This role will suit you if you want to lead the delivery of The Food Conversation – an exciting new programme of work that will explore what people across the UK really think about food.

The Food, Farming and Countryside Commission was set up in 2017 to help shape the future of food and farming outside the EU, bringing together new and diverse voices to explore radical and practical responses to the climate, nature, health and economic crises. Our distinctive approach is systems-thinking, collaborative, inclusive and evidence-led, reaching out to seldom heard voices, and engaging non-traditional sectors through our work. We are working to change our food system so that:

• Healthy food is everybody’s business, levelling the playing field for a fairer food system,
• Farming is a force for change, with a transition plan for agroecology by 2030, and the resources to back that plan,
• The countryside works for everyone, with a framework for sustainable land use and nature restoration, with thriving rural communities where people can afford to live and work,
• Money flows to where it is needed to align investments with the priorities for a just transition.

Last year, we set out to explore what people really think about food. We commissioned a robust deliberative dialogue process, starting in Birmingham and Cambridgeshire, as well as national polling, to explore the impact of food on multiple aspects of life – food and health, farming and land use, climate and nature, and trade and justice.

This first phase of The Food Conversation was our ‘proof of concept’. Citizens told us that they want swift and wide-reaching action on food to protect health, nature and the environment. They demand radical change that involves all actors in the system. And their thoughts about the food system tell us a great deal about the society they want – one that is fairer, healthier and greener, with government and business leaders taking the hard decisions that put people and the planet first.

This year we are bringing these questions to citizens around the UK in the ‘roll out’ phase of The Food Conversation.

This important and exciting role will lead our work on food system policy for FFCC. It has a dual purpose: leading the management of our groundbreaking The Food Conversation project, under the strategic leadership of our Chief Executive; and helping FFCC achieve its strategic aim of ensuring healthy food is everybody’s business. Working closely with our Director of External Affairs, the post holder will manage the design and delivery of The Food Conversation and contribute food systems expertise across the team.

We are looking for someone who has an in-depth and detailed understanding of food policy, with a particular focus on the ‘eating end’ of the food system. This person will work closely with the farming and land use experts in the team and will bring credible and credentialed expertise in health and/or nutrition.

The right candidate will be familiar with social and/or Action Research methodologies, both qualitative and quantitative, and ideally with a background understanding of the political economy of food and/or the role of narratives and framing in policy development. They will be familiar with the food policy context across the UK, and opportunities for change at both local and national levels.

To learn more about the role, and for the full person specification, please download the Job Description at the top of this page.

FFCC is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and celebrates these qualities as essential principles of a fair and sustainable society. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are actively seeking to ensure our team is representative of the diversity of UK countries.

Contract type: Permanent

Hours: Full time (35 hours per week)

Closing date: 23:59 on Sunday 10^th March 2024. First stage interviews will take place during the week commencing 25^th March.

Salary: Circa £50,000 dependent on experience

Location: Home based, with frequent travel to London and Bristol, and co-working space available in Bristol.

To apply: Please send your CV and a one page cover letter, explaining why you are suitable for this role and your reasons for applying, to joanna.stickler@ffcc.co.uk