substantive policy and engagement experience, as well as a proven track record of working with national governments and international institutions to pursue policy objectives, will be critical. This unique opportunity involves a) shaping FOLU’s international engagement strategy, b) building out workstreams that will help FOLU more influence national and international policies and c) working with FOLU’s country platforms (in China, Colombia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Indonesia, India and growing to include Brazil and the European Union) and d) working with some of the world’s most prominent institutions and individuals in the fields of economics, agriculture, environment, health and nutrition.

Team structure

The Head of International Policy will report into our Knowledge and Engagement Director, and initially line manage a small team direct reports within the existing team, whilst providing strategic influence and advice to FOLU’s country platform and coalition partners. This role will also work in partnership with the Head of Business Engagement who is also within the Knowledge and Engagement Team.

Duties and Essential Job Functions

Thought leadership and strategy (20%)

• Develop FOLU’s impact strategy for international policy engagement, which describes our theory of change for shaping international policy in support of food and land use systems. This includes:

o Identifying ambitious policy outcomes FOLU seeks to achieve. These are linked to FOLU’s flagship report: Growing Better: Ten Critical Transitions to Transform Food and Land Use

o Develop integrated knowledge and engagement workstreams within the Global Knowledge & Engagement team designed to influence international policy outcomes. This includes determining what policy analyses FOLU should conduct to support these policy outcomes.

o Prioritize key international processes and events where FOLU has a strategic opportunity to influence policy outcomes.

• Develop FOLU’s strategy for influencing outcomes at key international events, including UNFCCC COPs.

• Work with Regional Coordinators to identify opportunities to develop targeted policy analyses and policy influencing strategies within FOLU Country Platforms.

• Work with the Head of Business Engagement to identify high impact opportunities for the KE team as part of FOLU’s impact strategy
  

Delivery (40%)

• For each workstream, lead the development and implementation of knowledge products and engagement strategies focusing on shifting behaviors with public sector/policy stakeholders.

o Guide the analytical team in scoping and producing impactful reports and knowledge products which will influence policy at a global and country level, acting as co-author for published analyses.

o Engagement strategies will be developed with FOLU’s communications team to develop effective campaigns linked and impact strategy. Engagement strategies should span the breadth of FOLU’s coalition, including core partners, country platforms, strategic partners, ambassadors and key events.

o Implementation will also involve close collaboration with FOLU’s Head of Business Engagement

• Lead key project management functions including planning, organizing work plans, and ensuring delivery in accordance to workplans.

• Coach and line manage members of the KE team, including professional development, performance assessment and other aspects of line management.

• Maintain calendar of strategic priority international engagements and engagement strategy for targeted events.

• Oversee the international policy influencing aspects of the budget, including staff resourcing, design agency and external contractor budgets linked to different grants.

• Oversee grant and funder reporting for KE team policy influencing activities.

Fundraising and development (20%)

• Identify opportunities to grow FOLU’s international policy impact, and develop concepts for new workstreams, platforms or products working with the secretariat, regional coordinators, country platforms, strategic partners and potential funders.

• Work with FOLU’s fundraising manager to embed high potential opportunities into fundraising proposals and support bid processes.
  

External relationships and engagement (20%)

• Build and maintain relationships within the core partner group and other external strategic partners and global coalitions to shape international and national ambition, action and accountability in climate, nature, health and livelihoods in the in the AFOLU sector policy advocacy space.

• Represent the coalition in high level meetings in the government and in the civil society and private sector arena, nationally and internationally .
  

Requirements:

• Master's degree (or two additional years of relevant work experience)

• Minimum of 7 years of external experience working to drive policy change at either the national and/or international level(s). This could include working in government and/or public institutions, experience working in a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), think tank, consulting firm or other relevant institution

• Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills; a demonstrated ability to diplomatically and effectively guide peers and directors though strategy conception to concrete proposed deliverables focused on impact at global scale

• Demonstrated experience as a supportive, collaborative and empowering line manager.

• Exceptional written and oral skills in English (other languages desired, but not mandatory); ability to translate technical information into lay language for policy audiences;

• Experience with interacting with and influencing senior officials and politicians

• Demonstrated ability to build networks and alliances, especially with external stakeholders.

• Ability to take initiative, work independently, and be flexible on changing priorities

• Enthusiasm for FOLU’s philosophy and mission

• Experience working in international team environment a plus; must be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, with a diverse staff, across multiple time zones, and within tight and often parallel deadlines

• Policy experience related to food and land use systems is preferred including in one or more of the following policy areas: agriculture, environment, climate change, public health, food security, international development, international trade, legal and regulatory affairs, research and innovation, etc.

• Experience in developing and organizing fundraising proposals is desired, but not mandatory.

• Experience working on policy at the EU level is desired, but not mandatory.

Other information:

Applications in English from current residents in the following cities will be considered:

London (preferred)| Paris |Amsterdam |Munich

Disclaimer: Please ensure you are legally eligible to work/live in your location when applying for this role. Visa sponsorship or relocation costs will not be provided.

Diversity & Inclusion

• We believe that diversity and inclusion are at the heart of system change and the mission we have set ourselves. So, we commit ourselves to:

• Embedding diverse and inclusive ways of working from day to day. This includes recruitment, performance management, and people processes and policies.

• Providing a supportive environment. We want people to be themselves and be at their best, regardless of their background, personality, gender, sexual orientation, race, mental health, religion, or other characteristics.

• Enabling a long-term, sustainable approach to work and life more generally. We want to support our people at all stages of their lives – as parents or caregivers, through changing life circumstances – and to accommodate personal priorities where they matter most.