Director, External Relations at GAIN

Job Description

GAIN is now seeking an outstanding leader to join as Director of External Relations (DER). Reporting to the CEO, and part of the Strategic Management Team (SMT), the DER will lead the External Relations team (consisting of the Development Office and Communications Team) with a special focus on contributing to GAIN’s growth efforts as outlined in its 2023-2027 Strategy. The DER will be responsible for developing and implementing a new diversified fundraising strategy, expanding GAIN’s donor base to secure new sources of funding from foundations, HNWIs and through innovative mechanisms. The Director will also lead a dynamic communication function, operating at global, regional, and national levels.

Key Responsibilities include
• The ideal candidate will bring vision, ambition, and inspiration to GAIN. With a proven track record of leading innovative approaches to fundraising, ideally gained in a senior income-generation position, you will bring solid experience of cultivating and stewarding relationships from foundations, HNWI’s and other key donors. The successful candidate will have experience working in multicultural and inclusive settings, and be able to manage and motivate staff, working in partnership with highly experienced peers. They will have the potential to become a senior strategic leader playing a full part in GAIN’s SMT.
• You will demonstrate an understanding of key issues within the development sector and how nutrition and food security can connect to these. Most importantly, the next Director of External Relations will bring a strong belief and alignment to the mission, vision, and values of GAIN.

About our Offer
• Our team works together to improve the food system and make it work better for the world’s most vulnerable people. If you are a talented and passionate individual with a drive to make a change and share our vision of a world without malnutrition, then GAIN wants to hear from you.
• GAIN has retained Perrett Laver to assist with this appointment. The
Deadline for applications is Friday 15th September 2023 at 09:00 CEST.
• The role will require travel and communication across global time zones. As an international, multicultural and inclusive organisation, GAIN is willing to consider candidates located within close proximity to a principal or a GAIN representative office. The salary is commensurate with the seniority of the appointment and location dependent. GAIN is unable to support visa sponsorship or relocation for this role and candidates are expected to have the existing right to live and work in their country of application to be eligible to apply for this position.
• A list of GAIN’s country offices is outlined here.
• Longlisted candidates will be invited to first conversations in October and the Selection Panel will subsequently meet to decide upon a final shortlist for the post in the mid-October, following which, interviews with the GAIN will take place thereafter.

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. Due to COVID19, conflict in Ukraine and climate change, malnutrition and hunger have worsened significantly since 2019, reversing a decade of progress. There is growing recognition that our food systems need to change if we are to reverse these trends.
• GAIN’s Strategy aims to transform food systems to make healthier diets from sustainable food systems accessible to all people and especially those whose are most vulnerable to shocks. By 2027, we aim to improve the access of 1.5 billion people to nutritionally enhanced staple foods, improve the access of 25 million people to healthier diets, and support positive food system change in 10 countries. This is bold and complex, and the only way to achieve this is to work together with partners including governments, businesses, and civil society at the country and global level.

Our Working Culture and Environment
• The role will require travel and communication across global time zones. As an international, multicultural and inclusive organisation, GAIN is willing to consider candidates located within close proximity to a principal or a GAIN representative office. GAIN is unable to support visa sponsorship or relocation for this role and candidates are expected to have the existing right to live and work in their country of application to be eligible to apply for this position.
• 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.
• 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.