Senior Programme Assistant, Policy and Food Systems At Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition

About the Role

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is seeking a Senior Programme Assistant, Policy and Food Systems to provide support across multiple workstreams within the National Food Plan (NFP) in Bangladesh. This role will be offered on a 2 years’ fixed-term contract basis, subject to availability of funding. You will be based in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Reporting to the Policy and Advocacy Associate, the Senior Programme Assistant will be assisting with project timelines, preparing updates, donor reports, and knowledge-sharing materials, as well as maintaining communication channels with stakeholders.

You will also support content development for presentations, reports, and publications, manage a comprehensive document repository, conduct desk research, and provide logistical and rapporteur support for events. This role will play a vital part in facilitating effective project implementation and knowledge exchange, furthering GAIN’s commitment to a resilient and equitable food system in Bangladesh.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Overseeing project timelines and workplans, providing regular updates on key deliverables
• Supporting effective communications with multiple workstreams within the NFP, ensuring tasks align with project goals
• Preparing and delivering updates, briefings, and donor reports and providing the manager with initial drafts
• Assisting the team in maintaining communication channels with stakeholders for regular updates, feedback and follow-up
• Assisting in the development of knowledge-sharing materials, helping the team stay updated with current advances
• Maintaining a comprehensive document repository to organize reference materials and knowledge products
• Conducting desk research and literature reviews to support project deliverables
• Supporting in event management related activities including logistical support and rapporteur support

About You

The ideal candidate will have experience working with the Government Ministries, NGO/INGOs and familiarity with collaboration and communication with government and international organizations. You will possess familiarity of the Policy landscape of Bangladesh particularly on Food Systems.

You will possess strong written and verbal communication skills as well as excellent command of written and spoken both Bengali and English. You will be highly flexible and willing to travel in challenging environment. In addition to this, you will strong time management skills and ability to organise timeline and work within tight deadlines.

Bachelor’s degree level in agriculture, economics, business management or related field. You will be computer literate, with strong PowerPoint presentation skills.

About our Offer

The starting salary on offer for this role is from BDT 902,916– BDT 1,028,916 per annum (gross salary), depending on experience.

GAIN has a fair and competitive salary structure that allows for annual progression subject to good performance. In addition, GAIN offers a total of 37 days holiday per year (including annual leave, public holidays and additional office closure days), an attractive pension scheme and competitive insurance cover including health, travel and life assurance.

We are committed to the health of our staff, especially in these challenging times, and have developed a programme of wellbeing that includes flexible working, additional leave allowances, wellbeing days, mindfulness coaching and access to independent and confidential counselling.

GAIN also has a strong commitment to professional development. We will support you to grow in your career through both formal and informal training, and are committed to providing opportunities through internal recruitment, secondments and promotion. All of this is delivered in a supportive and collaborative environment.

About GAIN

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a Swiss-based foundation launched at the United Nations in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition. Working with governments, businesses and civil society, we aim to transform food systems so that they deliver healthier diets for all people, especially the most vulnerable.

Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, GAIN has offices in countries with high levels of malnutrition: Bangladesh, Benin, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. To support work in those countries, we have representative offices in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

At GAIN, we believe that everyone in the world should have access to nutritious, safe, and affordable food. Today, one in three people – drawn from nearly every country on the planet – are unable to consume enough nutritious food. We work to develop and deliver solutions to this daily challenge.

Our Working Culture and Environment

We provide a flexible working environment that includes a combination of home and office working opportunities through our global hybrid working policy. This encourages our staff to have a healthy work-life balance and increases staff motivation, enriches employee wellbeing, and improves performance and productivity.

All of our positions are based in one or more of GAIN’s designated offices as stated on our job advertisements. Successful candidates will be based in one of GAIN’s country offices and must have the existing right to live and work within a reasonably commutable distance of the relevant city / cities in which the role is advertised. Please note, that GAIN does not sponsor working visas and relocations.

GAIN reserves the right to withdraw an offer of employment for candidates who are considered to ineligible under the above conditions during or after the recruitment process.

Applicants must be currently based and have the existing right to live and work in the Dhaka, Bangladesh region to be eligible to apply for this position.

This advert closes on 21st February 2025. Early applications are encouraged. GAIN reserves the right to close this advert early should we receive suitable candidates ahead of the closing date.

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition is committed to equality of opportunity and creating an inclusive environment where diversity is valued. We are keen to reflect the diversity of our society at every level within our organisation and therefore welcome applications from talented and committed people from all backgrounds, representing the diverse societies we operate in.