Global Portfolio Director

Title: Global Portfolio Director

Client: Nutrition International - https://www.nutritionintl.org/

Location: Ottawa, Canada preferred. An alternate base in the Eastern USA or one of NI’s offices in Africa could be considered.

Overall Purpose/Broad Function:

 The Global Portfolio Director will be responsible for the overall grant management and leadership of a program portfolio of global projects in NI countries of operation in Asia and Africa.  You will ensure alignment and coordination across the organization and look for opportunities to grow and expand our funding.  You will ensure all grant funded projects within the portfolio are managed effectively and deliver according to their contractual obligations.   The Director will work closely with a cross-functional team of internal resources in HQ, Africa and Asia, gathering and leveraging NI’s existing knowledge and expertise from various units to ensure the portfolio is highly strategic, yields maximum impact and provides excellent value for money.  

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Portfolio Leadership

·  Working across teams: Global Technical Services (GTS), Business Development, External Relations, and Corporate Services units:

­   Support efforts to update the program as critical elements in the landscape and lead on the development of a multi-year costed workplan for different components

­   Review NI’s staffing allocation across units and, in consultation with other units develop and help implement a staffing plan for program implementation

·  Put in place effective mechanisms to steer program implementation and coordinate delivery of the strategy, in collaboration with Program Operation’s colleagues in the         region and in countries of operation and according to NI policies and ways of working

·  Ensure program data is up to date, quality assured by GTS and is available to NI’s leadership and to the communications team.  Ensure data is used to inform program             implementation.

·  Develop new and key strategic relationships to expand the program portfolio to ensure ‘no missed opportunities by, for examples, integrating different program                        components into new platforms

·   Establish mechanisms for regular communication between teams and with NI leadership to maximize opportunities for program integration and to elevate issues or risks

Grant Management

·  Working with regional and country colleagues, ensure all program activities have clear annual plans and budgets and are implemented on time and to a high quality

·   Ensure that all donor, technical and financial reports are completed in a timely fashion and to a quality that meets NI monitoring and reporting standards

·   Carry out monitoring to ensure NI’s overall program is on track to meet corporate and grant performance targets (program and finance) and take corrective action in a           timely way

·   Manage project budgets:

­   Monitor the budget variance and provide updates and annotated finance reports as needed by the donor or internally. 

­   With justification and consultation, reallocate funds across budget lines and between countries/programs as needed (and allowed by the donor) to ensure the most effective      use of funds and best possible impact.

­   Look for savings and budget displacement with an eye to reducing the overall annual cost to NI general funds

·  Ensure gender is well integrated across the project cycle and seek timely support where opportunities emerge

·  Develop models and/or other tools to more effectively conduct grant management and promote learning between countries and staff

·  Look to expand strategic partnership and alliances that strengthen NI’s leadership at global and regional level operations

·  Ensure the operating model for each project is suitable for the intended results and delivers value for money

·  Work with Corporate Services and OPs colleagues to improve modalities, including processes, tools and ways of working to make improvements that drive program                quality and/or cost savings

·    Support the development of new operating models to support NI’s work in countries where we don’t have an office

·    Ensure program risks are monitored, documented and managed and issues are elevated in a timely way

Commodity Procurement

·  Ensure the timely procurement of nutrition commodities needed by projects by providing oversight of the RFP and award process according to NI procurement                     guidelines and best practice

·  Keep abreast of Canadian and other pertinent legislation relating to commodity procurement

·  Ensure NI is up to date regarding WHO guidelines for commodities, especially those that are new to the market

·  Manage any partnerships related to the delivery of commodities ensuring visibility for NI and value for money

Resource Mobilization

·  Working closely with the Business Development and External Relations units, find and support the development of new funding opportunities including the preparation        of proposals or RFP submissions

·   Meet with new and existing donors on a regular basis to ensure they are updated on current project progress and to uncover opportunities for new funding

·   Any other related duties as assigned by the VP of programs

 Supervisory  Responsibilities:

·  Direct line management of 3-5 staff in Canada, Africa and Asia.

Education/Experience:

·  A minimum of 10 years’ experience managing large, complex, development programs in an international NGO or the UN that spans multiple geographies in Africa and         (ideally) Asia. Knowledge of and experience working on programs that deliver international assistance through public health systems in Africa is strongly desirable.

·  A master’s degree in public health, international development or a similar field or experience in lieu

·  Demonstrated experience managing large and complex grants from different major institutional donors

·  Superior written and spoken English and (ideally) French; able to work with a team to put together complex documents that clearly articulate NI’s work

·  Experience and comfort working within a matrixed unit structure

·  Politically astute and able to work cross-culturally in a global team

 Language Skills

·  Fluency in English and French – written and spoken

Travel Requirements

·  The position will require regular travel in Asia and Africa, including to countries where NI does not have a physical office

Other specific skill requirements

·       Demonstrated understanding of results-based management, performance measurement frameworks and fundamentals of program monitoring and donor reporting

·       Strong report writing skills

·       Strong interpersonal communication skills – able to work effectively across teams

TO APPLY

Nutrition International has hired Global Recruitment Specialists to assist with sourcing applicants for this position. Candidates are welcome to contact GRS with inquiries or to apply directly with a cover letter and CV to:

Jill Solomon, Senior Recruiter

Global Recruitment Specialists "Positioning You for Success"

Norwalk, CT 06851 USA

Telephone: +1- 203-899-0499

 JSolomon@globalrecruitment.net

Equal Opportunity Employer offering employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, citizenship, physical or mental disability, or protected veteran status.  The client complies with all applicable laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.

This job description can and will be amended as required from time to time.