Program Officer – Nutrition

Results for Development (R4D) is a leading non-profit global development partner. We collaborate with change agents around the world — government officials, civil society leaders and social innovators — to create strong systems that support healthy, educated people. We help our partners move from knowing their goal to knowing how to reach it. We combine global expertise in health, education and nutrition with analytic rigor, practical support for decision-making and implementation and access to peer problem-solving networks. Together with our partners, we build self-sustaining systems that serve everyone and deliver lasting results. Then we share what we learn so others can achieve results for development, too.

We have a unique and vibrant culture at R4D. Diversity, equity and inclusion are at the heart of our work environment and help advance our mission. Diversity—of ideas, identities, perspectives and backgrounds—is vital to who we are and what we do. We seek people who embrace these values and will help reinforce them. Our work culture is collaborative, creative and entrepreneurial. We operate based on trust and respect. Teams across the organization frequently collaborate on programmatic work and support each other in continuously building a better R4D.

Practice:

Malnutrition represents one of the most formidable challenges of the 21st century to achieving a country’s health goals and economic success. Over 45% of under-five child deaths globally can be attributed to malnutrition and those children who survive face higher risks of living in poverty and of giving birth to malnourished children, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and social inequity. In contrast, good nutritional status is linked to improved school completion rates, higher household income, and a greater chance of escaping poverty and boosting intergenerational equity.

This is a critical time for nutrition that requires fresh thinking and new tools and solutions. R4D’s Nutrition Team has designed a suite of approaches to support global and country partners across a broad range of areas, including:

• Strengthening health systems to provide essential nutrition services through integration into primary health care, as countries pursue universal health coverage
• Food systems: enabling policymakers to achieve better policy outcomes across the different dimensions of the food system, with a specific focus on ensuring healthy diets and nutrition
• Sustainable nutrition financing across sectors: Providing high-quality tools, guidelines, and resources for multisectoral nutrition planning and sustainable financing for nutrition at the global, national, and sub-national levels
• Data for Nutrition: Generating quality nutrition evidence and innovative data for decision-making

To meet ambitious nutrition targets, Results for Development works at the global and country-level to help change agents as they navigate complex challenges. Across all of our work, we are committed to building the capacity of change agents at the national and sub-national levels- including government and civil society organizations partners.

Opportunity:

To support this mission, R4D seeks a Program Officer to join our rapidly growing Nutrition Practice to lead projects related to systems strengthening for multi-sectoral nutrition. Anticipated projects include technical support to specific countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to strengthen components of their nutrition financing systems, including the development of investment cases and resource mobilization strategies, working with country-level partners to support the availability and use of nutrition data (including costs and financing), and supporting countries in developing food and nutrition-related policies that recognize the interconnectedness of sectors. This position is a unique opportunity to not only lead nutrition team projects but also contribute leadership to a growing and entrepreneurial team. This position is normally based in Washington, D.C., and will report to the Nutrition Senior Program Officer/Associate Director (remote opportunity may be possible).

Responsibilities:

As a Program Officer for the nutrition team, you will provide program management and technical contributions for new and ongoing projects in nutrition financing.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Managing projects or discrete workstreams of projects, from project design and inception to overall project management to ensure key project deliverables are completed on time; and learning and adaptation to ensure continued optimal relevance and impact.
• Lead qualitative and quantitative analytical activities
• Provide guidance and management support to more junior team members as needed on project workstreams
• Manage relationships with funders, internal and external experts, clients, and program managers involved in engagements
• Develop creative new ideas for projects and contribute to business development proposals
• Providing thought leadership and technical expertise to the nutrition team and across the broader organization, including representing R4D in external settings, developing knowledge products and writing blog posts, and contributing to R4D’s cross-cutting sustainable financing community of practice alongside nutrition, health, and education colleagues
• Support R4D-wide activities that contribute to a strong and positive organizational culture

Qualifications

• An MA with a minimum of 3 years of experience or a BA with a minimum of 5 years of experience in program management, partner management, and strong research skills in global development
• Strong analytical, problem solving, and quantitative skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage partner relationships and project workstreams
• Proven capacity to synthesize technical content into effective presentations
• Ability to prioritize and manage work in a fast-paced environment across multiple projects and workstreams with competing time/resource demands
• High level of organization, attention to detail, professionalism, and reliability
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Enthusiastic about joining a diverse and inclusive work environment
• Motivated to learn, grow, contribute and produce
• Direct work experience related to health or nutrition, or related fields is preferred.
• Willingness to travel, when deemed appropriate

Results for Development is an EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled/Affirmative Action Employer committed to fostering and nurturing an energetic, collaborative and diverse workforce. R4D provides market-competitive salaries and comprehensive employee benefits.