Project Manager, Supporting Markets for Nutritious Foods at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a Swiss-based foundation launched at the UN in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition. Working with both governments and businesses, we aim to transform food systems so that they deliver more nutritious food for all people. We aim to make healthier food choices more desirable, more available, and more affordable. GAIN’s mission is to advance nutrition outcomes by improving consumption of nutritious and safe food for all people, especially those most vulnerable to malnutrition.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Project Manager, Supporting Markets for Nutritious Foods

Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Classification: D4 Project Manager
Direct reports: 1 – 5
Travel required: Up to 40%

Overall Purpose

The Supporting Market for Nutritious Foods Project aims to build resilient and sustainable markets in the food and Agricultural value chains to address challenges that impact on the food systems of low-income countries especially during natural disasters.
The project aims to provide emergency business guidance and grants to SMEs providing safe, nutritious foods; sustain and reinforce the gains of Large-Scale Food Fortification; keep food marketplace infrastructure open, but safer; secure workplace nutrition protection for food system workers and their families; provide advisory and practical support to governments to help keep critical coordination mechanisms functioning and help food systems keep working; and deliver research into impacts and mitigation.
The Project Manager will lead the design and implementation of the project in Nigeria. The post-holder will be expected to develop strong relationships with relevant partners, exploiting synergies within GAIN and with external stakeholders to ensure continued, effective project delivery. He/she will be responsible for influencing, providing leadership and reconciling stakeholders’ interests in the project ensuring that the agreed project activities are implemented within project timelines.
The Project Manager will support the Senior Project Manager, Supporting Markets for Nutritious Foods (SMNF) implement projects under the SMNF portfolio.
They will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to set strategic direction of the project, work closely with key food and Agri- businesses, and market stakeholders to build sustainable and resilient markets along the food and agricultural value chains in Nigeria.

Tasks and Responsibilities
Project management and oversight:

Deliver project management in accordance with the GAIN guidelines.
Support the Senior Project manager to manage the development of project workplans and budgets and track progress, including direct provision of regular updates to the Workstream global leads, funders, and country team leadership.
Provide technical oversight to the implementation of activities that strengthen businesses and advance nutrition in target crop value chains.
Work with GAIN’s leadership to provide effective monitoring and tracking activities, outputs, outcomes and impact and adhere to the reporting requirements of the project.
Provide mediation to resolve any project implementation issues including differences between stakeholder and internal groups.

Knowledge management:

Ensure project outputs are well informed and up to date by keeping an eye on the relevant literature to ensure that the project remains fully informed by advances in the field.
Maintain a reference document repository.
Maintain high level liaison with government stakeholders and other organizations working on complementary projects in the country context to share knowledge and best practice.
Plan and lead the creation of communications materials and capture lessons learned with support from the Communications Lead.
Take part in and lead webinar presentations etc. to share GAIN’s experience.

Donor relations:

Prepare and be accountable for periodic donor reports and support global collation of wider programme reports and updates.
Support the identification of new funding opportunities to fund the project as part of a long-term strategy.
Support resource mobilisation efforts for GAIN Nigeria programme, based on the business plan and wider strategic objectives.

Gender focus:

Ensure the initiative is gender-sensitive, and where feasible, gender-transformative working through project design and implementation to continuously strengthen gender focus.
Keep track of gender results, ensure the initiative is gender-sensitive, and where feasible, gender-transformative.
Synthesize and disseminate knowledge and evidence from GAIN Nigeria programmes that can help drive the agenda for nutritious and safe food in Nigeria

People management:

Support the recruitment of key staff (direct reports) and motivate team members to attain project goals, adhere to their responsibilities and project milestones.
Monitor staff performance and complete performance reviews.

Key organizational relationships:

Reports to the Senior Project Manager, Supply Chains
Close working with the colleagues working on the EatSafe Project, Marketplace for Nutritious Foods, Nutritious Foods Financing Facility (N3F), Commercialization of Biofortified Crops (CBC), and the SUN Business Network (SBN)
Regular engagements with global Workstream Leads and colleagues in other GAIN Country Offices delivering similar projects
External partners including government, complimenting organizations and donors
Line manages 1-5 direct reports.
Close collaboration with the project teams in GAIN Nigeria
Other Nigeria Country Office staff

Job Requirements
Education:

Minimum degree level qualification related to food Science, Nutrition, Health, Agriculture, Business Management or suitable equivalent
Master’s level qualifications in the above or similarly relevant field of study/expertise highly preferred

Other requirements:

Excellent communication and command of English (written and spoken)
Project management qualification desired
Ability/fluency in one or more of the major Nigerian languages an asset

Competencies:

Strong project management skills
Strong problem-solving skills and ability to lead across smallholder farmers and other businesses.
Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
Ability to present sometimes complex information to a diverse audience.
Ability to build relationships and influence at a high level.
Able to work effectively within a multi-cultural, matrix-style organization.
Analytical skills, able to review data and present meaningful reports.
Able to effectively prioritize and multi-task, often working under pressure to achieve deadlines.
Computer literate, with the ability to use MS Office Suite and other bespoke systems to support effective delivery

Experience:

Proven project and or business management experience in a similar capacity.
Experience in livelihood projects in Nigeria
Experience of working with government at municipal, and state levels.
Experience or deep understanding of the private sector especially MSMEs
Understanding and some experience/technical knowledge of health systems
Demonstrated success in building strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Working with stakeholders from business, civil society, government, donors at national international level
Experience in stimulating demand for food and agricultural commodities through social marketing.

What Gain Offers