Senior Technical Specialist – Food Systems and Nutrition at Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)

About the role

The Senior Technical Specialist will provide strategic and technical nutrition expertise throughout the design, implementation, and evaluation stages of all the projects in Kenya. The role will also provide leadership in the development and implementation of assessments and research agendas within one or more of GAINs programming areas ensuring other technical specialists remain aligned to the nutrition and food systems agenda of GAIN.

As part of the senior management team of the GAIN Kenya office, the Senior Technical Specialist will assist in ensuring organizational efficiency and effectiveness through participation in decision making, advising on strategic programmatic areas, solving problems, communication and implementation of agreed decisions.

Role specifics include;

• Overseeing the technical unit of the Kenya Programme to ensure effective ongoing technical performance of a complex and ambitious food systems programme
• Collaborating with the Country Director on the development, implementation and quality management of the country programme
• Guiding and working with project managers and other internal technical experts to ensure appropriate nutrition interventions are incorporated and implemented in the GAIN projects
• Working with government and development partners to contribute to the development of nutrition related guidelines
• Leading on the development of research agendas that will permit the identification and prioritization of research questions related to strategic areas within GAIN
• Representing GAIN during key industry discussions and events, while providing analysis, technical insights and disseminating lessons learnt

Experience

• Solid experience in operations research, project management and evaluations.
• Experience in the performance management of nutrition programs.
• Experience in development and operationalization of M&E frameworks and plans
• Excellent understanding of quantitative and qualitative research and analysis
• Experience in a multi-cultural environment and managing local issues in developing countries.
• Experience in the performance management of agriculture-nutrition programs highly desirable.

Education

• Masters or PhD in nutrition, public health, economics, agricultural economics, food science or a suitable equivalent.