Senior Policy Specialist

Summary

Join the Good Food Institute (GFI) as a Senior Policy Specialist, Asia, and play a pivotal role in advancing alternative proteins across the region. You will engage with governments, intergovernmental organizations, and GFI affiliates to shape policy and build support for this crucial sector. Responsibilities include regional policy engagement, multilateral collaboration, research and writing, and operational excellence. This remote position requires significant experience in public policy, international relations, and working within Asia. The ideal candidate is a self-starter with strong communication and project management skills. Benefits include meaningful work, a supportive global team, flexible work arrangements, and competitive salary.

Requirements

• Have at least five years of experience working in public policy, international relations, or related policy disciplines, including engaging with high-level stakeholders in an international context
• Have experience living and working within Asia
• Have strong experience in and comfort engaging with government agencies, communicating with legislative or executive branch policymakers and staff, both verbally and in writing
• Have experience building coalitions and developing consensus among partners with different, complementary and sometimes competing objectives
• Have fluency in English to an excellent proficiency level
• Have the ability to navigate dynamic and constantly evolving policy environments while managing multiple projects simultaneously and meeting deadlines
• Have the demonstrated ability to communicate complex and nuanced information clearly in both written and oral presentations to a range of audiences
• Be self-motivated with the capacity to thrive in a dynamic environment and pivot to meet opportunities while advancing strategic priorities. Have the ability to problem-solve under pressure
• Have excellent project management, organisational, and written and verbal communication skills. Have a strong ability to persuade. Be detail oriented
• Be comfortable working remotely, both independently as well as in concert with a larger, geographically dispersed group in a rapidly growing and evolving organisation
• Have strong support for GFI’s philosophy and mission; demonstrated interest in plant-based & other alt proteins, public health, environmentalism, climate change, animal protection, or hunger relief
• Have a commitment to GFI’s values: believe change is possible, do the most good we can, share knowledge freely, act on evidence, and invite everyone to the table

Responsibilities

• Engage with key inter-governmental fora and regional non-governmental bodies, such as ASEAN, the Pacific Islands Forum, EAS, SCO, ADB, and others to identify opportunities for collaboration including inter-governmental partnerships and regulatory harmonisation
• Coordinate with policy staff at GFI’s affiliates, specifically GFI APAC, GFI India, GFI Japan and a future affiliate in South Korea and other relevant strategic partners in the region to collaborate on regional issues and opportunities
• Support policy engagement in Japan and South Korea as those affiliates are established and build capacity
• Work with the Vice President of Strategy and Policy, Asia to design a regional policy engagement strategy focused on jurisdictions in which GFI’s affiliates do not currently have a presence to advance our highest-impact policy goals, such as: building the narrative around the benefits of alternative proteins for the global south, encouraging public R&D, advancing trade and ease of doing business, and developing a robust talent pool for the sector
• Build relationships with government agencies, officials, and policymakers in multiple territories
• Monitor policy developments and represent GFI’s views to governments through written submissions and participation in online or in-person fora
• Represent GFI at external events as necessary and speak to external audiences on smart protein and related policy issues
• Participate in GFI’s global multilateral efforts as the Asia regional point-of-contact to represent the views of GFI affiliates in the Asia region, and ensure appropriate Asia representation in global efforts
• Maintain information flow on multilateral efforts to and from affiliates and global colleagues to ensure visibility of multilateral opportunities
• Undertake detailed research on matters that directly or indirectly impact the alternative protein sector on a regional basis and building connections between existing affiliates on potential areas of policy impact
• Draft and prepare detailed submissions, presentations, letters, concept notes, internal and external resources, and materials for government officials and companies
• Build your own awareness of and highlighting any areas of risk to the alternative protein sector from a government relations and policy lens
• Work with Operations support to provide inputs to department spending and following all people operations (human resources) and administrative procedures
• Perform other duties as assigned

Preferred Qualifications

• Have experience with diplomacy
• Have a degree or equivalent experience in public policy, international relations, environmental studies, political science, law, or a related field
• Have proficiency in another Asia regional language

Benefits

• Be engaged in hugely meaningful work at the forefront of a fast-growing, intellectually challenging sector
• Work in a warm, inclusive and high impact global team
• Have flexible work including work from home with periodic travel opportunities to meet with stakeholders and team members