Associate Director, Food Policy Program

COMPANY OVERVIEW: 

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is the leading advocacy organization working to reduce tobacco use and its deadly consequences in the United States and around the world. Through our Global Health Advocacy Incubator, we tackle other critical public health challenges across the globe – including food and nutrition policy, injury and overdose prevention, and building resilient and equitable health systems.

Our vision is a healthier and more equitable future for all. 

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION:

The Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), an initiative of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), draws on decades of work on tobacco control campaigns and its growing experience on other public health issues to drive policy change campaigns around the globe to improve health. To date, these issues have included road safety, food and nutrition policy, cardiovascular health, drowning prevention, civil registration & vital statistics, preventing epidemics, and maternal and reproductive health, among others. 

The Food and Nutrition Policy Program works across 25 countries to advance policy advocacy campaigns to create healthy, sustainable food systems and defend everyone’s right to nutritious food. The program builds movements to reduce the demand for unhealthy, ultra processed products and to increase access to nutritious food. The program brings together experts in advocacy, communications, research, industry accountability, and legal strategy to drive meaningful policy change around the world. The Associate Director (AD) for the Food Policy Program will join a dynamic and growing team to support non-governmental organization (NGO) partners working to advance critical public health policies related to nutrition and healthy food environments in selected low- and middle-income countries in the global south. 

As part of the Food Policy Program, the AD will oversee efforts focusing on policy and regulatory change aimed at reducing the demand for unhealthy food and improving the nutritious food access. More specifically, the AD will support the advocacy efforts to push for mandatory policies that reduce the consumption of ultra-processed food and beverages and to promote and protect policies that increase the offer, availability and affordability of healthy food in a sustainable and environmental friendly manner. The main policies that GHAI supports are taxes on unhealthy food and beverage products, mandatory front-of-package nutrition warning labels, restrictions on the marketing of unhealthy food and beverage products, school food policies including the provision of nutritious meals and the restriction of the sale of unhealthy products, among others. In close collaboration with the Food Policy Program team, S/he will provide strategic advocacy guidance and oversight to in-country coordinators through advocacy capacity building, technical support, and collaboration with national civil society partners and other relevant stakeholders. 

This position is based in Washington, DC, and reports to the Director of Food Policy.

WHAT YOU'LL ACCOMPLISH:

As part of overseeing the advocacy campaigns, the AD will be responsible for facilitating a variety of activities (i.e., supervising in-country coordinators, mapping the political landscape, defining political strategies, identifying allies, champions and adversaries, mobilizing public support, building coalitions, leveraging media and social media coverage, journalism training, and other core strategies necessary for a successful policy change campaign). This role will also occasionally collaborate with the Food Policy team's global partners and funders. 

Key areas of focus for the position include: 

• Develop, implement, and support advocacy strategies.
• Facilitate country team meetings to develop country strategies and assist local partners in executing policy change campaigns. 
• Track progress in each country to prepare regular updates to share internally and externally. 
• Support the development of key materials and talking points (for organizational and donor reports, and other critical materials). 
• Represent GHAI in various external meetings with global and in-country partners, donors, and other relevant campaign stakeholders. 
• Liaise between the headquarters team in DC and in-country coordinators and partners, ensuring that relevant team members are engaged and aware of the needs on the ground. 
• Collaborate with the Director of the Food Policy Program to manage relevant grants and contracts negotiation processes in a timely fashion; oversee grants and contracts progress to ensure compliance, working closely with the relevant Program Grants and Contracts Financial Compliance Officer(s).

SKILLS YOU’LL BRING TO THE ROLE: 

• Bachelor's degree in public policy, communications, public health, or other relevant field. 
• 5+ years of demonstrated experience working on policy issues in global health, preferably in food and nutrition policy or other related public health issues. 
• Experience working on related issues (e.g., policy advocacy, public health). 
• Strong experience working with civil society and government stakeholders. 
• Impeccable project management skills and the ability to work collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams.
• Ability to meet timely and detailed project goals that support larger advocacy campaign strategies. 
• Proven track record of working on multi-faceted and complex projects related to policy change in global health, including the ability to anticipate issues, develop proactive solutions, and follow up to meet deadlines and deliverables.
• Understanding of the tools and practices needed to influence public health policy in middle and low-income countries, and experience working with in-country organizations to use these tools in effective policy change campaigns. 
• Proven ability to coordinate across multiple stakeholders with sensitivity to political and policy dynamics, and familiarity with multilateral partners in global health. 
• Experience working at the international level and in cross-cultural settings, and the ability to travel internationally. 
• Supervisory experience of teams located remotely is an asset. 
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to write reports. 
• Fluency in English required; French/Spanish highly desirable. 
• Consultative and collaborative approach; comfort working across a large and complex international NGO on multi-dimensional policy issues.
  

WHY JOIN THE CAMPAIGN FOR TOBACCO FREE KIDS? 

• You will be joining a respected global health advocacy organization dedicated to creating meaningful policy change and saving lives in our neighborhoods and in communities worldwide.
• A comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plan for employees and dependents.
• 403b plan participation (with 9% company contribution).
• 12 paid company holidays, 15 vacation days, 10 sick days, and 5 personal days (on an accrual basis each calendar year).

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe our programs are strengthened when they are developed and supported by individuals with diverse life experiences, whose understanding of social and cultural issues can help make The Campaign's work more inclusive. We encourage qualified applicants of all ages, racial, economic, social, cultural, sexual orientation, ability and gender expressions, national origins, and veteran statuses to apply.