Project Coordinator-Policy & Advocacy CASCADE

About the Role

GAIN’s policy work is geared towards strengthening the food and nutrition agenda in Kenya by influencing key actors; Government, donors, the UN, civil society including peer NGOs, the private sector, and consumers.

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.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Support the implementation of the policy aspects for the CASCADE project.
• Review and synthesize key government food and nutrition related policy documents necessary to deliver project commitments.
• In consultation with the Head of Policy and Advocacy, develop project implementation plans and update key project documents as well as reporting project achievements.
• Contribute to drafting reports, policy papers and briefs, factsheets and other documents which synthesize GAIN learnings, values and priorities.
• Monitor, attend and engage to represent GAIN, where appropriate, in key national-level and country-level policy fora and meetings.
• In consultation with the Head of Policy and Advocacy, develop project implementation plan for the CACADE, project and other policy related work.
• Support the Head of Policy and Advocacy 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.
• Synthesize and disseminate knowledge and evidence from GAIN Kenya programmes that can help drive the policy and influencing agenda for nutritious and safe food in Kenya.
• Support the development and implementation of key advocacy tools (e.g. 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 and international level . The ideal candidate should have an education background in a relevant field such as bachelor’s or master’s degree level in public policy, international relations, law or related field.

About our Offer

The starting gross salary on offer for this role is from KES 3’019’680 – KES 3’454’680 gross 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 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 location, to be eligible to apply for this position.

This advert closes on 15th March 2024. 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.