USAID LSFFA Senior Policy Technical Manager

Position description

At Nutrition International, we make a difference, because nutrition is the difference. Woven into the very fabric of our approach is the passion and drive of our global team of over 600 people, working in 13 offices across 11 countries with one common goal: transforming the lives of people who need it most through improved nutrition.

If you are a motivated and passionate individual who shares our conviction that a better world is possible through improved nutrition, wants to leave the world a little better than they found it, and is looking to be part of a global team with a clear vision, we want to hear from you. Please consider applying for the position below.

About the role

In September 2024, USAID AFFORD received a request from the USAID Mission in Zambia to submit a proposal for an Associate Award to support national food fortification efforts. The Activity will be implemented from approximately December 2024 November 2029, pending official USAID approval of the proposal.

The overall objective of USAID LSFFA work in Zambia is to support public and private sector actors to strengthen and expand food fortification in Zambia, by improving fortification of existing mandated food vehicles and by establishing a pathway for fortification of new vehicles. These efforts are in support of Zambia’s National Nutrition Strategy (2023–2027) and of the US Government’s Global Food Security Strategy, Objective 3: a well-nourished population, especially among women and children.

USAID LSFFA Zambia will focus on 3 core areas of support:

• Identify key opportunities for collaborating with industry and government to strengthen fortification of sugar, salt, and margarine, and provide recommendations for action.
• Evaluate the potential for fortification of maize flour, wheat flour, and edible oil, and provide recommendations for action.
• Promote the sustainability of Zambia’s LSFF program by strengthening LSFF support and advocacy among industry and government stakeholders, and building capacity of LSFF coordinating bodies.

NI will serve as the consortium’s partner for supporting an improved enabling environment for large-scale food fortification, focusing on the regulatory monitoring and enforcement capabilities of the public sector. Specifically, NI will support LSFFA Zambia by providing leadership on Intermediate Result 1 (IR1) specific to strengthening the policy enabling environment and regulatory monitoring and enforcement of LSFF through the public sector and appropriate and timely involvement of the private sector and other key stakeholders as necessary.

NI is seeking to recruit a Senior Policy Technical Manager to lead the implementation of activities under LSFFA IR1.

The Senior Policy Technical Manager will serve as the technical lead and provide strategic oversight for the NI-led IR1 component of this project specific to facilitating a strong policy enabling environment. He/She will oversee all the NI-policy related activities, ensure implementation and completion of activities under this award. This position will be based in the to-be-established Project Office in Lusaka.

Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic guidance and leadership in the planning, design, and execution of national activities that support enhanced policy enabling environments for LSFF programming.
• Oversee the interpretation of findings from assessments and develop clear LSFF recommendations that are inclusive, scalable, realistic, and sustainable.
• Lead the mapping of existing national, and potentially regional, policies and legislation including standards and regulations related to LSFF.
• Lead the alignment and revision of legislation, regulations, and standards as necessary based on up-to-date data related to LSFF
• Lead cost of inaction exercise to situate LSFF as a national priority.
• Develop additional tools, guidelines, and knowledge products related to policy enabling environment as needed.
• Oversee and coordinate capacity-building activities for the Government of Zambia and other stakeholders in food fortification. This includes enhancing national capacity to analyze dietary inadequacy data for LSFF program adjustments, strengthening food control agencies to assess product quality despite resource limitations, improving national laboratories’ ability to conduct product testing for quality assurance validation, and advocating for sustained funding for fortification initiatives.
• Coordinate closely with NI’s ongoing fortification programs in the region to ensure coordination and sharing of best practices.
• Lead in the recruitment and management of consultants to support policy enabling environment landscape mapping and analyses as well as consultants to support advocacy-related activities, where and as appropriate.
• Represent NI on the LSFFA Zambia Associate Award and provide technical management and leadership across NI’s respective activities
• Coordinate closely with NI’s ongoing fortification programs in the region to ensure coordination and sharing of best practices.
• Foster and maintain relationships with other national and regional networks and institutions, partners, Government institutions, and other key partners in the region to ensure synergy and NI / USAID AFFORD representation in policy enabling environment discourses.

Qualifications

You have;

• Master’s degree or higher level with a focus on either public health, nutrition, food science and nutrition, food and nutrition systems or other nutrition related fields.
• At least 8 years of experience working in-country and / or regionally around the design and implementation of LSFF programs.
• At least 8 years of experience in project management and leading remote technical teams.
• Experience working with national and regional nutrition and LSFF policy and regulatory frameworks.
• Experience and good understanding of East, Central, and / or Southern Africa regional food fortification programs.
• Experience working across and within sectors as a means of optimizing program performance.
• Experience working with large multi-stakeholder teams and ability to participate in and coordinate across diverse teams.
• Strong organizational, communication, and writing skills with ability to stick to tight deadlines and produce high quality deliverables.
• Strong writing, editing, presentation, and communication skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and organizational abilities.
• Proficient in research, analysis, and working independently.
• Effective interpersonal skills with tact and discretion.
• Experience in cross-cultural settings or developing countries.

What we offer

A competitive market pay, Health and wellness benefits, Medical Insurance, pension plan, flexible work hours, four weeks of vacation (plus public holidays), support for learning and development opportunities. We offer a collaborative and engaging work environment.

Application instructions

Please be sure to indicate you saw this position on tendersglobal.net