Technical Director

About Emergency Nutrition Network (ENN)

Emergency Nutrition Network (ENN) works to reduce undernutrition globally. We enhance the effectiveness of nutrition policy and programming by improving knowledge, stimulating learning and building evidence. We are passionate about being network-driven, independent and evidence-based.

Our vision is that every individual caught up in a nutritional emergency, or suffering from malnutrition anywhere in the world, gets the most effective help possible.

We undertake knowledge management, research and advocacy to support national governments, civil society, UN agencies, donors and academic organisations, and communities of practitioners. Through our work and collaborations, we support agencies and individuals to implement evidence-based nutrition programming, predominantly in low- and middle-income countries and in fragile and conflict-affected states.

ENN is governed by a Board of Trustees and has its head office in Oxfordshire, UK. ENN is financially supported by foundations and trusts, bilateral donors, international non-governmental organisations and United Nations agencies. For more information about ENN see our website: www.ennonline.net

What we do

Our Strategy aims to enhance the effectiveness of nutrition policy and programming by improving knowledge, stimulating learning, building evidence and providing support and encouragement to practitioners and decision-makers involved in nutrition and related interventions.

ENN’s portfolio includes projects specialising in Infant Feeding in Emergencies, Wasting and Stunting, Adolescent Nutrition and Management of small & nutritionally At-risk Infants under six months & their Mothers (MAMI), as well as our highly regarded international publication, Field Exchange (FEX).

Our People

ENN’s team is made up of a range of technical experts in nutrition, with decades of collective experience, and a small, experienced operational team. ENN is highly committed to diversity and inclusion, to enabling and promoting flexible working for our staff, and to supporting continued professional development**.**

We are proud that in our 2022 Employee Engagement Survey over 95 percent of our staff said they enjoy their work and that ENN is a flexible employer.

Reporting to: CEO

Supervisor for: Technical team (Senior Technical Associate, Senior Nutritionists), Technical Associates and Consultants

Role Summary

Networking and influencing at the highest levels of global nutrition policy and practice, ENN’s technical work is currently overseen by two Technical Directors (TDs), whose work comprises strategic leadership, specialist technical contributions, brokering and networking, policy influence and research. Each bring specific expertise as well as cross-cutting technical acumen and leadership. The TDs also combine to represent the technical team on ENN’s senior Management Team, helping to shape culture, resources and policy.

Coinciding with our new 5-year strategy (2024-28), we are recruiting a third TD to join our technical team. We have taken this opportunity to streamline our structures, play to strengths and maximise efficiencies. In this expanded team, current TDs will focus on the strategy, content and leadership of the organisation’s technical team and portfolio. The third TD will share this senior technical remit in addition to leading representation of the technical team in ENN’s management and governance structures, as well as working across the organisation to develop an integrated programme approach for ENN.

This job description outlines the general and specific duties and responsibilities of the new TD across technical and management responsibilities.

Duties and responsibilities

Strategic leadership 20% (Approximate time allocated)

ENN has a 5-year strategy (to 2028) which sets out objectives, priorities and our ways of working that are central to how we deliver our vision. This forms a key reference point for ENN’s decisions about how we approach and develop existing and new areas of focus. The TD will contribute to the realisation of the 5-year strategy by:

• Sharing knowledge and analysis of key directions and gaps in the nutrition and related sectors, build on existing ENN workstreams and drawing on the collective experience of the full ENN technical team and wider network (together with other TDs), identify new directions/focus areas, portfolios and activities contextualised within ENN’s strategic approach, capacities and direction.
• Contribute to ENN’s strategic fundraising (under lead of the CEO), leading institutional engagement, the delivery of agreed technical contributions, developing proposals and overseeing reporting with specific donors.
• Appraise and assure portfolio and programme balance periodically, jointly with the other TDs and ensure alignment with strategy.
• Sit on the technical sub-committee of the trustees (with other TDs) where strategic technical issues and risks are discussed, and provide consistent technical representation at the full trustee meetings
• Oversee particular developments in ENN’s ways of working in line with the Strategy, as decided with Management Team colleagues.
• Other strategic roles as required by the CEO, including deputising in her/his absence.

Organisational Management 35%

Represent the technical team on the management team (MT), providing high level input (technical lens) into systems, policies and procedures to enable ENN to run effectively and continue to deliver quality work in the service of our network. Also leading the overall management of ENN’s technical programme. This will include:

• Represent the Technical Team on the MT (with decision-making authority).
• Coordinate with senior technical team to table and contribute to MT agenda items (across systems, policies and procedures including finance and HR) and communicate outcomes.
• Work closely with the Projects Coordinator Lead on technical allocations, (re)forecasting, donor requirements and with other members of the Operations team (finance, HR) to ensure efficient ways of working across the technical programme.
• Provide technical oversight of M&E (support CEO and M&E team) to monitor and evaluate delivery of our strategic plans, including coordinating inputs from the senior technical team where necessary.
• Act as technical focal point for organisation-wide Communication Strategy development and implementation.
• Convene and manage regular senior technical team meetings to oversee and coordinate the full technical team and programme (review of broad spread of people and projects, identification of technical team wide opportunities for development, troubleshooting project and people issues) based on portfolio priorities agreed by TDs.
• Review and final sign-off on donor reports, trustee reports and annual reports.

Technical delivery 20%

Lead on specific projects and, with the other TDs, provide oversight and coordination of the full technical portfolio as follows:

• Project lead for Guidance, Food Systems (and GNC-TA temp maternity cover) projects
• With the finance team, lead the planning, development and management of project plans and budgets, supported by the Projects Team who oversee budgets during delivery.
• Lead and coordinate on technical projects (including directing external and internal efforts, technical oversight, scope and evolution) to ensure quality timely and collaborative delivery, managing embedded collaboration between technical and operations staff from planning through to delivery stages.
• Create and co-create technical outputs across the range of ENN’s technical areas and products (evidence reviews, research papers, briefs, communications content).
• Line manage and mentor senior members of the technical team to deliver on the organisation’s objectives.
• Oversee the necessary terms of reference for associates and consultants to feed into any new or renewed contracts.
• Contribute to ENN’s master M&E framework, refining tracking and reporting against indicators in ways that promote accountability and learning for strengthened delivery.

External positioning and technical leadership 10%

As a key organisation for providing evidenced knowledge of what works and how it works as well as identifying and helping to fill evidence gaps, ENN has considerable interaction with multiple organisations, institutions and individuals. Identification of critical stakeholders, nurturing strategic relationships, facilitating collaboration and brokering consensus are core components of TD activities, in addition to specific technical expertise.

• To stay abreast of developments in the sector in policy, programming and research, dedicating appropriate time.
• Identify and develop opportunities and strategies for ENN to influence the sector and beyond.
• Strategic engagement with key donors and other influential actors, to provide or coordinate high level technical advice and inputs as planned/requested.
• Engage with and, as necessary, represent ENN, in global initiatives e.g. the Global Nutrition Cluster (GNC), Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, the Action Review Panel.
• Actively participate (and guide others in the technical team to do same) in key international/regional/country meetings/fora to present ENN-led/collaborative work; listen, learn and help amplify emerging knowledge and evidence; and support meetings through facilitation.
• Identify new actors, institutions or agencies with whom ENN needs to liaise with and lead the required relationship building.

Internal Technical Quality Assurance 15%

TDs provide a quality assurance role across our portfolio by being a backstop to all technical project leads as and when required. This includes areas such as:

• network and relationship management/building
• navigating alignment with our strategy and ways of working
• reviewing and editing ENN outputs to ensure the highest quality
• specific technical advice
• initiate, participate and contribute to internal technical team learning and sharing opportunities

People, values and culture

Across all areas of responsibility, the TDM works with colleagues and has specific responsibilities to set standards and objectives that motivate others, the tools and resources to deliver on them and the accountability to measure progress and provide for learning.

• Lead designated colleagues, supporting and empowering them to be the best they can be and creating a culture which thrives, innovates and delivers high quality.
• Line manage senior colleagues, developing objectives for performance and growth, enabling their delivery, accountability and learning.
• Demonstrate behaviour consistent with ENN values and ensure that staff and associates understand them, embrace them, and are focused on achieving our vision and aims.
• Support and enable ENN’s diversity, encouraging debate and discourse and facilitating towards consensus.
• Pro-actively and positively contribute to the functioning of the ENN Management Team, ensuring colleagues are encouraged, supported, and mutually accountable.

Person Specification

Essential attributes

• Background in leading international nutrition/health programmes
• Post-graduate qualification in public health/nutrition/health
• Proven success in developing and effectively managing programmes in complex organisations
• History of participation in organisational management teams at country or international level
• Proven excellence in motivating and leading diverse and dispersed teams (including good team building, distance and line management and mentoring skills)
• Excellent interpersonal skills; an active listener with proven ability to build positive relationships with a wide variety of people and organisations
• Extensive professional network within the humanitarian and development systems
• Demonstrable success in influencing change in the humanitarian and development architecture/system
• Programme, research and policy development experience in humanitarian/high burden contexts
• Comprehensive understanding of the donor landscape and requirements and proven experience of winning and effectively managing significant grants
• Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills
• Adept facilitator and negotiator
• Visionary, self-motivated and strong initiative

Desirable

• Publication record in peer review journals
• Languages: French and/or Arabic
• Experience in systems-based approaches/research (e.g. Health Systems, Food Systems)
• Specialism in areas of work of relevance to ENN’s strategic priorities

Terms and Conditions

• Hours of work: Full-time (37.5 hours per week)
• Type of contract: Permanent
• Location: Hybrid. Working from home, with regular travel to ENNs Oxford Office
• Holidays: 25 days plus UK Public Holidays, increasing by one day per annum after two complete years of service to a maximum of 27 days per annum
• Pension: Auto-Enrolment to ENN scheme with a generous Employer contribution of 5%
• Salary: circa £61,233 per annum (FTE) dependent on experience
• Benefits: Dental cover, Life cover, Employee Assistance Programme, Wellbeing contribution
• Eligibility to work: Must have the right to work in the UK. A relocation package is not available for this position.

Application Process

Please submit a Cover Letter (no more than one page which explains why you are interested in the role and how your experience satisfies the Person Specification) along with your CV to [email protected] no later than 23:59 hrs on 6th March 2024. Early applications are advised as we reserve the right to conclude the process before the closing date if a suitable candidate is identified.