Senior Research Associate, Knowledge Leadership (Fortification) - SYS-1214

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is seeking a Senior Research Associate, Knowledge Leadership (Fortification) to support the Country Offices, Monitoring team and KL team in operational and administrative backstopping of project portfolio of Knowledge Leadership led initiatives. This role will be offered on a 15-month fixed term contract, subject to availability of funding and will be based in Abuja, Nigeria.

The position holder will manage knowledge leadership functions across countries with focus on defined programmatic topics. They will support the design and implementation of activities of Knowledge Leadership(KL) projects, technical and operational backstopping for focus KL projects and support monitoring frameworks.

• Contribute to the development of learning agendas and the integration of research, evaluation and learning into GAIN country programs and projects.
• Liaise with the project managers and global KL counterpart for periodic and donor reporting on the results framework of projects.
• Develop monitoring protocols in collaboration with monitoring focal persons (who oversee the quality of monitoring data shared by partners, mentor partners on accurate and timely reporting on project deliverables) to ensure alignment with program frameworks, evaluation and learning agenda.
• Provide technical oversight to the implementation of KL activities in collaboration with project managers across project portfolios.
• Manage the implementation of activities with high focus on research as well as strengthening program monitoring of fortification program (Large Scale Food Fortification, biofortification, but may include others), to ensure generation, analysis and sharing data and information on programs in strategically selected geographies.
• Maintain communication with project partners, including government and private sector as well as contracted agencies to ensure timely delivery of project deliverables and dissemination of project outputs.
• Monitor quality of and analyze outputs generated by contracted agencies, consultants and project partners to develop and execute dissemination of the project outputs with relevant global and local stakeholders working on programmatic focus topics.

About you

The ideal candidate should possess experience in research, program monitoring and/or evaluation including the development and operationalization of project M&E frameworks and plans in non-profit sector. Experience in quantitative and qualitative research analysis oriented to nutrition, food systems thematic areas is preferred.

The position holder should have excellent project management skills and experience supporting multiple countries, ability to budget and track activities and write comprehensive reports. Stakeholder management experience is required especially working with partners, government and private sector.

The position holder should hold a master’s level training or equivalent in social sciences/economics/ development economics or related experience.

The starting gross salary on offer for this role is from  NGN 11,087,880 – NGN 12,652,656 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.

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.

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.

For more detailed information please see the attached job description. To apply, follow the "Apply Now" link.

This advert closes on 3rd October 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.