Job Vacancy: Job title: Technical Advisor, Evaluations of Food Systems Transformation, Knowledge Leadership
Job description: About the Role
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is seeking a Technical Advisor, Evaluations of Food Systems Transformation, Knowledge Leadership to provide daily technical oversight and support throughout the project lifecycles of the two large multi-country multi-sectoral impact evaluations, working closely with the two senior KL focal points, and coordinating with country teams, implementation partners, and independent researchers. This role will be offered on a two(2) year fixed term contract, subject to availability of funding and will be based either in Nairobi, Kenya or Abuja, Nigeria depending on the location of the successful candidate.
The Knowledge Leadership (KL) Team is responsible for supporting research, learning, and the creation and use of evidence across the organization. Staff are based in locations around the globe and form part of their local country team, as well as the global KL team. In this case, the staff member will be based in a country office and will be working with colleagues in Kenya, Nigeria, Benin, Mozambique, Uganda and Ethiopia as well as the global KL team to support the evaluations of two large projects.
GAIN has recently embarked on two large multi-year programmes which aim to improve diets in millions of people, including women and children, in 6 countries: Benin, Ethiopia. Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Uganda.These are for the Transforming Food Systems to Improve Diet Quality and Resilience for the Most Vulnerable (“Dutch 3.0 or A1”) and Catalysing Strengthened policy action for healthy diets and resilience (“CASCADE or A2”). The two projects are meant to be complementary and synergistic, contribute to similar outcomes but using different mechanisms for action (market-based and policy-based approaches). The CASCADE project is being led by our partner CARE, although GAIN is taking a lead role in many areas of the programme delivery.
The Knowledge Leadership (KL) team is leading the oversight of both programme evaluations for these (A1 and A2) food system transformation programmes, which are contracted out to independent research partners. GAIN’s KL team is seeking a Technical Advisor to provide comprehensive, effective, and efficient technical daily oversight and support throughout the project lifecycles of the two large multi-country multi-sectoral impact evaluations, working closely with the two senior KL focal points, and coordinating with country teams, implementation partners, and independent researchers.
Key Responsibilities include:
- Lead the day-to-day oversight of high-quality, technically sound research, in alignment with GAIN and other relevant research good practice guidelines, to bring out the best research results from our two independent evaluations over all the 12 country-project evaluations (6 in A1 and 6 in A2). These include impact evaluations, as well as process evaluations, process tracing exercises and 2 country project assessments (in A1). Oversee quality and rigour of research and tools.
- Lead in development of programme impact pathways for 9 country-projects.
- Provide close oversight including refining research questions and methodologies, reviewing research plans and protocols, and interacting with partners and contractors as needed to carry out the activities.
- Support in-country field implementation of research, evaluation, learning, and knowledge management activities, including visiting study sites and interacting with project partners (e.g., implementing partners, consultants, contractors) to ensure timely and quality progress.
- Lead on the development of knowledge products, including research articles, briefings, presentations, and associated tables/figures.
- Work closely with all research partners to ensure all research activities are completed as planned on time, and with high quality.
About you
The ideal candidate should have experience with research using both quantitative and qualitive methodologies, in policy analysis, political economy, market research, food/nutrition or a related field. Experience should encompass design of research methodologies, analysis of data, and reporting of results. Demonstrated experience in critical analysis skills to support evidence generation and reporting.
The post holder should have proven experience writing reports, academic papers, and other technical outputs and giving presentations. Track record of publication(s) in peer reviewed journals would be an added advantage in addition to experience with data management and analysis tools/software.
You should have a demonstrable understanding of nutrition and food systems; understanding of policy process or environmental sustainability or gender issues related to food systems would be an asset. The candidate should have a minimum education background of master’s level training in nutrition, food policy, agriculture or other relevant field. The degree should include formal training in research methods. PhD level would be an added advantage.
About our Offer
The starting gross salary for each office is as follows, depending on experience:
- Nigeria: NGN 12’893’652 – NGN 14’742’492 (gross) per annum
- Kenya: KES 4’301’136 – KES 4’917’408 (gross) per annum
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 and hybrid 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.
About GAIN
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a Swiss-based foundation launched at the United Nations in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition. Due to COVID19, conflict in Ukraine and climate change, malnutrition and hunger have worsened significantly since 2019, reversing a decade of progress. There is growing recognition that our food systems need to change if we are to reverse these trends.
GAIN’s Strategy aims to transform food systems to make healthier diets from sustainable food systems accessible to all people and especially those whose are most vulnerable to shocks. By 2027, we aim to improve the access of 1.5 billion people to nutritionally enhanced staple foods, improve the access of 25 million people to healthier diets, and support positive food system change in 10 countries. This is bold and complex, and the only way to achieve this is to work together with partners including governments, businesses, and civil society at the country and global level. These goals, and the ways of achieving them, build on our twenty-year legacy of transforming people’s lives with improved nutrition through concerted action and effective policy change.
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 ineligible under the above conditions during or after the recruitment process.
Applicants must have the right to work and be currently based in the advertised country locations, to be eligible to apply for this position.
This advert closes on 8th September 2023. 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.
Location: Abuja, FCT – Nairobi
Job date: Wed, 30 Aug 2023 22:57:39 GMT
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