Closing date: 5th July

Based in London

About The Power of Nutrition

The Power of Nutrition was first conceived at the Nutrition for Growth Summit in 2013 by three global players in development. In July 2015, this vision became a reality as The Power of Nutrition opened as a UK-based, independent charitable foundation. The Power of Nutrition was established through strong support from the UK’s Department for International Development, CIFF and the UBS Optimus Fund, UNICEF and the World Bank, which catalyse their opportunity to deliver nutritional interventions at scale, that can make a significant positive impact on undernutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia – which is the underlying cause of 45% of all child mortality, nearly 4 in 10 children with stunting (chronic form of undernutrition that inhibits a child physical and mental development) and one of the best interventions to transform children’s health, education and livelihoods.

The Role

The Senior Nutrition Governance & Systems Reform Specialist is a key appointment for The Power of Nutrition. S/he will work within the Investments team to ensure that all investments are robust, and well-structured to satisfy good governance criteria and to achieve a sustainable impact for children at scale. S/he will also collaborate closely with colleagues across the organisation to undertake the necessary due diligence on all new investment opportunities and support the review and management of ongoing investments. All the investments and programmes are complex, and this individual will need to interact with numerous stakeholders – Investors (Private, Corporate, High Net Worth and institutional donors) and Governments and their respective departments (particularly Ministries of Health and Finance) in the UK and overseas. S/he will need to have a good understanding of health and / or nutrition, and public finance management / economics with a broad understanding of the environment in which the above stakeholders operate. They will have a strong ability to communicate, negotiate and influence at multiple levels, knowledge to evaluate and quantify the scope of our nutritional interventions, the proportion of health budgets allocated to nutrition programmes, the amount of capacity building and systemic reform being undertaken in-country. Ultimately, the individuals’ ability to review and disseminate the impact of our investments and nutrition programmes on the lives of children is paramount.

The Power of Nutrition team is relatively small, and everyone has the passion and commitment for our mission to nutrition. S/he must be a self-starter and have a can-do attitude to undertake duties beyond their specialist area. There are many opportunities to oversee nutrition programmes, get involved in fundraising, partnerships, communications, advocacy, branding and marketing.
It is a fantastic role to broaden your skills and experience, work within a creative and innovative UK-based charitable foundation with a clear focus on delivering a sustainable impact for children in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

Person Specification

Essential requirements:
Extensive experience in systemic reform and/or public finance management in the nutrition or health sector will be an asset
Evidence of expertise in political economy analysis and an established track and credibility in working on systemic reform issues in the nutrition and/or health sectors in fragile and conflict, developing and/or emerging economy context
A strong track record and evidence of successful delivery in political economy and institutional analysis
Familiarity or experience engaging with global governance structures/coordinating mechanisms within the nutrition sector will be an asset (Scaling Up Nutrition Movement, Council on Food Security, Nutrition 4 Growth initiative, UN REACH, etc.)
Proven programme development and programme management experience
Demonstrable experience in influencing policies and reforms at senior levels of government and influencing bilateral and multilateral donors.
Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills
Outstanding communication skills with a proven ability to taper style for both technically literate and non-technical audiences, investors and policy-makers.
Excellent writing and analytical skills – a publication record is desirable, but not required
Outstanding networking skills with a proven ability to work globally and effectively with diverse groups of individuals. Experience with large bilateral donors such as DFID, multilaterals such as the World Bank and UNICEF, and the private sector such as CIFF and UBS Optimus Foundation is desirable
An ability to work in French is desirable

Desirable:
Excellent political awareness and judgment on sensitive governance matters
Strong understanding of nutrition interventions in an international development context
Strategic and results-oriented
Excellent relationship building and relationship management abilities
Demonstration of an ability to influence beyond authority
A proven ability to solve problems and make decisions including challenging ones

Qualifications

Masters’ degree or equivalent level of academic and professional experience in nutrition, health science, public health, political science, international relations, public administration, management, accounting or finance, law or development studies

Apply
Interested in this role? To find out more information and to apply visit our page here: http://oxfordhr.co.uk/jobs/senior-nutrition-governance-systems-reform-specialist/