Project Manager, Supporting Markets for Nutritious Foods

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is seeking a Project Manager to implement projects under the SMNF portfolio.

This role is Abuja, Nigeria and is in relation to a project that is funded for up to 5 years.

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

The Supporting Market for Nutritious Foods Project aims to build resilient and sustainable markets in the food and Agricultural value chains to address challenges that impact on the food systems of low-income countries especially during natural disasters.

The project aims to provide emergency business guidance and grants to SMEs providing safe, nutritious foods; sustain and reinforce the gains of Large-Scale Food Fortification; keep food marketplace infrastructure open, but safer; secure workplace nutrition protection for food system workers and their families; provide advisory and practical support to governments to help keep critical coordination mechanisms functioning and help food systems keep working; and deliver research into impacts and mitigation.

The Project Manager will lead the design and implementation of the project in Nigeria while ensuring effective project delivery. You will support the Senior Project Manager, Supporting Markets for Nutritious Foods (SMNF) implement projects under the SMNF portfolio. They will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to set strategic direction of the project, work closely with key food and Agri- businesses, and market stakeholders.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Support the Senior Project manager to manage the development of project workplans and budgets and track progress, including direct provision of regular updates to the Workstream global leads, funders, and country team leadership.
• Provide technical oversight to the implementation of activities that strengthen businesses and advance nutrition in target crop value chains.
• Ensure project outputs are well informed and up to date by keeping an eye on the relevant literature to ensure that the project remains fully informed by advances in the field
• Prepare and be accountable for periodic donor reports and support global collation of wider programme reports and updates.
• Ensure the initiative is gender-sensitive, and where feasible, gender-transformative working through project design and implementation to continuously strengthen gender focus.
• Support the recruitment of key staff (direct reports) and motivate team members to attain project goals, adhere to their responsibilities and project milestones.

About you

Candidates for this position should have proven experience in managing projects within an international development setting in Nigeria. In addition, you will have understanding and some experience/technical knowledge of health systems as well as demonstrated success building relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

• Minimum degree level qualification related to food science, nutrition, health, agriculture, business management or suitable equivalent
• Proven project and or business management experience in a similar capacity.
• Experience in stimulating demand for food and agricultural commodities through social marketing.
• Some experience or deep understanding of the private sector especially MSMEs

About our offer

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.

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

This advert closes on 7th March 2021. Early applications are encouraged. GAIN reserves the right to close this advert early should we receive suitable candidates ahead of the closing date.