Project Manager USI and Large Scale Food Fortification

Description

• The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is driven by the vision of a world without malnutrition. GAIN is a Swiss based foundation, operating internationally, that mobilizes public-private partnerships and provides financial and technical support to deliver nutritious foods to those people most at risk of malnutrition. The organization is delivering improved nutrition to an estimated 1 billion people in more than 30 countries, half of whom are women and children. This is achieved through nutritional products such as fortified cooking oil and flour in Africa, soy sauce in China and biscuits in India, as well as specialized products for infants and young children, and through interventions to improve the quality of food along agricultural value chains
• GAIN has been in Mozambique since 2010, establishing a country office in 2013. GAIN Mozambique has always had a focus on establishing public-private partnerships throughout its portfolio, focusing on large scale food fortification (LSFF), including universal salt iodization. Iodine deficiency is the single most important preventable cause of brain damage in the world. Universal iodization of salt (USI) is widely recognized as the most cost-effective measure to prevent iodine deficiency and is credited for virtual elimination of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) in many countries. Iodization of salt to eliminate IDD was again confirmed by leading economists in the 2012 Copenhagen Consensus as one of the best investment strategies in international development and contributes to at least four of the Sustainable Development Goals – no poverty, zero hunger, good health and wellbeing, in as well as responsible consumption and production
• A study on National Iodine Deficiency conducted in 2011-2012 in women of reproductive age (15-49 years), classified Mozambique as mildly iodine deficient. At provincial level, the provinces of Tete, Inhambane and Maputo City have adequate iodine nutrition, while Niassa, Nampula, Zambézia, Manica and Sofala have mild, and Capo Delgado has moderate iodine deficiency. An earlier study on iodine deficiency in school aged children (6-12 years) conducted in 2004 likewise classified the country as mildly iodine deficient. The 2008 MICS and 2011 DHS surveys show that the number of households consuming iodized salt has decreased from 58% in 2008 to 45% in 2011. The low consumption of iodized salt is mainly caused by lack of availability. This downward trend in access to iodized salt in Mozambique can adversely affect iodine nutrition at the national and subnational levels
• GAIN is currently implementing a project on Universal Salt Iodization , with focus on industry compliance, under a grant from the Government of Netherlands and is currently working to re-new its partnership corporation agreement with UNICEF to leverage these activities. Under the LSFF portfolio, GAIN will also support the government to strengthen their capacity to improve food safety and quality, based on the outcome of the 2017sector assessment studies of 11 different products and the umbrella legal framework assessment. Specifically, GAIN will provide technical assistance to the government to facilitate multi-sectoral collaboration between government entities and support to the National Laboratory for Hygiene Water and Foods to develop their analytical and laboratory capability for food safety and the National Inspection Body for Economic Activities to improve their inspection capacity
• In addition to LSFF, GAIN Mozambique also works with maternal, infant, and young children projects through multi-nutrient powders (MNP) via hybrid distribution models in Sofala; the Marketplace for Nutritious Foods (MNF), a platform that fosters innovation and drives investment in the production, marketing, and consumption of nutritious foods made from locally-produced agricultural products, targeting small-medium enterprises (SMEs). GAIN is the local content provider (LCP) for GSMA to implementnt the mNutrition Initiative,which aims to create high quality and validated mobile ready content for the development and scale up of mNutrition services through existing platforms. GAIN is currently seeking a project manager to continue the implementation of its Universal Salt Iodization and Large-scale food fortification efforts in Mozambique

Duties

• Reporting to the Country Director, the Project Manager, USI and Large Scale Food Fortification will monitor and manage the progress of USI and Mozambique National Food Fortification and Food Safety and Quality activities in Mozambique, and will coordinate all field activities according to the project implementation timeframe
• USI: Ensures all activities under Dutch USI and UNICEF PCA take place in the most technical cost-effective manner, including but not limited to: Providing techno-managerial support to the n National Salt Iodization Program in Mozambique in close partnership with salt producers, and their respective associations, UNICEF, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Health and other stakeholders
• Reviewing and monitoring program progress, reporting to the Country Director, Mozambique, and making recommendations following periodic progress and financial reporting reviews documents provided by the consultants
• Support the revision and finalization the USI strategic plan to include the new approved regulations
• Supporting INNOQ in disseminating the food fortification decree and salt standards on provincial level in all 6 salt producing provinces to Improve the salt producers’ knowledge on the existing legislation and standards for salt production and salt iodization and how to apply these in practice
• Based on the outcome of the 2017 national stakeholder consultation, establish a National salt producer association with Regional Representation and capacitate these associations to fulfil their mandate to effectively represent their members and unite as one voice through which the salt producers can engage with government and other sectors to air concerns and needs for a better business environment in close coordination with MIC, support development of a KIO3 supply mechanism
• Build the capacity and commitment of largest iodized salt producers to enable them conduct internal quality control of their production, by ensuring the development of training modules on financial management and record keeping; procurement of KI03; inventory management and negotiation with suppliers and distributers for representatives of the salt associations, and ensure producers training
• Reviewing and push to implement the current regulatory monitoring framework developed for fortified food, which includes iodized salt
• Incorporating salt quality monitoring into Food Fortification monitoring documents and convert manuals into training materials
• Strengthen consumer associations’ capacity to demand their rights to vitamins and minerals, through adequately and appropriately labelled fortified foods, by developing a joint communication plan with the Proconsumer Association
• Support the work to create an updated version of the current salt database and to integrate food fortification data at National level food fortification data, understand how to aggregate and report data on inspection activities conducted through-out the country, and ensure that database is regularly updated
• Organize national seminars and consultations, and garner political and policy commitment to the food fortification agenda, which includes iodized salt
• Document good/best practices and learnings and advocate for replication and mainstreaming of these learnings and practices
• Supervise and guide the GAIN Mozambique LSFF team
• Ensure regular reporting and coordination with UNICEF and Dutch Mission
• Support budget management
• LSFF: Ensures all activities under BMGF funded work plan take place in the most technical cost-effective manner, including but not limited:
• Finalize the ongoing assessment to understand the current level of technical knowledge on food fortification in the MIC and the current monitoring processes and program management systems that are in place
• Define and implement activities based on the 2017 assessment of the Food Control Agency LNHAA and the two main provincial laboratories in Beira and Nampula
• Define and implement activities based on the 2017 assessment of National Inspection body for Economic Activities
• Finalize the assessment of the existing legal framework, including National Standards, for food safety and quality in Mozambique to understand how government entities operate in this area and what laws and regulations producers should comply, takes place
• Define needs and continue capacity building of industries in food safety and quality based on 2017 assessment reports
• Supervise and guide the GAIN Mozambique LSFF team
• Support CD in proposals development
• Ensure regular reporting and coordination with HQ
• Support budget management
• Key Organizational Relationships: Reports to the Country Director
• Manages the Large Scale Food Fortification Team in Mozambique
• Liaising with the Large Scale Food Fortification Team at GAIN HQ
• Dutch Mission focal point
• UNICEF focal point to develop a cohesive strategy and implementation plan to support project and program delivery
• Manages external consultants

Requisites

• Project management and strategic thinking abilities
• Analytical mind and commitment to quality, a rigorous approach to all tasks with a high level of attention to detail
• Proven ability to work in an environment requiring collaboration with the private sector, government, and national and international organizations
• Strong negotiation and communication skills, both written and verbal
• Flexible, proactive, goal-oriented and with a willingness to travel in challenging environments
• Ability to be proactive, prioritize, multi-task, and work well under pressure to meet deadlines
• Clear and systematic thinking that demonstrates good judgment, problem solving, and creativity
• At least three to five years of experience in developing and managing projects, preferably in salt iodization or food fortification, or 5 years of international or national program management experience
• Good knowledge on the food production environment in Mozambique and the surrounding region is prefered
• Experience in working with financial and project management systems
• Experience in negotiation with various stakeholders
• Experience from private sector or working with public-private sector partnerships will be an asset
• Degree in Food Technology, Nutrition, Business Administration or related fields
• Computer literacy with excellent Excel, MS word, Outlook, and PowerPoint skills
• Excellent command of spoken and written in Portuguese and English is essential
• Ability to travel frequently
• Experience of working in the food industry or public health sector in Mozambique will be an advantage
• Right to work in Mozambique

Notes

• Only short listed applicants will be contacted

How to Apply

• Apply online: goo.gl/VTv82y