Job Description

Based in Nairobi, the Nutrition Policy and Research Uptake Advisor will work closely with internal and external stakeholders to ensure IRC’s research findings for nutrition are widely and effectively disseminated to relevant stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health, Donors and Partner the Nutrition Policy and Research Uptake Advisor will also map national nutrition policies in Kenya and Somalia, and develop and execute a strategy for strengthened policy uptake. This person will serve as the IRC’s primary point person in East Africa representing, discussing, and disseminating the IRC’s innovative nutrition research, with the goal of strengthening Kenyan and Somali national nutrition policies to reflect the IRC’s research findings.

Major Responsibilities: 

1. Lead IRC’s Nutrition Research Uptake Activities in East Africa

• Develop a research uptake strategy for Kenya and Somalia.

• Present IRC’s research findings in nutrition across stakeholder groups in Kenya and Somalia, and possibly other country contexts such as South Sudan

• Advance the IRC’s nutrition research uptake work through materials development and dissemination including policy briefs, research summary materials, and the creation of presentations on research findings.

• Serve as a thought partner and resource to IRC’s nutrition research teams, strengthening research uptake planning and dissemination from the start of operational and formal research studies.

2. Nutrition Policy Analysis, Influence, and Advocacy

• Landscape national and county level nutrition policies in Kenya and Somalia

• Policy analysis, including power mapping, on national nutrition policies (especially acute malnutrition)

• Develop and execute a policy uptake/ advocacy strategy for influencing national nutrition policy and policy implementation.

• Inform global nutrition policy efforts through sharing findings from Kenya and Somalia and participating as a thought partner in global level policy and advocacy.

• Partner mapping and collaboration among key stakeholders 

• Map out national government structures and group strategically positioning IRC in the appropriate influencing working groups in both Kenya and Somalia. 

• Identify regional linkages and opportunities for scale up and potential bottleneck with current or potential stakeholders.

3. External Representation

• Build strong working relationships with the Ministry of Health, national and regional working groups,

• SUN, and other nutrition-focused civil society organizations

• Serve as a thought partner and resource to the Ministry of Health and other nutrition stakeholders, sharing information and working collaboratively towards strengthened national health policies.

• Represent the IRC in external nutrition coalitions and other forums.

Job Requirements: 

• At least 5 years of experience in global health or humanitarian policy, advocacy, or research uptake required.

• At least three years of nutrition policy, advocacy, research uptake, or communications required.

• Master’s degree in nutrition, public health, public policy, or another closely related field strongly desirable

• Demonstrable technical understanding of nutrition and/or public health

• Prior experience working directly with stakeholders in the Ministry of Health and with Kenyan civil society organizations.

• Advocacy experience with Kenyan or Somali national policies strongly desired

• Expertise in communications: proven ability to develop materials and presentations for external audiences.

• Excellent written and oral communications skills; ability to communicate with many and diverse audiences; you listen intently and actively to all audiences; your communications are direct, simple, and respectful.

• Strong negotiation, influencing and networking skills.

• Fluency in English required, fluency in French an asset.

You can apply for the position here.