Since 2010, the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement has inspired a new way of working collaboratively to end malnutrition, in all its forms. With the governments of SUN Countries in the lead, it unites people—from civil society, the United Nations, donors, businesses and researchers—in a collective effort to improve nutrition. The SUN Strategy 2021–2025 (SUN 3.0) prioritises country leadership and focuses on supporting systemic change at the country level. It seeks to capture the ambition of SUN countries and guide the work of all actors at all levels aligning concerted action behind and responding to commonly agreed national priorities set out by governments in SUN countries.
SUN 3.0 is committed to fundamental, non-negotiable aspects of effective nutrition action, including equity and the principle of leaving no one behind. For its third phase, the SUN Movement will drive forward gender equality and enshrine youth leadership across the Movement. SUN 3.0 will strengthen partnerships to achieve greater impact on nutrition through food systems, health systems, social protection systems, actions by the private sector and humanitarian and development actors, and through education, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and climate change adaptation.
The SUN Movement Secretariat plays a central role in enabling the multiple members and structures of the Movement to work together to advance progress on country-level priorities and the global positioning of nutrition.
The SUN Movement Secretariat comprises approximately 35 personnel, based in Geneva and in various regions globally. All parts of the Movement – member governments, the four SUN networks (Civil Society, United Nations, Business, Donors), the SUN Movement Coordinator and the SUN Movement Secretariat work together to align and focus efforts on priorities within countries.
The SUN Movement Secretariat is hosted by UNOPS.
Role of the Political Affairs Advisor
The Political Affairs Advisor reports to the SUN Movement Coordinator, UN Assistant Secretary General, who is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day implementation of the SUN Movement Strategy and Roadmap, leads the SUN Movement Global Support System and represents the SUN Movement globally.
The role is part of a small global strategic advisory team, to support coordination, representation, advocacy, and liaison tasks with Movement members and stakeholders, and leading engagement with the Lead Group members.
The role works in close collaboration with the Director, SUN Movement Secretariat and the Senior Management Team of the Secretariat, to ensure political positioning of nutrition becomes increasingly institutionalised in member countries and stakeholder organisations.
The purpose of the Political Affairs Advisor role is to support the Coordinator and the Secretariat in inter-governmental and multi-stakeholder processes, develop and lead the implementation of political engagement strategies and strengthen and sustain policy and advocacy at the global level to position nutrition outcomes as a key maker and marker of sustainable development. This will increase the likelihood of generating additional resources and political capital to accelerate nutrition improvement.