Vacancy: National Support Manager

Company Profile

USAID Advancing Nutrition is USAID’s flagship multi-sectoral nutrition project, led by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI), and a diverse group of experienced partners. Launched in September 2018, USAID Advancing Nutrition implements and provides technical support to nutrition interventions across sectors and disciplines for USAID and its partners. The project’s multi-sectoral approach draws together global nutrition experience to design, implement and evaluate programs that address the root causes of malnutrition. Committed to using a systems approach, USAID Advancing Nutrition strives to sustain positive outcomes by building local capacity, supporting behavior change, and strengthening the enabling environment to save lives, improve health, build resilience, increase economic productivity and advance development. From 2020 - 2022, USAID Advancing Nutrition will provide technical support and assessment services to advance the Government of Ghana’s efforts to improve equitable delivery of quality services that promote household resilience and early childhood growth and development. Technical services provided through USAID Advancing Nutrition will strengthen national and local government planning in Northern Ghana and stimulate the development of multisectoral solutions most pressing food security and nutrition problems. The portfolio will encompass activities funded by USAID/Washington as well as the USAID Ghana Mission.

Job Description

• Job Location: Accra with periodic travel to project sites as required.


• Reporting: The National Support Manager (NSM) reports to the project Chief of Party. S/he will supervise the Planning and Coordination Officer.

Job Summary

The NSM is a key member of the USAID Advancing Nutrition Ghana team. Under the leadership of the Chief of Party, the NSM will lead national-level engagement, technical assistance and support to relevant government agencies, ministries and other stakeholders to improve country coordination for nutrition and resilience. S/he is the key liaison between USAID Advancing Nutrition and National Development Planning Commission. The NSM will coordinate with NDPC, Ghana Health Service (GHS), Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) stakeholders and key ministries to strengthen multi-sector collaboration for improved nutrition as well as support develop food and nutrition guidance and tools to inform medium-term development planning (MTDP) processes.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Maintain cordial and supportive relationship with NDPC, GHS, SUN stakeholders and other national level government agencies and ministries to advance multi-sectoral coordination for nutrition in Ghana.


• Engage relevant national-level stakeholders to develop guidelines and tools to integrate nutrition into the medium-term development planning processes.


• Support NDPC to develop FSN guidelines for multi-sectoral planning and facilitate the use of the guidelines for medium-term development planning processes.


• Maintain active communications with stakeholders sharing relevant updates and information to reinforce momentum of nutrition and planning discussions


• Engage stakeholders to prioritize multi-sectoral nutrition agenda and USAID Advancing Nutrition planned assessment to drive country level coordination for nutrition and resilience.


• Identify, through SUN and other stakeholders, advisory panel to provide direction, advice, oversight, and validation of methodologies and analytical components developed under the project.


• Support the development of the project’s annual work plans detailed activity plans.


• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and foster multi-sectoral planning for nutrition, food security and resilience in Ghana.


• Engage the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to review DPAT tool to include nutrition and food security indicators.


• Contribute to drafting and dissemination of quarterly, annual, and other ad hoc reports on project activities and results.


• Perform any other duties assigned by the Chief of Party.

Staff Management

• Supervise and provide mentoring to the Planning and Coordination Officer (PCO) to implement project activities.


• Contribute to maintaining work environment of mutual respect between team members.


• Contribute to team-building efforts, help team members identify problem-solving options and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.

Stakeholder Relationships

• Manage relationships with NDPC, GHS, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ministry of Planning and SUN stakeholders as required.


• Develop and maintain a detailed understanding of the multi sectoral nutrition issues (i.e. health, agriculture, social protection, WASH, etc.) in Ghana and key policies and government priorities.

Required Skills or Experience

• Master’s degree or higher in a relevant discipline; an advanced degree in planning, social science, public health, or nutrition.


• At least 7 years of progressively increasing responsibility working in health, decentralized local government planning processes, nutrition, food security, WASH or related fields.


• At least 5 years of senior-level experience leading national-level engagement of government agencies, advocacy, decentralized planning and working with development partners and networks required.


• Demonstrated ability to establish professional relationships and to work collaboratively with Ghana government agencies, ministries, donors, civil society and CBOs.


• Excellent English language skills, both written and spoken with strong presentation skills.


• Working knowledge of Microsoft software packages: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook.

Preferred Skills or Experience

• Prior experience with USAID-funded project preferred.


• Good knowledge and understanding of Ghana’s local government development planning process and Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) work in Ghana