Position Title: Associate, Influencing and Advocacy
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is seeking an Associate, Influencing and Advocacy to support the Influencing and Advocacy Manager in leading GAIN’s policy work in country. This role will be offered on a 3 years’ 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
Reporting to the Influencing and Advocacy Manager, the Associate will provide support to the Influencing and Advocacy (IA) Manager in ensuring that the interventions led by GAIN and by its different partners under its advocacy and influencing agenda are well coordinated so that overall project and policy milestones and goals are met.
The postholder will provide necessary support to projects as required. Projects with a major focus on advocacy and influencing including Large Scale Food Fortification, Vegetables for All project (Enabling Environment), Resilient Markets project, The Food Systems Dashboard project, The Keeping Food Markets Working 2 (MMW2) and any other policy related programme.
Key Responsibilities include;
- Working with the IA Manager to create opportunities to spread key messages arising from GAIN Kenya country programming through media, social media, and positioning events
- Liaising widely with GAIN colleagues to develop key messaging and strategies for furthering the mission and communicating the vision of GAIN Kenya.
- Supporting the IA Manager in advocacy work geared towards implementation of the national pathways and other planning mechanisms to develop a national food action plan and/or plans and commitments made at the Summits
- Planning and coordinating meetings between vendors, government, civil society, donors, and UN agencies to strengthen cross-sector dialogue on nutrition and building consensus on priorities and opportunities for business and nutrition in the target counties
- Identifying opportunities to improve the enabling environment for vendors in informal markets to increase actions to improve nutrition in the target counties
- Supporting the development of stakeholder mapping for purposes of promoting adoption of the platform and securing support from the relevant policy makers
- Handling the development of advocacy strategy for the sub-national dashboard and the subsequent advocacy efforts targeting national and county government
- Participating in the national and county level meetings organised by Ministry of Health and agriculture and other forums relevant to the project
About You
The ideal candidate should have experience in policy and/or budget advocacy, strategic planning, and project management. You should have experience working with stakeholders from business, civil society, government, donors at national international level. Candidate with familiarity with food systems including food industry, nutrition, and public health issues and national-level governance systems and politics is highly desirable.
The postholder should have excellent command of written and spoken English and Portuguese as well as proven ability to work effectively in a multi-cultural and results-driven environment. Candidate should have ability to work collaboratively with a range of different stakeholders from business, farmers, civil society, academia, consumers, etc. In addition, you should be highly flexible and willing to travel within and outside Kenya.
You should have knowledge of policy development and planning work within a government setting that involves public private engagement. University degree in Public Health, Nutrition, Business or Public Administration, Public Policy or related field. Candidate with stakeholder engagement and project management work experience is desirable.
About our Offer
The starting gross salary on offer for this role is from KES 2,083,128 – KES 2,377,296 per annum, depending on experience. For additional benefits please refer to the benefits summary attached.
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 ineligible under the above conditions during or after the recruitment process.
Applicants must be currently based in the Nairobi, Kenya region to be eligible to apply for this position.
This advert closes on 1st February 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.
How to apply
To apply, please click on the following link: