Senior Associate, Policy and Advocacy

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is seeking a Senior Associate, Policy and Advocacy to strengthen GAIN’s policy and advocacy work and its ability to engage with and influence global and national policy processes around food and nutrition security. This role will be offered on a 3-year fixed-term contract, subject to availability of funding. You will be based in Nairobi, Kenya.

About GAIN

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a Swiss-based foundation launched at the UN in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition. Working with both governments and businesses, we aim to transform food systems so that they deliver more nutritious food for all people. In particular, we aim to make healthier food choices more desirable, more available, and more affordable. GAIN’s mission is to advance nutrition outcomes by improving consumption of nutritious and safe food for all people, especially the most vulnerable to malnutrition.

About the Role

GAIN and CARE Kenya have partnered to implement a project known as Catalyzing strengthened policy action for healthy diets and resilience (CASCADE) whose goal is to improve food security and contribute to the reduction of malnutrition amongst women of reproductive age and children under 5 in Kenya. The programme has two strategic objectives: it aims to increase access to and consumption of healthy diets, as well as increasing the resilience of households to economic and climate change-related shocks across in three counties in Kenya. The project aims at doing this through contribution to the improvement of the food and nutrition policy environment in Kenya. The programme will galvanize government towards policy change and accountability.

Reporting to the Influencing and Advocacy Manager, the Senior Associate, Policy and Advocacy will Support the implementation of various policy aspects for GAIN projects. Support the Policy and Advocacy Manager in engaging with the key stakeholders in government, private sector, UN, donors and civil society including academia, media, and other development practitioners; to improve support for GAIN’s mission and increase resources allocated to nutrition in Kenya while providing technical input in the design of policy and advocacy projects within the Country Programme.

Key Responsibilities include.

• In consultation with the Policy and Advocacy manager, develop project implementation plans and update key project documents as well as reporting project achievements .
• Review and synthesize key government food and nutrition related policy documents necessary to deliver project commitments.
• Monitor, engage, and represent GAIN where appropriate, with key global and local policy for a (e.g., Decade of Action on Nutrition, Nutrition for Growth, Scaling Up Nutrition, Kenya National Food Fortification Alliance, Nutrition Technical Forum).
• Research, edit, and produce policy documents, in collaboration with the Policy and External Relations team, Knowledge Leadership (KL) department and Programme Services team.
• Monitor, attend and engage to represent GAIN, where appropriate, in key national-level and country-level policy fora and meetings.
• In consultation with the Policy and Advocacy Manager, develop project implementation plan for the CASCADE, Vegetables for All, Resilient markets projects and other policy related work.
• Support the Policy and Advocacy Manager in engaging with the key stakeholders in government, private sector, UN, donors and civil society including academia, media, and other development practitioners; to improve support for GAIN’s mission and increase resources allocated to nutrition in Kenya
• Support the development and implementation of key advocacy tools (eg Budget tracking tools, Score cards, public participation tools, power analysis tools)

About You

The ideal candidate should have demonstrated experience in policy research and communication within an advocacy-oriented context, either within an NGO, government or policy context. Strong experience in partnership building and brokering between business and other stakeholders, with a strong record of negotiation. Proven knowledge of business models including experience in working with mechanisms that catalyze business partnerships and investments.

The postholder should demonstrate ability to review literature and documentation to turn complex technical and project reports into clear stories/ coherent position papers. Ability to analyze food and nutrition security policy debates and contribute to drafting papers in line with GAIN’s strategic priorities. Demonstrate experience in policy and/or budget advocacy, strategic planning, and project management.

You should have experience working with stakeholders from civil society, government, donors at national international level . Candidate should have an education background in a relevant field such as Bachelors’ or Masters’ degree level in public policy, international relations, law or related field.

About our Offer

The starting salary on offer for this role is from KES 2,849,328 – KES 3,259,800 per annum, depending on experience.

GAIN has a fair and competitive salary structure that allows for annual progression subject to good performance. In addition, GAIN offers a total of 37 days holiday per year (including annual leave, public holidays and additional office closure days), an attractive pension scheme and competitive insurance cover including health, travel and life assurance.

We are committed to the health of our staff, especially in these challenging times, and have developed a programme of wellbeing that includes flexible working, additional leave allowances, wellbeing days, mindfulness coaching and access to independent and confidential counselling.

GAIN also has a strong commitment to professional development. We will support you to grow in your career through both formal and informal training, and are committed to providing opportunities through internal recruitment, secondments and promotion. All of this is delivered in a supportive and collaborative environment.

Our Working Culture and Environment

We provide a flexible working environment that includes a combination of home and office working opportunities through our global hybrid working policy. This encourages our staff to have a healthy work-life balance and increases staff motivation, enriches employee wellbeing, and improves performance and productivity.

All of our positions are based in one or more of GAIN’s designated offices as stated on our job advertisements. Successful candidates will be based in one of GAIN’s country offices and must have the existing right to live and work within a reasonably commutable distance of the relevant city / cities in which the role is advertised. Please note, that GAIN does not sponsor working visas and relocations.

GAIN reserves the right to withdraw an offer of employment for candidates who are considered to be ineligible under the above conditions during or after the recruitment process.

This advert closes on 19th October 2022. Early applications are encouraged. GAIN reserves the right to close this advert early should we receive suitable candidates ahead of the closing date.

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition is committed to equality of opportunity and creating an inclusive environment where diversity is valued. We are keen to reflect the diversity of our society at every level within our organisation and therefore welcome applications from talented and committed people from all backgrounds, representing the diverse societies we operate in.