Consultant to Coordinate Development of a Nutrient Profile Model (Remote, 6 Months)

About the role

Lao PDR is facing a nutrition transition with a triple burden of malnutrition, and improving food environments is a growing priority. UNICEF supports the Ministry of Health in developing a context-appropriate, evidence-based Nutrient Profile Model (NPM) to classify foods and beverages by nutritional composition, helping to restrict unhealthy products, set school food standards and inform fiscal policies such as taxation. The consultancy provides high-level lead, facilitation and coordination support to the Ministry of Health, which leads the project, for a remote period of 6 months.

Key responsibilities

• Lead, facilitate and coordinate the design, development, validation and approval of the NPM
• Ensure the model is scientifically sound, feasible to use, context-adapted and aligned with national policies
• Support the Technical Working Group, which defines scope, adapts suitable WHO models, identifies food categories, sets nutrient thresholds and validates the model with stakeholders
• Engage partners such as the National University of Laos Faculty of Agriculture, the Lao Tropical Public Health Institute, government departments, WHO, WFP, FAO, CRS and the Lao Nutrition Association

Required profile

• Master's degree in Nutrition, Public Health, Food Policy, Social Sciences, International Development or another clearly related discipline
• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience working with government and development partners in the social sector
• Experience contributing to national guidelines and regulations, especially on nutrition
• Fluency in English, oral and written
• Familiarity with Lao PDR's government processes on nutrition
• Desirable: Lao language

Required skills

• Nutrition policy and science, school nutrition and food profiles
• Multistakeholder coordination and programme management
• Ability to work independently with limited supervision
• Good analytical and writing skills

Candidates apply through the UNICEF online recruitment portal (TMS) with an up-to-date profile, CV, cover letter and a financial proposal in the provided template. The advert was published on 22 October 2026 and closes on 29 October 2026.