Essentials
- Job Title: Food Systems Policy Officer
- Location: Rome, Italy
- Employment type: Full-time
- Compensation: 50,000€ – 60,000€ Gross p/a commensurate with experience
- Line Manager: Deputy CEO
- Deadline: 27 July 2025
Context
About the World Federation for Animals
The World Federation for Animals is a global federation of 70+ NGOs working towards the recognition of animal welfare as essential for sustainable development. Our efforts focus on integrating animal welfare into international health, food, and environmental regimes and trade and development finance rules. Established in 2020, this coalition now drives transformational change for animals as a UN-accredited force that harnesses the collective strength of animal protection peers and experts worldwide, and influences global decision-making at the UN and other international institutions. We achieve global impact for animals – together.
The team
Working closely with policy and communications staff, the successful candidate will join a small, international, remote team of professional, ambitious, and supportive individuals, as well as colleagues from WFA member organisations, all committed to making a positive, long-lasting difference for animals worldwide.
The successful candidate
The successful candidate will be someone with exceptional ability to foster relationships and deliver persuasive arguments. You will be able to inspire and persuade, helping others quickly see “the bigger picture” and how policy changes can have a measurable impact. You must be a team player who loves working with colleagues from diverse organisations and cultures to achieve unprecedented results.
The role
This role is a unique opportunity to make a real difference at a global scale and to represent the global animal welfare movement. This role will be integral to building the success of our movement.
The role will develop and maintain relationships with the UN Food and Agriculture Organizations (FAO) and related institutions in the international food policy space, in order to mainstream animal welfare within global food policy and implementation, tackle industrial farming and fishing, and ensure farming protects wild animals and their habitats. The role will develop relationships with delegates and secretariat members, sensitising them to WFA positions, representing WFA at FAO, UN and other meetings and events relevant to food policy, and supporting advocacy toward WFA’s related policy objectives, which may include liaising with the Inter-agency and Expert Group on SDG Indicators in support of WFA’s work on inclusion of animal welfare in the post-2030 development agenda.
The role will be home-based with occasional international travel and will be full-time. We’re a global team working from five different countries and with members active in every region of the world. We aspire to build a kind, supportive and inclusive culture that fosters collaboration and creativity to achieve our collective mission. Diversity of experience and background is essential to our work.
This role will be based in Rome, Italy.
Overall accountability
To constructively engage with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and related key food policy institutions as needed, such as the International Livestock Research Institute, CGIAR, and the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock, as well as Member State Permanent Missions in Rome in order to achieve the implementation of the WFA strategy toward integrating animal welfare into food policy and the adoption of policies that support transitions to more humane, healthy and sustainable production practices.
Engaging with policymakers within key food policy agencies, Member States, and other stakeholders
- Build constructive relationships with FAO and related food agency staff, Permanent Missions, country representatives and other stakeholders in the food systems space.
- Represent WFA within the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock (GASL).
- Identify opportunities for engagement around higher animal welfare practices and healthy, sustainable diets within the international food policy space.
- Develop novel and effective framings and approaches that advance the well-being of animals within these policy spaces and their measurement.
- Liaise with the Inter-agency and Expert Group on SDG Indicators as regards the development of the post-2030 development agenda.
Building a WFA presence at the Food and Agriculture Organization and related food policy agencies
- Promote WFA positions at relevant meetings and events.
- Engage and coordinate with key stakeholders in the international food policy space, including other intergovernmental organisations and civil society organisations
- Occasionally, organise events.
- Where necessary, travel to other locations, including internationally, to engage with UN agencies or stakeholders.
Providing coordination for advocacy efforts
- Create, with relevant policy colleagues and WFA members, a coordinated strategy for advocacy in international food systems policy.
- Collaborate with WFA members, including by leading a WFA working group focused on the coordination of member activities on international food systems policy, to implement WFA’s food systems strategy.
- Prepare collective inputs in response to calls from food systems institutions
- Prepare policy briefs and analyses of policy changes, key decisions and relevant reports for WFA staff and members.
- Support communications staff to highlight policy advocacy efforts for WFA members and supporters.
Other tasks
- From time to time, the post holder will be required to occasionally support the policy team or colleagues on other tasks, as needed and requested by the Deputy CEO.
Key relationships
- Deputy CEO (manager)
- All members of the WFA team
- Members of the WFA, across a wide range of roles, cultures and locations.
- Occasional contact with the Board and Board members.
Required Skills & Experience
You must have the right to work in Rome, as WFA cannot support any visa application process.
Skills
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain strategic relationships and deliver policy advocacy outcomes.
- Able to speak and write persuasively and constructively, and think and respond quickly during conversations and debates. Effective negotiating strategy development is desirable.
- Ability to quickly comprehend complex issues and interlinkages.
- Excellent English. Additional language skills are desirable.
Experience
- 5+ years of experience working in policy or advocacy, including previous engagement with UN bodies or Member States is highly desirable.
Knowledge
- Demonstrated technical understanding of sustainable food systems science and policy, particularly in an international context.
- Understanding of international policymaking process and institutions, specifically the international agencies involved in food systems policy.
- Understanding of sustainable development and international policy trends.
- Understanding of the interlinkages between food systems science and policy with animal welfare, biodiversity, climate and health is desired.
Education
- A Master’s level education in a relevant degree, or equivalent work experience.
Essential Attributes
- Passionate, driven, proactive: a self-starter.
- Organised and reliable, with a good attention to detail.
- Ability to engage and work with others constructively.
- Able to carry conviction in the face of pressure while working to find pragmatic and feasible ways to achieve real progress.
- Collaborative team player.
Values
Commitment to WFA’s mission and values, i.e. altruism, inclusion, trust, impact, and transformation. For more on WFA values, see the Federation’s long-term strategy here.
Benefits
We offer a competitive gross salary of 50,000€ – 60,000€ Gross annually, along with health insurance, generous holidays and paid leave, and opportunities for training. WFA endeavours to ensure fair pay.
The above job description is subject to amendment or discussion with the successful applicant before appointment.
WFA will not cover relocation costs.
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