Senior Technical Associate 12-month Fixed term contract (maternity cover)

About Emergency Nutrition Network (ENN)

Emergency Nutrition Network (ENN) works to reduce undernutrition globally. We enhance the effectiveness of nutrition policy and programming by improving knowledge, stimulating learning and building evidence. We are passionate about being network-driven, independent and evidence-based.

Our vision is that every individual caught up in a nutritional emergency, or suffering from malnutrition anywhere in the world, gets the most effective help possible.

We undertake knowledge management, research and advocacy to support national governments, civil society, UN agencies, donors and academic organisations, and communities of practitioners. Through our work and collaborations, we support agencies and individuals to implement evidence-based nutrition programming, predominantly in low- and middle-income countries and in fragile and conflict-affected states.

ENN is governed by a Board of Trustees and has its head office in Oxfordshire, UK. ENN is financially supported by foundations and trusts, bilateral donors, international non-governmental organisations and United Nations agencies. For more information about ENN see our website: www.ennonline.net

What we do

Our Strategy aims to enhance the effectiveness of nutrition policy and programming by improving knowledge, stimulating learning, building evidence and providing support and encouragement to practitioners and decision-makers involved in nutrition and related interventions. ENN’s portfolio includes projects specialising in Infant Feeding in Emergencies, Wasting and Stunting, Adolescent Nutrition, Maternal Nutrition and Management of small & nutritionally At-risk Infants under six months & their Mothers (MAMI), and emerging areas of food systems transformation for nutrition, as well as our highly regarded international publication, Field Exchange (FEX) and our peer-to-peer technical forum en-net.

Our People

ENN’s team is made up of a range of technical experts in nutrition, with decades of collective experience, and a small, experienced operational team. ENN is highly committed to diversity and inclusion, to enabling and promoting flexible working for our staff, and to supporting continued professional development**.** We are proud that in our 2023 Employee Engagement Survey over 95% of our team said that they feel personally connected to ENN’s overall purpose, they are clear about what they need to achieve in their objectives and that they are proud to tell people they work for ENN.

Purpose of the role

The Senior Technical Associate role is a key member of the Senior Technical Team at ENN. The post holder will bring extensive skills, expertise and capacity to deliver on a portfolio of our projects, provide strategic and technical direction and leadership, and manage their teams.

Terms and Conditions

• Hours of work: This is a full-time position (37.5 hours per week) for a 12 month fixed term contract (maternity cover). We will consider appointing two part-time positions to secure the right technical fit and skillsets.
• Type of contract: 12-month Fixed Term Contract
• Location: Office or home-based
• Holidays: 25 days plus UK bank holidays increasing by one day p.a. after two complete years of service to a maximum of 27 days p.a. (pro rata) plus office closure days between Christmas and New Year
• Pension: Auto-Enrolment to ENN scheme with a generous Employer contribution of 5%
• Salary: circa £53,000 per annum depending on experience (pro rata if part-time)
• Benefits: Dental cover, Life cover, Employee Assistance Programme, Wellbeing contribution
• Eligibility to work: The successful applicant will be required to demonstrate they have the Right to Work in the UK. This includes evidencing a UK NI number and that they are a UK tax resident. A Certificate of Sponsorship and relocation package are not available for this position

Key Responsibilities

1. Technical

The Senior Technical Associate will manage a portfolio of projects, lead on, and support, project delivery and develop content of technical outputs. This will involve being accountable for quality and timely delivery. The priority areas for this position are:

• Portfolio lead for ENN’s Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IFE) and Management of small and at-risk infants under 6 months and their mothers (MAMI) projects
• Project lead for Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IFE) Project.
• Technical lead for pieces of work/activities within the IFE/MAMI portfolio.
• Senior editorial role in Field Exchange
• Institutional engagement; particularly donors and foundations

Distinguishing role characteristics include:

• Portfolio lead: – Provide oversight of the balance, delivery and directions within the portfolio, managing the portfolio team, and with responsibility for ensuring plans are resourced.
• Project lead: Ensure delivery and assure quality technical outputs
• Technical lead: Deliver on specific pieces of work/activities within the portfolio

Examples of the types of project responsibilities the postholder will assume, depending on the specific role requirements and their relevant experience, include:

• Providing technical leadership to design, manage, deliver and ensure quality control on project areas
  • Convening and facilitating working/advisory groups and leading technical meetings/consultations
  • Brokering technical consensus
  • Undertaking and/or overseeing research, such as scoping reviews
  • Content development and shaping, having a senior editorial role
  • Developing reach and securing engagement on project areas, including audience profiling and network development
  • Working with our Digital Communications Specialist to identify and develop innovative communications tools and media to support uptake of outputs
  • Coordination with actors as relevant to the project (internal, external, multi-agency, working groups and forums)
  • Instigation of project relevant technical meetings, and ensuring their success, relevance and impact
  • Reports and analysis development
  • Working with the Projects Team to develop and monitor against project workplans and budgets
  • Monitoring and evaluation
  • Communications, donor and other reporting
  • Development of portfolio specific funding opportunities and relationships.
  • External representation

1. Strategic Development

The Senior Technical Associate will contribute to the overall strategic development of ENN and our strategic partners, including:

• Contributing to the realisation of ENN’s Strategy, potentially including representation on ENN’s Senior Leadership Team.
• Being aware of key developments in the nutrition (and related) sectors, identifying new activities, partners and opportunities that align with ENN’s strategy.
• Representing ENN and contributing to global groups/initiatives/efforts
• Assisting the Senior Technical Team in providing strategic engagement support for identified donors
• Development of concept notes & project proposals

1. Team and Management Responsibilities

The Senior Technical Associate will have team management responsibilities including:

• Line management responsibility for technical team members
• Manage and develop the technical (and other) skills of ENN’s staff
• Engage in the technical review of colleagues’ work
• Act as a ‘buddy’ and / or co-lead to other technical project leads if required
• Contribute to internal communications, information exchange, learning and staff engagement
• Contribute to technical debate and discussions, supporting consensus building
• Actively promote ENN’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, leading by example and contributing to an organisational culture where every individual is recognised and valued

Person Specification

Essential requirements

• Master’s degree in nutrition/Community Nutrition, Public Health or relevant discipline or equivalent professional experience
• Strong technical acumen and knowledge of the policy, research and practice landscape (stakeholders, policies, gaps, current key topics and challenges) in International Nutrition and Health.
• Significant technical experience in the priority areas outlined above
• Significant, relevant field experience
• Strong interpersonal, facilitation, influencing, consensus building and brokering skills and experience.
• Experience in conducting research, including as lead author and for publication.
• Editorial experience and the ability to peer review and critically appraise written content
• Experience in quality assurance for technical outputs
• Experience in knowledge management, and/or projects that focus on ‘learning’
• Experience in coordinating diverse work portfolios and team management
• Experience in donor liaison, reporting and relationship management
• Experience in developing funding opportunities
• Experience of line management
• Excellent communication, presentation, written and analytical skills
• Motivated, takes initiative, innovates and drives progress
• Good cross-cultural awareness and experience of establishing good working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders at national and global level
• Comfortable to work both autonomously and as a member of a dispersed and diverse team

Desirable requirements

• Experience of planning, developing and reshaping technical publications
• Experience as a technical lead on complex, institutionally funded projects
• Experience of providing support to country programmes on project design and delivery
• Experience in guideline and guidance development (international, national)
• Experience in strategy development and delivery
• Experience of supporting food systems/health programmes /system strengthening in developing contexts
• Nutrition/nutrition-related primary / other research experience
• French speaker or another relevant language

Reporting Lines:

The Senior Technical Associate will report to one of ENN’s Technical Directors and will have line management responsibility