Third Sector Partners, a leading senior management and board search firm in the Not for Profit sector, has been retained for the recruitment of this position. The location of the position is in New Delhi or Mumbai. Interested candidates can send in their CVs along with three references and a cover note to project.director.tci@gmail.com by 20 Feb 2016, or contact Third Sector Partners at Tel: +91 22 43493333. Please note only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Introduction:

Led by the Tata-Cornell Agriculture and Nutrition Initiative (TCi), Technical Assistance and Research for Indian Nutrition and Agriculture (TARINA) is a 4-year grant funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). The goal of this investment is to promote a more nutrition-sensitive food system in India by enhancing the availability and affordability of nutrient-rich food. The broad objectives for what we propose are to:

1. Provide technical assistance to make agricultural projects nutrition-sensitive;
2. Provide an evidence-driven pathway to policy reforms that promote availability and affordability of a more nutritious food system; and
3. Develop leadership and capacity to institutionalize nutrition-sensitive agriculture in India.

TARINA will link the evidence-generating capabilities of the International Food Policy Research Institute, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Emory University and Cornell University with the implementation, technical capacity and experience of leading NGO partners BAIF, CARE and GDS to achieve its objectives. The TCi will also establish a Centre of Excellence in Delhi that will further the integration of agriculture and nutrition in India through the provision of products and services and collaboration with other institutions in this space.

The Tata Trusts, India’s largest philanthropy, will support this consortium through their convening power and influence with policymakers at the national and state level and by being a  frontrunner  in  generating  demand  for  technical  assistance  to  proactively  integrate  a “nutrition lens” into agricultural projects that they fund.

For more information, click here.

Reason for hire:

This position seeks a dynamic individual to develop and manage the successful delivery of the TARINA project. The incumbent would be expected to provide leadership and strategic direction as well as manage day-to-day activities that contribute to TARINA’s overall achievement of its objectives. H/She should be comfortable interacting with a wide variety of stakeholders both external and internal along with the ability to articulate effectively across levels and mediums.

Roles and responsibilities:

Specific responsibilities related to the Director include, but are not limited to:

• Provide leadership and strategic direction on implementation of TARINA, and day-to-day management of activities that contribute to TARINA’s overall achievement of its objectives.
• Participate in the TARINA Steering Committee as an Ex Officio member/secretary and chair the TARINA Management Committee.
• Develop required processes and systems to ensure effective and high-quality execution of its various objectives.
• Ensure close collaboration and synergies between the partner institutions, and foster a mutually beneficial and positive learning environment.
• Oversee the development and implementation of monitoring and evaluation systems and other learning tools for TARINA.
• Management and oversight of the Centre of Excellence in Delhi.
• Represent TARINA in various policy fora and meetings.

Must Have’s:

• A master’s degree in Agriculture, Economics, Nutrition or related field (or equivalent) management degree.
• Ten or more years of professional development-sector experience with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
• Demonstrated expertise in agriculture and nutrition issues in India
• Proven track record of high-quality, timely and optimized project and service delivery in projects of a similar nature, including experience in technical advisory for policy development and implementation.
• Some experience with large, advisory contracts and development projects for government or development agencies.
• A strong network of relevant stakeholders and potential clients, both globally and in India, in the fields of agriculture and/or nutrition.
• Financial analysis abilities and the necessary rigor to establish and manage budgets.
• An entrepreneurial mindset and the ability to work with independence and flexibility to ensure targets and outcomes are reached.