About the Role
The manager will lead the implementation of GAIN’s N3F Technical Assistance (TA) offerings, by overseeing and assessing the TA needs of SMEs, matching them with service providers, and implementing activities to ensure the quality of services provided.
They will coordinate closely with the fund manager of N3F, Incofin, on pipeline development, joint site visits for due diligence by the Investment Manager and TA needs assessments by the N3F TA team, as well as data collected for the development of nutrition profiles for SMEs together with the MEL Specialist, so that the SMEs fit the N3F Fund financial and nutrition criteria.
The manager will also contribute to the financing engagement work of N3F, to improve awareness, capacity, commitment among investors of nutrition as an investment theme.
Key Responsibilities include:
- Oversee and design technical assistance support packages tailored to individual SMEs and group training according to common needs in the portfolio in Francophone Africa.
- Identify technical assessment needs of SMEs operating in the food value chain that are potential pipeline for the N3F Fund, working together with the investment officers at our partner asset manager Incofin Investment Management.
- Provide strategic and technical leadership in the design, planning and implementation of the project as per the GAIN Project Management Guidelines (PMG).
- Define project scope, activities and objectives in line with the GAIN business plans, programme frameworks, and organizational strategic priorities.
- Identify, track and resolve project issues on an ongoing basis, and proactively seek support where issues require wider attention and resolution.
- Ensure that implementation of project activities is in line with the policies and best practice standards of GAIN.
- Represent GAIN at national and regional technical meetings, tradeshows and workshops and contribute to identifying SMEs that fit the N3F criteria across Anglophone and Francophone Africa, sharing them with Incofin, N3F Fund Manager
- Lead on matchmaking activities between TA requirements and service providers, manage engagements between GAIN, service providers, and our beneficiaries.
About you
The ideal candidate should have advanced expertise directly or indirectly related to impact investing, development finance and/or grant-making and TA support to SMEs across Anglophone and Francophone Africa. You should have substantive experience directly or indirectly related to food supply chains and working with SMEs.
The post holder should have experience leading matchmaking activities between TA requirements and service providers, manage engagements between the organization, service providers, and our beneficiaries. You should be able to identify relevant events to influence and raise awareness of nutrition investing outside of the food systems community.
The position holder should be deep understanding of what makes an SME scale their operations, grow, and succeed and a demonstrated expertise in the assessment of needs and provision of technical assistance (TA) to SMEs, and more specifically to nutrition focused SMEs. An educational background with a master’s level degree in a relevant field such as business administration, economics, agribusiness, agricultural economics, or bachelor’s degree with requisite years of experience in a relevant field.
About our Offer
The starting gross salary on offer for this role is from KES 4’301’136 – KES 4’917’408 per annum, depending on experience.
GAIN has a fair and competitive salary structure that allows for annual progression subject to good performance. In addition, GAIN offers a total of 37 days holiday per year (including annual leave, public holidays and additional office closure days), an attractive pension scheme and competitive insurance cover including health, travel and life assurance. We are committed to the health of our staff, especially in these challenging times, and have developed a programme of wellbeing that includes flexible and hybrid working, additional leave allowances, wellbeing days, mindfulness coaching and access to independent and confidential counselling.
GAIN also has a strong commitment to professional development. We will support you to grow in your career through both formal and informal training, and are committed to providing opportunities through internal recruitment, secondments, and promotion. All of this is delivered in a supportive and collaborative environment.
About GAIN
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a Swiss-based foundation launched at the United Nations in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition. Due to COVID19, conflict in Ukraine and climate change, malnutrition and hunger have worsened significantly since 2019, reversing a decade of progress. There is growing recognition that our food systems need to change if we are to reverse these trends.
GAIN’s Strategy aims to transform food systems to make healthier diets from sustainable food systems accessible to all people and especially those whose are most vulnerable to shocks. By 2027, we aim to improve the access of 1.5 billion people to nutritionally enhanced staple foods, improve the access of 25 million people to healthier diets, and support positive food system change in 10 countries. This is bold and complex, and the only way to achieve this is to work together with partners including governments, businesses, and civil society at the country and global level. These goals, and the ways of achieving them, build on our twenty-year legacy of transforming people’s lives with improved nutrition through concerted action and effective policy change.
Our Working Culture and Environment
We provide a flexible working environment that includes a combination of home and office working opportunities through our global hybrid working policy. This encourages our staff to have a healthy work-life balance and increases staff motivation, enriches employee wellbeing, and improves performance and productivity.
All of our positions are based in one or more of GAIN’s designated offices as stated on our job advertisements. Successful candidates will be based in one of GAIN’s country offices and must have the existing right to live and work within a reasonably commutable distance of the relevant city / cities in which the role is advertised. Please note, that GAIN does not sponsor working visas and relocations.
GAIN reserves the right to withdraw an offer of employment for candidates who are considered to ineligible under the above conditions during or after the recruitment process.
Applicants must have the right to work and be currently based in the advertised country location, to be eligible to apply for this position.
This advert closes on 6th December 2023. Early applications are encouraged. GAIN reserves the right to close this advert early should we receive suitable candidates ahead of the closing date.
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition is committed to equality of opportunity and creating an inclusive environment where diversity is valued. We are keen to reflect the diversity of our society at every level within our organisation and therefore welcome applications from talented and committed people from all backgrounds, representing the diverse societies we operate in.
How to apply
To apply, please click on the link below: