Associate Director, Programs, Francophone Africa - Alive & Thrive

Job Description

Alive & Thrive is an initiative to save lives, prevent illness, and ensure healthy growth and development. Good nutrition in the first 1000 days, from conception to two years of age, is critical to enable all children to lead healthier and more productive lives. Alive & Thrive is scaling up improved infant and young child feeding and maternal nutrition through large scale programs in several countries in Asia and Africa and through strategic technical support and the dissemination of innovations, tools, and lessons worldwide. Alive & Thrive is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation and the governments of Canada and Ireland.

The Associate Director, Programs for Francophone Africa supports the senior management in both headquarters and country offices to oversee assigned country programs, ensuring strategic program direction, continued high performance and responsiveness to changing needs and opportunities. Provides technical support and guidance to ensure that program implementation adheres to appropriate standards and that in conjunction with A&T leadership programs are technically sound. Supports capacity building and contributes to the overall strategic goals of the assigned programs.

Essential Job Functions:

• Act as key liaison for programmatic and technical backstopping support for multiple counties in the A&T portfolio
• Ensure cross learning between country programs and best practice and lesson learned are shared. Develop strategies and relationships with country programs and staff that build capacity to design and deliver quality programming
• Provide technical guidance, in conjunction with project leadership, based upon expertise and knowledge of evidence-based methods and strategies, current practice, and established operational and technical standards to ensure quality and rigorous program design
• Support strategic and operational planning for programs and track progress in country programs to ensure project is on track
• Collaborate on documentation efforts of project efforts

Travel Required:

• Minimum of 25%

• Masters degree in nutrition or public health preferred.
• Bachelor’s Degree or its International Equivalent Required - Knowledge/Information Services, Communications, Education, Environment, Health, Behavioral, Life/Social Sciences International Development, Human Development or Related Field.
• Typically requires a minimum of 5-8 years with project management experience, with at least 3 years of field-based experience nutrition programming
• Demonstrated experience in multi-sector project management and implementation.
• Must be able to read, write, and speak fluent English; fluent in host country language.
• Experience working in a non-governmental organization (NGO).

Specific Knowledge Requirements:

• Experience in provision of technical support to MIYCN programming
• Experience with social and behavior change programming for nutrition
• Relevant regional experience in Francophone Africa
• Oral and written proficiency in French required
• Program management experience
• Strong critical thinking and problem solving skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Knowledge and experience in working with donor reporting and requirements
• Ability to influence, motivate, negotiate, and work well with others

This job description summarizes the main duties of the job. It neither prescribes nor restricts the exact tasks that may be assigned to carry out these duties. This document should not be construed in any way to represent a contract of employment. Management reserves the right to review and revise this document at any time.

We offer competitive compensation and an outstanding benefit package. Please click here to visit FHI 360’s Career Center for a list of all open positions.

FHI 360 is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. FHI 360 is an equal employment and affirmative action employer whereby we do not engage in practices that discriminate against any person employed or seeking employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information or any other status or characteristic protected under applicable la

About the Organization

About FHI 360: FHI 360 is a nonprofit human development organization dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions. Our staff includes experts in health, education, nutrition, environment, economic development, civil society, gender, youth, research and technology — creating a unique mix of capabilities to address today's interrelated development challenges. FHI 360 serves more than 70 countries and all U.S. states and territories. We are currently seeking qualified candidates for the position of: Associate Director, Programs, Francophone Africa