Program Officer at Gain - Global Alliance For Improved Nutrition

Program Officer

Employer: Gain - Global Alliance For Improved Nutrition

Employment: Full-Time | Contract

Place of Work: Addis Ababa - Ethiopia

Posted date: 1 week ago

Deadline: February, 07/2025 (3 days left)

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. Working with governments, businesses and civil society, we aim to transform food systems so that they deliver healthier diets for all people, especially the most vulnerable.

Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, GAIN has offices in countries with high levels of malnutrition: Bangladesh, Benin, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. To support work in those countries, we have representative offices in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

At GAIN, we believe that everyone in the world should have access to nutritious, safe, and affordable food. Today, one in three people - drawn from nearly every country on the planet - are unable to consume enough nutritious food. We work to develop and deliver solutions to this daily challenge.

DESCRIPTION

Overall purpose

The Program Officer will work with the head of programmes, project managers, project teams, and operations teams to support the coordination of program and project activities. She/He is involved in the core program and project activities and provides a range of support services, including preparation of reports and briefs, preparing and reviewing letters and other documents, coordinating resources, undertaking administrative tasks such as preparing purchase orders and contracts, maintaining project documentation and implementing and monitoring project plans, to ensure project outcomes are achieved on time, on budget, to quality standards, and within agreed scope, in line with GAINs Project Management Guidelines.

They will undertake other various administrative tasks; organizing, coordinating, scheduling, and attending meetings with team members, stakeholders, clients, and suppliers, and documenting minutes and tracking action points. In general, she/he allocates about 40% of her/his time to assist the head of programmes and 60% of her/his time to assist with the projects’ admin support.

Tasks and responsibilities

Program and Project Management Support and Coordination

• Manage assigned activities in the plan and support the tracking of progress and deliverables among projects and from project partners.
• Coordinate and schedule project review meetings at regular cycles and prepare documentation of findings and recommendations.
• Liaise with the Country Management Team, Project Managers or Project teams on issues of course correction and change requests, escalate and contribute to resolve any program or project issues.
• Contribute to the drafting of program documentation during the design, planning, and implementation of the projects as per the GAIN Project Management Guidelines (PMG) i.e Program Management framework, work plans etc.
• Understand relevant environment, gender and safeguarding themes and their presence and relevance in project activities.
• Facilitate implementation of program and project activities in compliance with the policies and best practice standards of GAIN. Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition

Project documentation and reporting

• Responsible for the regular updating of projects to ensure accurate documentation of projects activity progress for program review meetings.
• Compile, organize and document information and data as per the GAIN country requirements.
• Source, collate and compile data and information to identify emerging issues; track and report on projects progresses against established milestones and deliverables,
• Prepare and maintain projects documentation for reporting, monitoring and evaluation purposes to ensure accessibility of quality information and contribute to the achievement of projects outcomes.

Relationship Management

• Conduct regular field monitoring visits of the activities conducted under the program or project by partners. Follow up with project managers and partners to ensure timely submission of reports and prepare timely monitoring reports with findings and recommendations.
• Work closely with external suppliers and professional services to facilitate an effective delivery of programmes.
• Maintain strong partnerships with civil society, INGOs, government entities, private sector and other organisations. 
• Contribute to a culture of mutual accountable partnership with other teams within GAIN that supports programmes and projects.

Procurement, Payments and Financial Reporting

• Oversee all administrative aspects of the procurement process including budgeting, procurement supporting with the drafting of agreements and contracts and logistical arrangements within ethical and procurement standards and guidelines.
• Support the Head of Programmes and project managers in preparing donors’ reports in collaboration with project teams, technical teams, funding teams, and support teams.
• Work closely with the project accountant, monitor the receipt of deliverables and payments to partners
• Contribute to accurate project budgeting and forecasting processes. • Process timely payments to consultants and other service providers, ensuring compliance with GAIN procurement policy. • Perform other duties as assigned.

Key organizational relationships

• Reports to the Senior Project Manager, Workforce Nutrition
• Close collaboration with country operational and program staff.
• Liaises regularly with GAIN professional services, Programme Team, and Knowledge Leadership teams.
• Vendors and Suppliers, Government, NGOs, Private Sector, and others

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Competencies

• Clear and systematic proactive thinking that demonstrates good judgment, effective problem-solving, and creativity.
• Demonstrate flexibility and openness to change whilst maintaining the ethos and objectives of the work at all times.
• Good interpersonal, communication and influencing skills.
• Excellent writing skills, with analytical capacity and ability to synthesize project outputs and relevant findings for the preparation of quality project reports.
• Some understanding of the gender and protection dynamics of humanitarian and development work, and ability to capture this in the analysis and design of interventions. 
• Ability to work with diverse groups/individuals, ranging from local partners, local authorities, local community groups, the civil society and the private sector.
• Computer literacy with good Excel, MS Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint skills and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling web-based management systems
• Understanding of and commitment to adhere to equity, diversity, gender, child safety and staff health and wellbeing principles Experience
• Demonstratable experience in assisting programs.
• Demonstratable understanding of project management.
• Previous experience with business and project administration systems, including financial administration.
• Proven ability to execute administrative tasks in a timely manner.
• Experience in delivering a wide range of project management support services, within tight deadlines, and limited resources, while managing competing priorities is desirable.
• Experience working in multicultural or international environments is desirable.

Education

• Degree or equivalent recognized international accreditation in project management and/or bachelor’s degree in business management, international relations, sustainable development, economics, development studies, peace and conflict studies or related field.

Other requirements

• Must be willing and able to travel
• Fluent win ritten and verbal English
• Fluent written and verbal National Language of Ethiopia
• Knowledge of a second local language is a plus

WHAT GAIN OFFERS

• A competitive remuneration package
• Flexible working hours through hybrid working opportunities
• Friendly working environment
• Professional development opportunities
• The chance to make a lasting contribution to reducing global malnutrition