The Nutrition Team is seeking to fill a permanent position in support of implementation research and learning to lead on our agenda of generating evidence on how to deliver and sustain proven nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive solutions at scale, and the translation of new proof-of-concept solutions for addressing undernutrition to their proof-of-deliverability. The position will be part of the Data, Analytics and Evidence initiative and support grant shaping, making, and management of investments that support the implementation research and learning agenda across our other initiatives including interventions in Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition, Food Systems and Private Sector Partnerships in our focus countries and replication geographies.
This position will work in close partnership with other Nutrition team members, including those based in country offices, and with other teams that contribute to our nutrition outcome goals, including but not limited to the Agricultural Development, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, and Maternal, Newborn & Child Health Discovery and Tools (MNCH D&T) teams.
- Act as a technical representative of the foundation Nutrition strategy in various fora where potential solutions and intervention delivery are identified and shaped.
- Shape and managea portfolio of grants to support nutrition impact and learning goals across multiple initiatives
- Grant related work may span the entire grant lifecycle, including (for example):
- helping to shape initial investment briefs
- working with prospective grantees on proposals and developing robust results frameworks
- serving as an internal reviewer on relevant grant applications
- organizing external grant reviews and synthesizing reviewer comments
- working with grantees to review progress and troubleshoot challenges, and
- carrying out annual report technical and budget reviews.
- Participate in foundation technical working groups related to the nutrition team initiatives, as requested.
- Facilitate, coordinate, or manage a range of special projects and activities related to developing, preparing, evaluating and monitoring specific grants, and/or other team activities.
- Provide ongoing research, background information, and analytical support, including conducting literature reviews, analyzing portfolio data, preparing briefing notes, developing strategy documents, drafting requests for proposals, and other research support required to assess initiative priorities, progress, and gaps.
- Participate in meetings, coordinate programmatic input and write and review briefs to prepare initiative team members, the Nutrition Leadership Team, and other Foundation Leadership for high-profile events.
- This role requires solid understanding of human nutrition; maternal, infant and young child nutrition and fortification policies and program delivery; and implementation research methods; and data analysis, interpretation, and synthesis. Expertise in qualitative and quantitative delivery research is also desirable. The role is responsible for high quality interactions and clear and consistent communications with grantees and partners in the field.
The successful candidate will be passionate about nutrition, the quest for new solutions to accelerate progress toward achieving global goals and targets for ending malnutrition and be committed to the generation and use of data to inform policy and programmatic decision making. S/he will be a mid-career professional with deep understanding of the delivery challenges of public health solutions in resource constrained environments, the tactics to address those challenges, and how to accelerate uptake and delivery at scale. Experience in global nutrition research or programs, with competency in research design, and experience with data collection, curation, and analysis is also required. S/he should be organized and flexible, and able to work on multiple projects simultaneously.
The candidate should also have the following qualifications:
- Minimum of 7 years of relevant professional work experience in nutrition or public health research.
- Proven track record in implementation science, implementation research, or associated skills in Global Development or Global Health programs
- Strong oral and written communication skills in English, French language skills are a plus
- Work as part of a team with flexibility, efficiency, enthusiasm, diplomacy, and humor in an evolving, fast-paced and highly matrixed work environment.
- Experience working in the Nutrition Strategy focus regions (south Asia and Africa South of the Sahara) is strongly preferred.
- 25% or more domestic and international travel.