About the role

• The Director, Nutrition Financing will provide strategic leadership for a Maternal Nutrition Project in Africa, with responsibility for designing and implementing innovative and sustainable health financing solutions to scale up maternal nutrition programs including antenatal Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) and calcium supplementation. The role will contribute to catalyzing and mobilizing sustainable financing by developing and executing a strategic, coordinated, and multi-level financing strategy across 4–8 countries, leading to increased financial resources available from domestic and international sources in the short-, medium-, and long-term.
• This role will also lead the development and execution of a comprehensive Health Financing Strategy encompassing public finance, multilateral development bank (MDB) engagement, innovative and private sector financing, and catalytic financing instruments across 4–8 African countries.

Stakeholder Engagement

• A key function of this leadership role will be to develop and steward strong relationships with governments, donors, multilateral development banks (MDBs), United Nations agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), regional bodies, and research alliances.

Team Leadership and Collaboration

• The Director, Nutrition Financing will lead and mentor a team of 3–5 staff and consultants dedicated to advancing the project’s financing priorities across 4–8 African countries. They will also collaborate with Nutrition International staff based in the Headquarters (Ottawa, Canada), the Africa Regional Office (Nairobi, Kenya), country offices, consortium partners and other stakeholders engaged in maternal nutrition financing.
• As an inclusive leader, the Director will demonstrate the ability to manage complex, multi-country financing strategies, motivate diverse teams, and foster a respectful, innovative, and results-oriented work environment. They will report to the Consortium Director, while working closely with the Sr. Global Portfolio Director for Health Economics and Nutrition Financing, the Sr. Global Portfolio Director for Maternal Newborn Health and Nutrition, and the Sr. Director, Partnerships and Growth to ensure strategic alignment and cross-functional collaboration.

Key responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Resource Mobilization

• Take the helm in shaping and delivering a bold, multi-country Health Financing Strategy that transforms how maternal nutrition is funded across Africa. You will broker major financing commitments from MDBs, philanthropic organizations, and multilateral partners, while crafting compelling investment cases that drive the scale-up of MMS and calcium supplementation in 4–8 countries.

Partnership & Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and steward high-impact relationships with ministries of health and finance, MDBs, donors, UN agencies, and influential regional bodies such as the African Union, ECOWAS, and SADC. You will champion financing priorities across consortium partners and ensure strong, proactive donor stewardship.

Innovative & Private Sector Financing

• Lead the search for creative, future-focused financing solutions ranging from impact bonds to health taxes and insurance mechanisms and cultivate private-sector partnerships that expand and diversify funding streams for maternal nutrition.

Evidence, Learning & Thought Leadership

• Generate and share cutting-edge evidence on financing models, demonstrating impact and shaping strategic decisions. Document lessons learned and best practices to help position Nutrition International as a leading voice in global and regional nutrition financing.

External Representation & Collaboration

• Serve as a key ambassador for Nutrition International in high-level regional and global forums, elevating maternal nutrition financing on policy agendas. Strengthen organizational visibility with donors and partners while fostering a collaborative, mission-driven environment across teams, countries, and offices.

Requirements

• A master’s degree or equivalent experience in economics, public finance, health economics, public health, international development, or a related field.
• At least 12–15 years of experience in health, nutrition, or development financing, with a significant portion in senior leadership roles in Africa.
• Proven track record of designing and implementing multi-country health financing strategies, including public finance, MDB engagement, and/or innovative financing mechanisms.
• Strong experience in resource mobilization, investment case development, and donor engagement, particularly with institutional donors, MDBs, and/or private sector actors.
• Demonstrated expertise in public financial management, including fiscal space analysis, costing, budget impact and cost-benefit analysis, budgeting, expenditure tracking, reporting, and ensuring compliance with donor and government requirements.
• Positive experience in donor stewardship, with a track record of cultivating and maintaining high-level partnerships.
• Extensive experience in leading and mentoring multi-disciplinary, cross-cultural teams across multiple countries.
• Demonstrated ability to represent organizations in high-level meetings, financing dialogues, conferences, and advisory groups, influencing policy and financing priorities.
• Commitment to Gender Equality, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Safeguarding in health financing strategies and organizational leadership.
• Strong ability to identify, assess, and mitigate financial and programmatic risks, while managing complex, time-sensitive issues.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a multi-cultural, global team in a dynamic and growing organization.

Skills

• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Superior communications skills (oral and written) including good technical writing and presentation skills.
• Superior communications skills (verbal and written).
• Fluency in English - both reading and writing – is essential.
• A working knowledge of French is an asset.