ALN Secretariat Coordinator at African Development Bank - AfDB

Reference: ADB/19/007
Location: Côte d’Ivoire
Grade: PL2
Position N°: 50093261

The Unit

• The African Leaders for Nutrition (ALN) is housed in Human Capital, Youth and Skills Development Department (AHHD) especially in Public Health, Security and Nutrition Division (AHHD2). The establishment of the ALN was in recognition of the far-reaching and long-term effects of malnutrition on the continent’s human capital potential; and thus the need to build and sustain high-level political leadership, commitment and accountability on the part of African Heads of States to invest resources in the fight against malnutrition.
• The ALN is a high-level platform for political engagement. It has mobilized Nutrition Champions from amongst African Heads of States and Eminent Personalities, and has forged strong partnerships with a host of key nutrition agenda stakeholders on the continent as well as at the international level. 
• The ALN is committed to increase the visibility of nutrition on the continent, strengthen political will to address complex underlying problems confronting African nutrition, and encourage specific policy and financial commitments to the nutrition agenda.
• The political dialogue with Heads of States and Ministers of Finance is expected to accelerate progress toward the achievement of the CAADP/Malabo targets, the six World Health Organization (WHO) nutrition targets, and the second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG2), through sustained and increased investment for nutrition. The ALN provides a dedicated platform for strategic partnerships, making a clear case for both public and private sectors’ investments for nutrition.
• The ALN will also provide concrete examples of evidence-based policies and programmes that can be taken to scale and a scorecard to track continental progress towards the targets.
• The Secretariat of the ALN, which is hosted by the African Development Bank at the Human Capital, Youth and Skills Development Department (AHHD) under the Vice presidency of Agriculture and Social Development, provides strategic, planning, technical, operational, monitoring and reporting support to the initiative.

The Position
The incumbent will:

• Provide technical leadership and strategic thinking to the ALN initiative with a view to enhancing the visibility of nutrition issues on the continent, and strengthening the political and commitment to increase national-level investments in nutrition enhancement programmes and activities;
• Provide leadership on high-level advocacy activities in support of the ALN champions, and cultivate other African Leaders and Eminent Personalities who could be potential nutrition champions, as well as strategic stakeholder organisations and institutions;
• Ensure the day-to-day management of the work and staff of the ALN Secretariat, including contributing to the promotion of the multi-sectoral approach to the nutrition agenda within the Bank;
• Ensure the effective and timely management of the ALN work plan, including the proper follow- up of ALN activities, the implementation of guidance from the Steering Committee and other advisory bodies, the timely implementation of the Champions Roadmap, and the strengthening of the relationship with key external partners;

Duties and Responsibilities
Reporting to the ALN Steering Committee (ALN/SC) and the Division Manager, Public Health, Security and Nutrition (AHHD2) and working closely with internal and external stakeholders, the incumbent's role includes but not limited to:

• Support the ALN Secretariat through strategic management and coordination of the ALN Initiative and Work Plan, as well as the planning, coordination and communication activities. The responsibilities include actively participating in management meetings for institutional planning, policy and strategy development, and follow up on implementation of the Advisory group and the Steering Committee decisions in liaison with key partner institutions, internal and external stakeholders and the Bank Group.
• Provide leadership and overall guidance to the staff of the ALN Secretariat who are variously responsible for communications, partnerships, monitoring and evaluation, programmatic support, country relations and finance and administration.
• Set overall strategy for the ALN, with guidance from the Division Manager of AHHD2 and Senior Management of the Bank.
• Ensure that the Bank’s management is regularly briefed on the progress of the ALN and facilitate all aspects of dialogue and collaboration between the Bank and ALN stakeholders.
• Deliver against the outcomes set out in the ALN grant, including the development of a continent-wide nutrition scorecard and reporting on the economic impacts of nutrition at regular intervals.
• The Coordinator will fulfill any other responsibility linked to the support of the leaders.

Selection Criteria
Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Hold at least a Master's Degree (or its university equivalent) in Public Policy, International Development, Social Sciences, Nutrition or Public Health or any other relevant degree.
• At least ten (10) years of relevant professional experience in international development and fostering partnerships with relevant organizations  such as UN Agencies, Private Sector, Continental and Regional entities, Key Governments’ Line Ministries, Research Organizations, Bilateral and Multilateral Agencies and Philanthropic Foundations.
• Ability to successfully apply data and evidence of the multi-dimensional nature and effects of malnutrition and the importance of adopting a multi-sectoral and integrated development approach to nutrition interventions.
• Demonstrated leadership capabilities with the ability to guide the work of coalitions, engage in strategic planning with a variety of stakeholders, and respond quickly to a wide variety of strategic opportunities through careful prioritization.
• Demonstrated ability to balance internal and external demands in a fast-paced environment to achieve results while adhering to a long-term strategy built through collaboration and inclusion across many groups, and being responsive to what is needed at the country level.
• Strong experience in advocacy, communications, and/or building partnerships.
• Experience in working across sectors with demonstrated results is valued.
• Experience in shaping a public debate on an issue through creative communications campaigns; convening coalitions for meaningful collective action and executing strategy in coordination with other groups;
• Building relationships with policymakers who may require information about nutrition or related issues;
• Carrying out ambitious research projects; promoting creative research and accountability tools (such as evidence-based reports, report cards, or trackers) that advocates, allies within governments, and everyday citizens can use to call attention to issues of concern and make educated decisions about policies and programmes that impact the health, well-being, and growth of families and their communities.
• Experience in managing teams and large-budget products, including multiple subcontractors. Prior experience working directly with government representatives at multiple levels and with the advocacy community on nutrition or a related issue.
• Ability to communicate and write effectively in French or English, with a good working knowledge of the other language; additional languages may also be valuable (Portuguese, Arabic)
• Competence in the use of standard Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint).