Director, Integrated School Feeding

Overview

Global Communities works at the intersection of humanitarian assistance, sustainable development and financial inclusion to save lives, advance equity and secure strong futures.

We support communities at the forefront of their own development in more than 35 countries, partnering with local leaders, governments, civil society and the private sector to achieve a shared vision of a more just, prosperous and equitable global community.

Global Communities is seeking a Director, Integrated School Feeding to join the Sustainable Development team at the headquarters in downtown Silver Spring, Maryland or San Diego, California.

The Technical Director for Integrated School Feeding at Global Communities is a member of the Food Economic & Climate Security (FECS) technical team within the Global Programs department and reports to the FECS Senior Director.

They are responsible for technical leadership of Global Communities global portfolio of USDA funded- McGovern Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition (MGD) programs, leading the portfolio’s growth, and bolstering our reputation as an innovative and preferred implementing partner.

The Technical Director is responsible for upholding and strengthening the technical quality and impact of Global Communities' Integrated School Feeding program portfolio and building the organization’s visibility as a thought leader.

The Technical Director is responsible for establishing program quality standards and integrating technical expertise across other Global Programs technical teams to support both program design and implementation of awarded programs.

She / he will lead Global Communities’ work in Integrated School Feeding technical excellence, new business development, thought leadership, and organizational visibility.

This position supervises members of the FECs technical team dedicated to International School Feeding work and oversee support provided by other members of the team assigned to relevant programs.

Responsibilities

Responsibility Area : Leadership & Management

• Provide overall technical leadership of GC’s Integrated School Feeding program portfolio and ensure its expansion and growth.
• Lead establishment & oversight of program quality and accountability standards and metrics for all Integrated School Feeding programs.
• Serve as the primary focal point for donor and program leadership contact for all GC integrated school feeding programs.
• Proactively lead regular contact with donors, particularly USDA, relevant international organizations, and agencies and ensure submission frequent project highlights, success stories, and learnings promoting GC’s work and supporting their needs.
• Lead expansion of GC’s visibility as a leading partner of choice in Integrated School Feeding programs by organizing strategic program highlight and implementer learning events.
• Expand GC’s network of Integrated School Feeding program partners and related technical resource specialists with an emphasis on localization.
• Actively promote effective collaboration and cooperation across relevant departments, units and teams including Program Operations, Strategic Growth & Partnerships, and other Global Programs technical teams.
• Lead cooperation with relevant technical specialists / technical support teams in designing School Feeding Programs during the proposal phase and ensuring they are properly backstopped during implementation.
• Lead Global Communities on-going commitment to localization by identifying and mentoring School Feeding Program technical specialists who can provide field-based program-to-program technical support.
• Manage FECS team members as assigned by the unit’s Senior Director.

Responsibility Area : Positioning and Resource Development

• Develop both long-term and annual Integrated School Feeding program portfolio growth and capture strategies in partnership with the FECS Sr. Director.
• Lead the process of working with GC’s Sustainable Growth & Partnerships team by identifying, pursuing, and securing new growth opportunities in Integrated School Feeding both with existing donors including USDA and new and non-traditional donors including the private sector, foundations, bilateral and multilateral donors including WFP.
• Design and proactively lead efforts to inform and shape donor solicitations, especially from USDA, by promoting new country or continuation needs, demonstrating thought leadership and sharing evidence-based learnings emerging from Global Communities’ signature approaches and differentiators.
• Conduct intelligence gathering and early partnership formation for anticipated opportunities.
• Lead major new business capture & development proposal development efforts and ensure all related GC submissions conform to an established set of quality standards.
• Lead the creation of proposal development tools and approaches specific to Integrated School Feeding programs that directly contribute to streamlined and stronger proposal designs and submissions.
• Mentor other GC team members to serve as Proposal Directors for Integrated School Feeding program designs and proposal development.

Responsibility Area : Technical Excellence

• Serve as Global Communities’ leading expert and technical resource specialist in integrated school feeding design and high-impact approaches.
• Lead development and refinement of Global Communities differentiators and signature approaches in Integrated School Feeding.
• Lead development of technical excellence standards for GC integrated school feeding programs and the relevant measurement tools and guidance to design, implement, and monitor integrated sustainable school feeding program performance.
• Lead the process of ensuring organization-wide access to all relevant technical resources, documents, and toolkits on Global Communities’ intranet.
• At the portfolio level, ensure relevant GC programs are designed during proposal development, and implementation to evidence-based, state-of-the-art, and gender-sensitive approaches.
• Collaborate with Global Communities Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning team to document and verify through studies and data analysis successes in Global Communities’ innovations and approaches in Integrated School Feeding
• Manage portfolio level program-to-program technical learning exchanges and oversee knowledge capture and management.
• Provide technical assistance, capacity strengthening, and accompaniment across Global Communities’ Integrated School Feeding programs with a focus on developing local technical capacity to deliver high quality program results.
• Strengthen GC’s ability to support integrated school feeding programs by developing a roster of internal Integrated School Feeding technical specialists, especially within field offices, which can support program development and implementation.

Responsibility Area : Thought Leadership and Organizational Visibility

• Proactively work with the FECS Sr. Director in creating a visibility and marketing strategy and plan in partnership with GC’s Communications department to promote and position the organization.
• Lead visibility efforts with key donors including USDA, USAID and other strategically important organizations in areas of strategic importance to their goals and objectives.
• Organize and regularly present relevant GC learnings and accomplishments at implementer and donor events.
• Represent GC in related advocacy campaigns supporting Integrated School Feeding program funding.
• Represent Global Communities in relevant domestic and international networks / coalitions including GCNF and the School Meals Coalition.
• Oversee the creation and delivery of regular program success updates and learnings to key donors, especially USDA, which are aligned with their needs.
• Team with GC’s MELI team in promoting internal Integrated School Feeding learning through CLA approaches across project lifecycles.

POSITION SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITIES :

• Domestic and international travel up to 25% time.
• Promote a culture of excellence, inclusion, learning, support, diversity, and innovation.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Reputation as an experienced leader within the international Integrated School Feeding sector, especially with USDA.
• Experience in establishing program excellence standards, management systems, and accountability approaches.
• Demonstrated understanding of best practices and willingness to stay abreast of and adapt to emerging approaches in the sector.
• Proven ability to lead strategic planning for growth of integrated school feeding development program portfolios.
• Proven track record in securing significant multi-year program funding from a variety of funders, both USG (especially USDA) and private.
• Extensive skills and experience in relevant program design, proposal writing, networking, partnership cultivation, and marketing, as well as proven experience in developing inter-institutional linkages.
• Strong cross-team management approaches to program design and technical support.
• Extensive existing network with relevant international donors, such as USDA, other bilateral development agencies, foundations, and other non-traditional donors.
• Good interpersonal skills with ability to build strong relationships with staff, current and potential donors, partners, and government representatives at all levels in a culturally sensitive manner.
• Demonstrated commitment to localization.
• Excellent public speaking and networking skills.
• Excellent English oral and written communication skills; proven ability to effectively communicate with others.
• Abilities in a second language (Spanish strongly preferred).
• Development philosophy in keeping with Global Communities’ mission, vision, core values, and approach to integrated, community-driven programming.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in a related discipline and a minimum of eight years of related experience or a minimum of 12 years of related work experience.
• Direct knowledge of and working experience with USDA McGovern Dole school feeding programs.
• At least five years of field-based experience in development and fragile contexts preferred.
• Must have U.S. work authorization.

The salary for this position is 117,521 - 176,282. Salary is based on several factors including qualifications, experience, and internal equity.

As an organization working to advance public health, Global Communities has an obligation to model best practices and to do all we can to protect each other, our partners and the communities where we work.

To ensure the continuity and effectiveness of our business operations, Global Communities is adopting a policy to safeguard the health of our visitors, employees, families, and the larger global community from COVID-19.

Effective January 3, 2022, all U.S.-based Global Communities employees are required to provide proof of having received full dosage of COVID-19 vaccine that is FDA approved, approved for emergency use authorization, or have an approved medical or religious exemption on file with Global Communities, as a condition of employment.

Global Communities holds strict safeguarding principles and has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment.

In the process of recruitment, selection, and appointment, Global Communities will conduct robust reference and background screening checks, including international vetting as a signature of the Global Misconduct Disclosure Scheme to ensure children and vulnerable adults are safeguarded, and abuse is prevented.

The incumbent is required to carry out their duties in accordance with Global Communities Safeguarding policy and the Standards of Conduct.

Global Communities is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

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