Sr. Consortium and Project Director, Maternal Nutrition Africa
Sr. Consortium and Project Director, Maternal Nutrition Africa
Client: Nutrition International (https://www.nutritionintl.org/our-work/)
Reports to/Position Title: Sr. Global Portfolio Director, Maternal Neonatal Health and Nutrition
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Overall Purpose/Broad Function:
Founded in 1992, Nutrition International is a global organization dedicated to delivering proven nutrition interventions to those who need them most. Working in partnership with countries, donors and implementers, our experts conduct cutting-edge nutrition research, support critical policy formulation, and integrate nutrition into broader development programs. In more than 60 countries, primarily in Asia and Africa, Nutrition International nourishes people to nourish life. For more than 30 years now,
Nutrition International has focused on delivering low-cost, high-impact, nutrition interventions to people in need, driven by our mission to achieve a world where everyone, everywhere, is free from malnutrition and able to reach their full potential. Nutrition International’s work is guided by a dedicated and talented team of experts working globally, regionally and within countries to end malnutrition worldwide.
The Sr. Consortium and Project Director provides overall leadership and accountability for a Maternal Nutrition project in Africa. This role will lead and oversee the management of all aspects of the project and is accountable for the overall project. This includes responsibility for day-to-day planning, grant management, and tracking progress against project deliverables, to ensure targets are met through the efficient and effective management of resources – for Nutrition International as the anchor partner, but also for the varied and vital sub-grantees.
A key function of this leadership role will be to develop and steward excellent relationships with key stakeholders, including donors, United Nations agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), research bodies, and government.
The Sr. Consortium and Project Director will lead a project team of 6 staff at Nutrition International and coordinate the tracking and reporting of investment deliverables from a range of implementing partners for this project. They will also collaborate with Nutrition International staff based in the Headquarters in Ottawa, Canada, Africa Regional Office in Nairobi, Kenya and country office staff as appropriate.
The Project Director will be an inclusive leader with a proven ability to manage large scale complex public health/ nutrition programs and lead and motivate teams and foster a respectful and innovative team environment. They will report to the Sr. Global Portfolio Director for Maternal Newborn Health and Nutrition and will work closely with the Sr. Global Portfolio Director for Health Economics and Nutrition Financing and the Sr. Director, Partnerships and Growth.
Specifically, the Sr. Consortium and Project Director is accountable for:
• The delivery of high-quality project deliverables, including technical and financial donor reports.
• Transparent and responsible allocation and utilization of all project funds allocated by the donor.
• Effective project management, ensuring adherence to project scope, timeline and budget.
• A well-structured and managed multi-disciplinary project team aligned with Nutrition International principles and values.
• Positioning, influencing and communication of the project’s work internally and externally.
• The quality and progress of programmatic partnerships the project holds with the donor and implementing partners.
• Maintaining and encouraging a working environment that promotes collective trust, collaboration, diversity, equity and inclusion.
In Africa, undernutrition costs US$153 billion per year in economic losses associated with stunting, anaemia in children, anaemia in adolescent girls and in women of reproductive age, and low birthweight.
Scaling up antenatal micronutrient supplementation, including calcium and multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) as part of comprehensive preventative care presents an opportunity strengthen women’s rights to optimal nutrition and help to break the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition. This will also increase progress towards global and national targets for anemia, low birthweight and stunting.
Employing a unique partnership approach across an initial 5 countries in Africa and a consortium of international partners, Nutrition International, together with the donor are embarking on a pan-African initiative focused on Strengthening Maternal Nutrition
Platforms for MMS & Calcium over the next 5 years. This project will focus on four essential enablers – policy, financing, product availability, and delivery systems. Success requires a coordinated approach where each enabler reinforces the others to achieve sustainable impact. The greatest return on global and national investments will be achieved when women not only receive MMS but also consume it daily, trust in its benefits, and become advocates themselves.
This offers a five (5) year contract. The posting will be based in Nairobi, Kenya.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Project Management
• Facilitate the articulation of project scope, goals and deliverables and ensure they are understood by project staff, partners and stakeholders.
• Oversee and work closely with government stakeholders and partners to develop detailed annual workplans that clearly define the strategies, activities and resources (time, budget and equipment etc.) required for effective implementation of the project; and update workplans regularly to ensure the timely completion of activities and achievement of the deliverables.
• Generate new ideas, initiatives and strategies to meet project objectives and encourage staff and project stakeholders to do the same.
• Guide the implementation of project activities and ensure project staff and partners are executing the project according to the approved project plan.
• Manage sub-contracting agreements and relations with service providers and consultants/firms of the project, according to Nutrition International’s policies.
• Ensure project quality improvements through the project cycle by working closely with the portfolio teams, Monitoring Data and Learning, People and Culture and Corporate Services.
• Ensure effective integration and mainstreaming of gender equality and safeguarding within the project.
Partnership Management
• Cultivate and manage strong, collaborative relationships with implementing partners, government authorities, and other key stakeholders. Ensure open communication channels and a shared understanding of the project’s goals, responsibilities, and timelines.
• Identify and engage with potential new partners that align with the project's objectives, ensuring their capacities complement the project's needs and strategies.
• Address any conflicts or challenges arising within partnerships swiftly and constructively, maintaining a focus on project goals and ensuring all partners are working harmoniously towards the shared objectives.
• Support partners in building their capacity to meet project requirements and to sustainably manage their roles within the project framework.
Project Learning and Effectiveness
• Ensure monitoring and learning strategies and systems are applied within the project in collaboration with the Monitoring, Data and Learning sub- unit.
• Ensure a monitoring plan is developed and followed by the project team and partners.
• Ensure monitoring data is analyzed and used for course correction as needed.
• Work with the project team, associated portfolios and project partners to conduct regular learning reviews and ensure this information is utilized to improve and correct course programming.
• Ensure the appropriate documentation of all project information and activities so it can be utilized and shared across partners and internally.
• Ensure the effective execution of the project’s communication strategy and regularly review the activities of the communication plan that will help to raise the project’s profile and regularly update stakeholders on project progress.
• Prepare and consolidate project reports internally for management and externally according to the donor calendar that captures progress on project plans, significant project achievements and Nutrition International’s contribution to change.
Team Leadership and Human Resources Management
• Ensure that the project has a comprehensive staffing strategy with the appropriate composition of team members to ensure adequate oversight and quality assurance of all work within the project.
• Manage project staff contracts and consultants in a timely manner and according to local legislation and Nutrition International policies.
• Quality control terms of reference for consultants and ensure consultants with appropriate skills and experience for the project activities are contracted.
• Provide oversight over project level recruitment processes and ensure support to managers to interview, select, hire and induct new project team members with appropriate skill for the roles.
• Coordinate the overall work of team members and the broader sharing of information across the team and across the associated portfolios.
• Apply and ensure systematic performance management processes across the project.
• Foster an environment for mentoring and/or coaching as required/appropriate within the project wider team.
• Provide leadership, enable innovation and build team confidence to enhance productivity while at the same time supporting well-being.
• Value and utilize individual and collective skills.
• Conduct performance appraisals and provide regular feedback to team members as well as coaching and/or mentoring where relevant.
• Foster an environment and positive mindset that aligns with Nutrition Internationals values and one that encourages respect, transparency, equity and reduction of gender bias.
Financial and Grant Management
• Provide financial oversight for the full scope of the project.
• Maintain oversight on all sub-grants within the project and their associated budget(s) and ensure that partners establish appropriate financial procedures and tools required to be in alignment with Nutrition International requirements and standards
• Ensure at the project coordination level that systems and processes are in place for the development, management and oversight of consolidated as well as individual partner and Nutrition International budgets.
• Foster and encourage strong collaboration with the Corporate Services Unit and ensure that the project team apply relevant financial, risk and procurement policies and procedures of the organization.
• Develop regular cash flow projections and monitor expenditure and review variance analysis to ensure the project operates within its budget parameters.
• Ensure all project funds are managed according to established accounting policies, procedures and donor regulations.
Thought Leadership, External Representation and Positioning
• Provide leadership and actively contribute, shape and engage in working groups across Africa and other relevant and strategic fora to shape global dialogue and foster technical collaboration and positioning of Nutrition International and the excellence of our work in line with the scope of the project.
• Ensure the development and execution of project level advocacy and communications strategies in collaboration with supporting units.
• Represent the project and/or coordinate wider team representation in external fora where and when relevant.
• Externally represent Nutrition International and the project and cultivate relationships with institutional and private donors with the goal of raising Nutrition International’s profile and positioning the current and future work of the project.
Partnerships and Growth
• Identify and cultivate donor relationships as relevant for the project including through regular meetings, participation in conferences and events and representation during country field visits.
• Ensure donor stewardship with our committed donors to sustain relationships – in coordination with portfolio leadership and Sr. Director, Partnerships & Growth.
• Build and strengthen relationships with key project stakeholders and partners to ensure the project is harmonized with other donors funded project/programs and facilitates government leadership and ownership.
• Ensure timely responses to donors and other key stakeholder inquiries and concerns.
• Ensure the stewardship of relationships through positive communication and trust building with the donor and government agencies at national, regional and local level.
• Ensure regular meetings with the donor to communicate the progress and learning from the project, updates and discuss challenges and disseminate information upwards and laterally in the organization.
Project Team Collaboration
• Establish mechanisms for regular communication within the project team and across partners and with Nutrition International leadership to maximize opportunities for program integration and to elevate issues or risks
• Foster a positive and constructive working environment within the team, across partners, across units and offices (Regional and HQ) in the organization that support the project.
• Contribute to building a collaborative team environment and promoting the values of Nutrition International.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
• This position will directly manage a team of operations and technical experts including Director level staff.
• There will be 6 number of direct line reports
Education/Professional Designations/Experience:
• A Master’s degree or equivalent experience in nutrition, public health, international development and/or a related field.
• At least 15 years of experience in health, nutrition, or development programming, with a significant portion in senior leadership roles and in Africa.
• Proven track record of managing large-scale ($30M +), multi-country, multi-partner health and nutrition programs in Africa, Asia, or similar contexts.
• Demonstrated understanding and commitment to Gender Equality and Safeguarding.
• Strong experience in financial management, including budgeting, reporting, and ensuring compliance with donor requirements.
• Strong experience in managing complex grants from institutional and private donors.
• Demonstrated and successful experience in partnership building and brokering.
• Positive experience in donor stewardship.
• Extensive experience in managing teams in a cross-cultural, multi-regional environment.
• Demonstrated experience of successfully presenting and engaging at high level meetings, conferences, advisory groups on behalf of the organisation
• Strong ability to identify, rank and mitigate risks, and manage complex time sensitive problems.
• Able to work as part of multi-cultural global team in a dynamic and growing organisation.
Skills, Competencies and Personal Attributes
Skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Superior communications skills (oral and written) including good technical writing and presentation skills.
• Superior communications skills (verbal and written).
• Fluency in English - both reading and writing – is essential.
• A working knowledge of French is an asset.
Competencies
• Strategic Thinking: Strong ability to develop and execute long-term strategies that drive organizational success in diverse regions.
• Leadership: Inspirational leader with a proven ability to manage and motivate portfolio, cross-unit and global teams.
• Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate with internal teams, external stakeholders, and donors.
• Relationship Building: Ability to build and maintain strong partnerships with key external stakeholders, including governments, donors, and implementing partners.
• Cultural Sensitivity: Ability to navigate diverse cultural environments and tailor solutions to country and regional contexts.
• Project Management: Strong project management skills, with experience in the direct management of complex, multi-country programs.
• Analytical: Ability to analyze and interpret data for decision-making, program improvement, and donor reporting.
• Personal Attributes
• Visionary: Strong forward-thinking mindset with the ability to adapt to changing global health and nutrition trends.
• Results-Oriented: Focused on achieving measurable outcomes and maximizing impact through efficient program delivery.
• Integrity: High ethical standards with a commitment to transparency, accountability, and social impact
Travel Requirements:
• Regular short-term travel (1-2 weeks) to programming across Africa.
• Additional international travel may be required to Canada and Europe.
• Based in Kenya, the position travels approximately 30% of the time to other countries in Africa.
• The role holder will be expected to adapt a flexible approach to working hours in order to accommodate calls with colleagues across the African continent, Ottawa and/or other locations.
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/resume 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.