Policy and Advocacy Associate

About the Role

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is seeking a Policy and Advocacy Associate to support GAIN Pakistan’s policy and advocacy work. This role will be based in Islamabad, Pakistan and is offered on a 2 years’ fixed term contract subject to the availability of funding.

Reporting to the Head of Policy and Advocacy, the Associate will support the implementation of specific project activities including research, preparing briefs and discussion papers, capacity building, partnerships management and reporting to further food system transformation in Pakistan.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Supporting strategy related work as needed for specific geographies – tracking decision roadmap, developing relevant interpretations for decision making, providing information whenever decision points are reached in the strategy period, conducting landscape analysis, etc.
• Preparing briefs, discussion papers, memos, high profile slide decks and engaging in other content development support (inputs/notes requested by government partners/stakeholders, developing first drafts of Opinion Editorials, writing country memos and country briefs, publication drafts etc.)
• Facilitating translation of policy decisions into tasks and projects and ensuring their effective and timely implementation
• Compiling data, conducting data analysis and synthesizing findings for reports, briefs and for engagement with government and other stakeholders
• Conducting desk research, literature reviews and other research analysis
• Supporting the planning and preparation for high level meetings, events and trips

About You

The ideal candidate will have proven experience in collaboration and liaising with government stakeholders, relevant industries and international organization. You will have understanding and/or experience in policy (nutrition policy) formulation and implementation as well as the technical knowledge of health systems. Candidates with understanding and/or experience in technical policy formulation, social safety net, youth/women engagement/empowerment would be desirable.

The postholder will also have strong technical knowledge on public health and nutrition, including micronutrient deficiency control. In addition, you will have experience in developing policy/advocacy briefs and previous experience working in international NGO.

You will possess excellent communication skills and fluent in written and spoken English. Also, you should be highly flexible and be able and willing and able to travel in challenging environments.

A Bachelors’ degree in agriculture, economics, nutrition, public health, business management or related field. Candidates with a master’s degree would be an advantage. You will be computer literate with strong PowerPoint presentation skills and strong data analysis skills and ability to present complex information to non-technical audiences.

About our Offer

The starting salary on offer for this role is from PKR 1,732,836 – PKR 1,986,420 per annum (gross salary), depending on experience.

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.

About GAIN

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a Swiss-based foundation launched at the United Nations in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition. Due to COVID19, conflict in Ukraine and climate change, malnutrition and hunger have worsened significantly since 2019, reversing a decade of progress. There is growing recognition that our food systems need to change if we are to reverse these trends.

GAIN’s Strategy aims to transform food systems to make healthier diets from sustainable food systems accessible to all people and especially those whose are most vulnerable to shocks. By 2027, we aim to improve the access of 1.5 billion people to nutritionally enhanced staple foods, improve the access of 25 million people to healthier diets, and support positive food system change in 10 countries. This is bold and complex, and the only way to achieve this is to work together with partners including governments, businesses, and civil society at the country and global level. These goals, and the ways of achieving them, build on our twenty-year legacy of transforming people’s lives with improved nutrition through concerted action and effective policy change.

Our Working Culture and Environment

We provide a flexible working environment that includes a combination of home and office working opportunities through our global hybrid working policy. This encourages our staff to have a healthy work-life balance and increases staff motivation, enriches employee wellbeing, and improves performance and productivity.

All of our positions are based in one or more of GAIN’s designated offices as stated on our job advertisements. Successful candidates will be based in one of GAIN’s country offices and must have the existing right to live and work within a reasonably commutable distance of the relevant city / cities in which the role is advertised. Please note, that GAIN does not sponsor working visas and relocations.

GAIN reserves the right to withdraw an offer of employment for candidates who are considered to ineligible under the above conditions during or after the recruitment process.

Applicants must be currently based and have the existing right to live and work in the Islamabad, Pakistan region to be eligible to apply for this position.

This advert closes on 16th February 2024. Early applications are encouraged. GAIN reserves the right to close this advert early should we receive suitable candidates ahead of the closing date.

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition is committed to equality of opportunity and creating an inclusive environment where diversity is valued. We are keen to reflect the diversity of our society at every level within our organisation and therefore welcome applications from talented and committed people from all backgrounds, representing the diverse societies we operate in.