The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is seeking a Technical Advisor, Evaluations of Food Systems Transformation, Knowledge Leadership to provide daily technical oversight and support throughout the project lifecycles of the two large multi-country multi-sectoral impact evaluations, working closely with the two senior KL focal points, and coordinating with country teams, implementation partners, and independent researchers.

This role will be offered on a two(2) year fixed term contract, subject to availability of funding and will be based either in Nairobi, Kenya or Abuja, Nigeria depending on the location of the successful candidate.

The Knowledge Leadership (KL) Team is responsible for supporting research, learning, and the creation and use of evidence across the organization. Staff are based in locations around the globe and form part of their local country team, as well as the global KL team.

In this case, the staff member will be based in a country office and will be working with colleagues in Kenya, Nigeria, Benin, Mozambique, Uganda and Ethiopia as well as the global KL team to support the evaluations of two large projects.

GAIN has recently embarked on two large multi-year programmes which aim to improve diets in millions of people, including women and children, in 6 countries: Benin, Ethiopia. Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Uganda.These are for the Transforming Food Systems to Improve Diet Quality and Resilience for the Most Vulnerable (“Dutch 3.0 or A1”) and Catalysing Strengthened policy action for healthy diets and resilience (“CASCADE or A2”).

The two projects are meant to be complementary and synergistic, contribute to similar outcomes but using different mechanisms for action (market-based and policy-based approaches). The CASCADE project is being led by our partner CARE, although GAIN is taking a lead role in many areas of the programme delivery.

The Knowledge Leadership (KL) team is leading the oversight of both programme evaluations for these (A1 and A2) food system transformation programmes, which are contracted out to independent research partners. GAIN’s KL team is seeking a Technical Advisor to provide comprehensive, effective, and efficient technical daily oversight and support throughout the project lifecycles of the two large multi-country multi-sectoral impact evaluations, working closely with the two senior KL focal points, and coordinating with country teams, implementation partners, and independent researchers.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Lead the day-to-day oversight of high-quality, technically sound research, in alignment with GAIN and other relevant research good practice guidelines, to bring out the best research results from our two independent evaluations over all the 12 country-project evaluations (6 in A1 and 6 in A2). These include impact evaluations, as well as process evaluations, process tracing exercises and 2 country project assessments (in A1). Oversee quality and rigour of research and tools.
• Lead in development of programme impact pathways for 9 country-projects.
• Provide close oversight including refining research questions and methodologies, reviewing research plans and protocols, and interacting with partners and contractors as needed to carry out the activities.
• Support in-country field implementation of research, evaluation, learning, and knowledge management activities, including visiting study sites and interacting with project partners (e.g., implementing partners, consultants, contractors) to ensure timely and quality progress.
• Lead on the development of knowledge products, including research articles, briefings, presentations, and associated tables/figures.
• Work closely with all research partners to ensure all research activities are completed as planned on time, and with high quality.

  About you

• The ideal candidate should have experience with research using both quantitative and qualitive methodologies, in policy analysis, political economy, market research, food/nutrition or a related field.
• Experience should encompass design of research methodologies, analysis of data, and reporting of results.
• Demonstrated experience in critical analysis skills to support evidence generation and reporting.
• The post holder should have proven experience writing reports, academic papers, and other technical outputs and giving presentations.
• Track record of publication(s) in peer reviewed journals would be an added advantage in addition to experience with data management and analysis tools/software.
• You should have a demonstrable understanding of nutrition and food systems; understanding of policy process or environmental sustainability or gender issues related to food systems would be an asset.
• The candidate should have a minimum education background of master’s level training in nutrition, food policy, agriculture or other relevant field.
• The degree should include formal training in research methods.
• PhD level would be an added advantage.