Nutrition International - Deputy Regional Director, Asia

Appointment Brief

NUTRITION INTERNATIONAL DEPUTY REGIONAL DIRECTOR, ASIA FEBRUARY 2021

CONTENTS 1

Welcome from the President and CEO

3

Background

5

Our approach & impact

6

Investment Case 2018 - 2024

8

Nutrition International’s presence in Asia

9

Organisational Structure

10

Position Description

13

Person Specification

14

How to Apply

WELCOME At Nutrition International, we make a difference, because nutrition is the difference. It’s the difference between attending school and learning there. Between giving birth to a child and giving her life. It’s the difference between what could be and what never gets the chance.

Woven into the very fabric of our approach is the passion and drive of our global team of over 400 people, working in 13 offices across 11 countries.

I truly believe that Nutrition International is exceptional because of the quality, creativity, and skill of our people and their focus on action, results, and scale. At Nutrition International we put people first, be they our staff, partners or beneficiaries and try to act with humble authority in all we do. We value passion, integrity, excellence, team work and ownership, but look to help our people also maintain balance between work and life.

We are at an important moment in our evolution and growth, with a new strategy and investment case until 2024 and an overarching goal to transform the lives of 1 billion vulnerable people by 2030 – especially women, adolescent girls and children – by improving their nutritional status.

We are looking for motivated and passionate people that share our belief that a better world is possible, if we fundamentally change the way we approach development. If you want to leave the world a little better than you found it. If you are looking to be part of a global team with a clear vision. If you have the drive to tackle hard, complex global problems, then we want to hear from you.

Joel Spicer President and CEO, Nutrition International

1

2

BACKGROUND Good nutrition is the foundation for human development. It is the critical ingredient every one of us needs to survive and to thrive. Without it, the brain cannot develop fully, the body cannot grow properly, the immune system cannot function effectively, and individual potential can be stunted, permanently.

Just as malnutrition creates often insurmountable barriers, proper nutrition can open a world of opportunity – because good nutrition is so much more than a full stomach. The right nutrition at the right time builds the capacity to dream, it fuels the power to achieve, and it lays the foundation upon which we can build a healthier, fairer and more productive world.

At Nutrition International we believe that world is possible, but to build it we need to fundamentally change the way we approach development. We need to break down silos, take a ‘no missed opportunities’ approach, and focus on the ‘how’ of reaching people living in poverty with what works. We need to put the people we serve and the issues they face at the center, build up partnerships that address those issues, and scale up investment. In essence, we need to do development differently.

NUTRITION INTERNATIONAL IS A GLOBAL NUTRITION ORGANIZATION For 25 years, we have focused on delivering low-cost, high-impact, nutrition interventions to people in need. Working alongside governments as an expert ally, we combine deep technical expertise with a flexible approach, increasing impact without increasing complexity or cost. We serve as a force multiplier across the development ecosystem, using our unique combination of capabilities to help countries overcome barriers to scaling up nutrition, domestic resource mobilization as well as local government capacity and ownership.

Many development activities are siloed by competitive institutional mandates, the availability of financing, donor preferences or sectoral boundaries – rather than driven by the best interests of the people they are meant to serve. NI seeks to break these silos in pursuit of a “no missed opportunities approach.” We do this by using nutrition as a pathfinder, by adding value through packages and double-duty actions rather than single interventions, and by welding nutrition onto other platforms and sectors where it is missing.

At Nutrition International we don’t just fight on behalf of the people we serve, as if they were a passive, powerless force. We work with communities, empowering them to make better choices for themselves and their families, and to have louder voices so they can change the way things are.

From modest beginnings as a specialized Canadian Initiative, we have become a global nutrition organization, with world-class technical expertise, cost-effectiveness and global influence.

Despite significant growth, our mission remains unchanged, we exist to do the greatest good for the people we serve.

3

4

OUR APPROACH At Nutrition International, we want to see a world where everyone, everywhere, is free from malnutrition and able to reach their full potential. Building upon our core strengths, we concentrate our interventions in 10 high-priority countries, while providing global technical assistance, vitamin A and salt iodization programs in more than 50 others.

We achieve impact by increasing coverage of low-cost, high-impact interventions for those who need them; by maximizing our leverage, utilizing new delivery platforms and creating new partnerships, and by using our influence strategically to increase the priority and funding of nutrition through research, advocacy, and knowledge creation as well as sharing. The interlocking nature of these three strategic components, guided by the cross-cutting focus on gender equality, form the basis of our approach.

“At Nutrition International, we make a difference, because nutrition is the difference. It’s the difference between attending school and learning there. Between giving birth to a child and giving her life. It’s the difference between what could be and what never gets the chance. At Nutrition International, we nourish people to nourish life.”

— Joel Spicer, CEO Nutrition International

OUR IMPACT Nutrition is one of the lowest-cost, highest-impact investments in human potential/capital.

Nutrition investments create a virtuous circle linking nutrition to health, education, economic empowerment, equality, peace and stability. To date, Nutrition International has mobilized 1 billion dollars in the fight against malnutrition; nearly one third of that in the last five years.

Between now and 2030 Nutrition International’s programming will make a significant measurable contribution towards the Sustainable Development Goals, both through proven health impacts, saving lives and averting cases of anemia and stunting, but also through human capital impacts, increasing IQs and years of schooling. Combined, these impacts will generate billions in economic activity, providing governments with increased revenues which can be used to bolster social systems and improve services.

Because a focus on gender equality underpins all of Nutrition International’s programming, these impacts will directly support the empowerment of women and girls across Asia and Africa to make their own choices, improve their nutrition, and their lives. Enabling women and girls to be healthier, attend school longer and do better while there, increases their lifetime earnings, decision-making power and agency.

5

INVESTMENT CASE 2018 - 2024 Health and human capital impacts As a result of Nutrition International’s actions, at least 10 million children who would otherwise have had below-normal intelligence will reach their full cognitive potential and will gain an extra year of school, and $54 billion will be generated in economic benefits.

Given Nutrition International’s focus on improved nutrition for mothers, adolescent girls, and children in the first 1,000 days of life, the bulk of these gains will accrue to women and girls, reinforcing female empowerment and gender equality.

HEALTH IMPACTS

HUMAN CAPITAL IMPACTS

1.2M

85M

60M

10M

Anaemia cases averted

Children will gain a year of education

Children’s lives saved

4.4M Stunting cases averted

400,000 CASES Low birth weight averted

6

IQ points gained among children

$54 BILLION Economic benefits

Making every dollar count Nutrition International’s $700 million Investment Case for 2018-2024 will produce a return on investment (ROI) of 28:1. This is one of the highest ROIs possible in development, and compares favourably with the ROIs of other global health initiatives – such as Gavi and the Global Fund – that excel at delivering low-cost, high-impact interventions. Investing in Nutrition International means investing in reducing malnutrition and building a better future for millions of women, girls and children in more than 60 countries worldwide.

Resources Required Over the next six years, we estimate that approximately 80 percent of the $700 million Investment Case will be spent on maximizing coverage of high-impact, low-cost nutrition interventions. Approximately 10 percent will be spent on activities that will help leverage resources, delivery platforms and new technologies, and 10 percent will be spent on Nutrition International’s activities to influence others through nutrition surveillance, demonstration projects, advocacy and technical assistance.

This ratio will allow Nutrition International to minimize financial risks of its investments, ensuring continued – and in some cases expanded – high coverage in proven and highimpact nutrition interventions, and to continue to explore new opportunities and mechanisms to reach the most vulnerable and make even more significant contributions to improved nutrition.

Nutrition International expects to enter the new strategic period with $140 million in hand; the balance of $560 million will need to be raised through resource mobilization efforts.

Program spending will increase gradually over the course of the six-year strategy, in keeping with our recent trajectory.

You can find the full Investment Case at the following link

7

NUTRITION INTERNATIONAL’S PRESENCE IN ASIA

With approximately 100 permanent staff members in Asia, Nutrition International works in five core countries: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Philippines. Each core country has a country office, overseen by the regional office located in New Delhi, India.

Working closely with local and national governments, Nutrition International implements a variety of interventions aimed at delivering solutions to some of the greatest public health challenges of the region, such as anaemia, birth defects and under-five child deaths. Key interventions include: vitamin A supplementation, zinc and oral rehydration salts for treatment of diarrhoea, iron and folic acid supplementation (IFA) for pregnant women, infant and young child nutrition, Kangaroo Mother Care, promotion of early and exclusive breastfeeding, nutrition education and weekly iron and folic acid supplementation for adolescent girls, salt iodization and food fortification.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT: SUPPORTING THE WORLD’S LARGEST FOOD FORTIFICATION PROGRAMME IN PAKISTAN Malnutrition is at a crisis level in Pakistan. Today, one out of every two Pakistani women is malnourished – a condition that not only affects her health, but also the health of the next generation. Anaemia contributes to preterm births and low birth weight, which in turn lead to poor child health outcomes and an increased risk of disease later in life.

8

Nutrition International has partnered with Mott MacDonald on one of the largest food fortification programs in the world. Supported by United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), the Food Fortification Programme in Pakistan (FFP) aims to support national efforts to improve nutrition, in particular for women and children.

As the lead technical partner, Nutrition International is providing technical support to commercial wheat flour and edible oil/ghee mills. We are also providing assistance to apply quality control procedures at both the production and market levels to ensure adequate fortification.

Other components of the program include technical support to the government’s food fortification regulatory system, support to increase awareness, and evidence generation to formulate relevant policies to combat malnutrition in Pakistan.

By increasing the micronutrient content of flour and edible oil/ghee and reaching more than 100 million people, the project aims to reduce iron deficiency anaemia and vitamin A deficiency in women and children as well as neural tube defects among newborns.

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE Regional Director, Asia

Executive Assistant

Country Director, Indonesia

Deputy Regional Director

Country Director, India

Deputy Regional Director

Country Director, Bangladesh

Finance Director

Country Director, Pakistan

Regional Communications Manager

Country Director, Philippines

Regional HR Manager

POSITION DESCRIPTION Job title: Deputy Regional Director, Asia Reporting to: Regional Director, Asia Managerial Responsibilities: Regional technical staff, periodic supervision of consultants as necessary Salary: CAD $135,000 – $145,000 per annum + excellent benefits and relocation support Location: New Delhi, India | Dhaka, Bangladesh | or Jakarta, Indonesia Travel Requirements: Extensive regional travel and some international travel

Overall Purpose This is one of the two Deputy Regional Director positions within the Regional Office, Asia. As a senior member of the NI Asia Management Committee, the Deputy Regional Director will be responsible for contributing to the overall management of NI’s operations within the region, including strategy development, grant management, financial management, human resources, external relations and resource mobilization. Specifically, this position will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of a major multi-country, multi-year grant funded by the government of Canada (core fund) as well as other donor funded projects, ensuring the quality of design, timely annual planning, effective performance/impact measurement, and reporting.

S/he will be responsible for steering project interventions as necessary to ensure overall success of the portfolio. S/he will directly supervise some regional technical staff and support the Regional Director, as needed, to provide guidance to Country Directors. This is a leadership position that will be required to promote and uphold NI culture and values to NI staff, including fostering a spirit of teamwork, excellence and innovation within the organization.

10

Responsibilities Support overall implementation of the NI strategic plan within the Asia region •

Contribute as a primary member of the NI Asia Management Committee in translating NI global strategies into implementation and contribute to strategic thinking and planning within the Asia Region

•

Monitor progress against NI global targets for the region against key indicators as described in NI’s investment case

•

Support the Regional Director as required to provide guidance and support to Country Directors and their teams

Regional Grant Management •

Oversee the design, planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting of designated grants including several projects under one large, multi-country “core” grant and projects funded by other grants

•

Ensure that programs are delivered in a timely fashion and achieve their programmatic results and, when problems arise, ensure effective remedial action is taken

•

Recommend core grant funding allocations to the Global Grant Manager that will deliver the best return on investment for programs led by this position

•

Drawing on advice from relevant HQ advisory and management Units, ensure that plans, program designs and reporting meet NI technical quality standards

•

Support the design of new programmatic work and the development of proposals for regional donors

•

Ensure new grant funded projects start up effectively and are implemented to a high quality and reports are delivered on time. Manage their closure or transition according to NI standard processes

Finance and budgeting •

Ensure that annual budgets for designated grants are prepared on time and to expected standards

•

Monitor monthly expenditure variance and forecast analysis for designated projects

•

Working with the Regional Finance Director make recommendations regarding the reallocation of grant funds between countries/projects according to specified tolerances and the delegation of authority

Oversight of selected regional technical functions •

Oversee the effective functioning of the Regional Technical Services group. Up to four regional technical managers/specialists

11

Other regional functions •

Support Country Directors and Regional Director in representing NI through engaging with local stakeholders, developing and strengthening contacts and collaboration with public, private and non-governmental organizations

•

Support the Regional Director in overall assessment of opportunities regarding micronutrient malnutrition programming and specifically identifies opportunities for NI support

•

Act on behalf of the Regional Director when required and when authority is delegated

•

Represent NI in regional and national fora as required

This job description can and will be amended as required from time to time.

12

PERSON SPECIFICATION Education •

A postgraduate level degree preferred in public Health, Nutrition, International Development, Public Policy or other related disciplines

Experience •

At least 10 years of program management experience at a senior level including proven experience managing major donor grant-funded development programs, preferably in nutrition, maternal and child health and/or public health

•

Strong leadership skills and proven ability to motivate, support and provide oversight of multi-national, multi-disciplinary teams

•

Strong budgeting and financial management skills

•

Experience at the level of country director or as a Senior technical advisor in Asia in or covering at least two of NIs core countries: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan or Philippines

Skills and Behaviors •

Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint

•

Superior communications skills (oral and written) including good technical writing and presentation skills are essential

•

Fluency in English - both reading and writing – is essential

•

Knowledge of other languages spoken in Asian countries supported by NI would be an asset

•

Experience of working in multi-functional teams in multi-cultural contexts is required

13

HOW TO APPLY Please submit your current CV with a supporting statement of no more than 500 words, outlining how you meet the role description and person specification via the Prospectus website: jobs.prospect-us.co.uk/jobs/details/HQ00178278 Nutrition International is committed to providing equal opportunities for all.

Applications are welcomed from all sections of the community.

14

RECRUITMENT TIMETABLE Deadline for applications: 9 April 2021 Interviews with Prospectus: 14 - 23 April 2021 Nutrition International Interviews: TBC

Queries: For an informal, confidential discussion about this role, please contact our retained advisors Fiona Wansborough or Joan Mwangi at Prospectus via email at: fiona.wansborough@prospect-us.co.uk and joan.mwangi@prospect-us.co.uk

15