The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is seeking a Programme Lead, Nutrient Enriched Crops to take the lead in building out GAIN’s strategy and programming in the commercialisation of nutrient enriched crops (biofortified crops) across GAIN’s country offices. This position will be on a 3 years’ fixed term contract basis, subject to availability of funding. This position is open to GAIN’s country offices in Islamabad, Dhaka, Delhi, Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.

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 Senior Cluster Lead, Food Fortification, the Programme Lead will be responsible for building out GAIN’s programming in commercialisation of nutrient enriched crops (biofortified crops) through programme design, technical support to country programmes, and supporting on-time and on-budget delivery across all country programmes.

The postholder will manage GAIN’s engagement with our partner organisations, specifically around commercialisation and marketing of biofortified crops. You will bring excellent portfolio management skills to the relationship between GAIN and our other partners and take a lead role within GAIN in supporting the execution of scaling up and the commercialisation of nutrient enriched crops / biofortified crops strategy.

Key Responsibilities include;

• Providing technical oversight to the implementation of activities that bring biofortified crops to scale through commercialisation activities such as production delivery models and supply chain and market development initiatives
• Co-leading on the development of detailed workplans to support the commercialisation of biofortified crops in Asia and Africa, whilst clarifying how GAIN and our partners will ensure impact, scale, and sustainability in a small number of strategically selected geographies
• Supporting the design process in GAIN countries and providing technical know-how to deliver strategically relevant, sound, and feasible project design
• Working closely with GAIN’s Knowledge Leadership team and our partner’s monitoring and evaluation teams to ensure measurable and effective monitoring and tracking targets are in place, and evaluation and learning takes place within the commercialization activities
• Providing guidance to GAIN’s country teams on strategy development, state of the field, and the positioning of commercialization of biofortified crops programme
• In existing global fora, contribute strategic direction and good practice to build strong evidence-based approaches to commercialisation of biofortified crops and nutrient rich agricultural commodities
• Supporting resource mobilization for commercialization of biofortified crops programmes and relationship management with funders
• Developing and managing relationships with other organisations active in the biofortification and commercialisation of agricultural commodities space
• Supporting delivery of a dissemination and visibility plan (including by leading on dissemination workshops, manuscripts, publications, blogs, white papers, articles, factsheets, brief), alongside GAIN’s Knowledge Leadership, Communications and Country programmes teams, as well as with GAIN’s partners
• Protecting and promoting the effective functioning of the project management Quad system

About You

The ideal candidate will have a demonstrable track record in managing multi-country, multi-donor, multi-partner consortium projects of $10M or more, ideally with experience in implementing large market-based nutrition programs and projects.

You will have a substantial level of professional experience directly or indirectly related to marketing foods, new product category development, supply chains and international development.

You should also have the ability to operate within the private and public sectors to effectively liaise with food enterprises, development agencies, and governments at senior level. Candidates with strong business-to-business (B2B) development skills, trade marketing, or partnership management with private and public experience is preferable.

You should have previous experience of leading and managing a team and possess excellent representational, strategic, and diplomatic abilities to represent GAIN and our partners. Candidates must have excellent written/verbal communications, research, writing skills, and should be willing and able to work in multicultural and multilingual environments.

The postholder should have Bachelors’ degree in Business and Marketing, Food Technology, Development Studies, Economics, Agricultural Development or related fields. You should be highly flexible and willing to travel in challenging environments.

About our Offer

The starting salary for each office is as follows, depending on experience:

1. Bangladesh: From BDT 3,434,772 – BDT 3,925,908 per annum
2. India: From INR 2,225,364 – INR 2,544,420 per annum
3. Kenya: From KES 5,363,448 – KES 6,129,648 per annum
4. Pakistan: From PKR 4,258,440 – PKR 4,859,808 per annum
5. Tanzania: From USD 46,836 – USD 53,496 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 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.

This advert closes on 3rd January 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.