Global Nutrition Program Optimization Director – New York or Washington DC, United States

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 28 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 55 countries, our 8,990 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

Action Against Hunger USA is part of the Action Against Hunger International network. As an independent NGO, Action Against Hunger USA currently manages operations in 8 countries: Kenya, South Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia and Haiti. Action Against Hunger-USA has over $100 million in programs, and approximately 1,800 permanent staff based in New York City, Washington D.C, Nairobi, and country offices. Additional growth is anticipated.

Project Summary

The anticipated USAID-funded Optimizing Food Assistance Programs, Processes and Products for Nutrition (O3P) award aims to build on prior achievements and learning from the previously funded Food Assistance Quality Review (FAQR) awards. O3P will assist USAID in the coordination of top experts, including high-level academics, leading food technologists, worldwide manufacturers of specialized nutritious foods, UN-partners, and others, in humanitarian food assistance, for continual learning in both specialized nutritious food products and niche areas related to food assistance-driven nutrition programs as well as improved knowledge management and information sharing. The project comprises three main areas of focus:

• Pillar I:Expert Technical Leadership and Coordination
• Pillar II: Knowledge Sharing and Platform Maintenance
• Pillar III: Evidence Generation to Fill Key Gaps in Knowledge

I. Job Summary

Action Against Hunger is seeking a Global Coordination Director as a key personnel to serve as the lead for all Pillar 1 (Expert Technical Leadership and Coordination) activities within the O3P award. Pillar 1 activity objectives include: (1) to provide leadership and administrative functions for ongoing intra-USG and international inter-agency groups to promote continued improvement of programming, processes and products; and (2) convene specialized expertise in key domains in programs, processes and products related to food assistance for ongoing improvement and innovation and to provide platforms for knowledge exchange. Technical areas regarding specialized nutritious food products related to food assistance and nutrition programs include, but are not limited to the following: 1) food safety and quality; 2) packaging that optimizes elements of cost, product safety and integrity, and is fit-for- program; 3) environmental impact of food assistance broadly (including activities conducted in support of food assistance programming such as fumigation), and specific packaging challenges; 4) accountability for safe delivery inclusive of the “last mile”; 5) shelf stability throughout the supply chain; 6) process capability at manufacturing levels; 7) capacity building and sustainable technology/knowledge transfer; 8) food formulations; and 9) climate change imposed risks to food assistance and nutrition programming.

The position will report directly to the Action Against Hunger-USA Director for Technical Services and Innovation Department and will work closely with counterparts within the larger O3P team as well as various colleagues across Action Against Hunger-USA (Operations, Finance, HR, etc.), with country teams, and across the Action Against Hunger International network.

PURPOSE: As a key personnel, this position will champion USAID-O3P thought-leadership and provide strategic direction in the coordination and convening of USG stakeholders and international inter-agency harmonization groups.

ENGAGEMENT: On behalf of USAID, strategically engage with leading experts and convene global thought leaders in the nutrition and food assistance space, networking with them to advance the USAID-O3P agenda and facilitate progress on current technical topics.

DELIVERY: Oversee the implementation of convenings that facilitate dialogue among top technical experts related to food and nutrition products, programs, and processes.

II. Essential Job Duties

• Provide thought leadership and coordinate technical dialogue among top-level subject matter experts regarding the harmonization, improvement, and innovation of nutrition products, processes, and programs within various communities of stakeholders (~25% LOE);
• Provide strategic vision and oversee the successful implementation of sharing knowledge and information across diverse platforms and geared toward a variety of stakeholders (~20% LOE);
• Plan and oversee the implementation of large in-person and virtual events (~20% LOE);
• Oversee the administrative coordination and convening of regularly meeting USG stakeholders and international inter-agency harmonization groups, and other key partners related to the improvement of food and nutrition products, programs, and processes (~15% LOE):
• Collaborate with other O3P team members to ensure harmonization of activities and objectives across the larger O3P award (~10% LOE)
• Other duties as required (~10%)

III. Supervisory Responsibilities

The Global Coordination Director will directly manage 1-2 O3P team members within the larger Technical Services and Innovations Department.

IV. Fiscal Responsibility

The Global Coordination Director is directly responsible for managing all O3P Pillar 1 activity budgets. This includes both directly managing certain aspects of the overall budget while also ensuring that other team members are also doing so on smaller tasks and activities. This will require close collaboration with Action Against Hunger finance and awards management colleagues, to forecast, monitor, and project budgetary needs to accommodate successful implementation.

V. Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with interruptions.
• To travel to the field, the employee must attest to a level of physical fitness capable of enduring physically difficult, highly stressful situations which may include the necessity to walk long distances, to eat a limited diet and/or to reside in potentially uncomfortable housing or tents.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

VI. Working Conditions, Travel and Environment

• The duties of the job require regular job attendance at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required by contact with the missions, mission security, or other obligations.
• Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business travel as well as to the missions if appropriate. While visiting the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well is to infectious diseases.

VII. Gender Equality Commitments & Zero Tolerance to Abuse

• Foster an environment that reinforces values of people of all genders equal access to information.
• Provide a work environment where people of all genders must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.
• Promote a safe, secure, and respectful environment for all stakeholders, particularly for children, beneficiaries, and members of staff.
• Help to prevent any type of abuse including workplace harassment and sexual abuse and exploitation.
• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sex orientation, disability, religion, race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.
• Value and respect all cultures.

VIII. Required Qualifications

• Master’s Degree or higher (in nutrition, epidemiology, public health, or related discipline), and
• At least 12 years of experience in the humanitarian and/or development space as it relates to nutrition and food assistance; with
• At least 5 years’ experience working in humanitarian and/or development contexts (desirable).

IX. Required Skills & Experience

• Experience leading partners and consortium members; as well as various levels and layers within an organization.
• Experience overseeing large, multi-faceted projects including developing work plans, managing project budgets, overseeing implementation, managing teams, donor reporting, and dissemination; Experience particularly with USAID-funded projects (desirable)
• Technical knowledge related to some aspect(s) of specialized nutritious foods and other food assistance products used in humanitarian settings (e.g., food safety and quality, packaging, last mile delivery, shelf stability, processing, food formulations)
• Proven track record of collaborating with various food and nutrition technical experts within the humanitarian and/or development sector
• Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to work both independently and as a team member; Must be comfortable managing and prioritizing own workload autonomously & reliably
• High proficiency working with MS Office Suite required
• Experience communicating in different cultural work environments & with a wide diversity of cultures
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and multi-task; highly organized, detail oriented and able to work well within quick deadlines
• Ability to travel 20% internationally as needed for business development and project management
• Fluent written and spoken English, knowledge of French and/or Spanish preferred.
• To qualify, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States and not require sponsorship now or in the future

All candidates should apply online at https://careers.actionagainsthunger.org/ Action Against Hunger-USA provides all staff with an attractive salary & benefits package. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees & qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Action Against Hunger-USA complies with all applicable laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.