Guided by the remarkable legacy of its co-founder, Helen Keller, Helen Keller Intl partners with communities that are striving to overcome longstanding cycles of poverty. By delivering the essential building blocks of good health, sound nutrition, and clear vision, we help millions of people create lasting change in their own lives. Working in 20 countries – across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the United States – and together with a global community of supporters, we ensure every person has the opportunity – as Helen did – to reach their true potential.

Project Overview (Transforming Lives through Nutrition Project)

Transforming Lives Through Nutrition (Transforming Lives) is a grant-funded consortium uniting three public health nonprofits, including Helen Keller Intl, Vitamin Angels, and iDE, and has been established to offer an impactful way to improve the nutrition of underserved pregnant women, infants, and young children globally. The goal of the Transforming Lives Through Nutrition (Transforming Lives) initiative is to improve maternal and child health, through the delivery of proven nutrition interventions and strengthening health and food systems at scale by putting women and children at the centre. The project focuses on interventions within the first 1000 days of life.

The Program Officer – Food Systems Support will play a key role in supporting implementing and supporting initiatives aimed at strengthening sustainable and inclusive food systems. The role focuses on improving food security, nutrition, livelihoods, and resilience through integrated food systems approaches, including sustainable agriculture, value chain development, market access, and policy engagement

Position: One (1) Program Officer-Food Systems

Where: Makueni, Tharaka Nithi or Kilifi Counties

Level of responsibility: Reports to Senior Program Manager- Transforming Lives

Objective of the Program Officer Position:

1. Support the design, planning, execution, monitoring and evaluation of agriculture activities related to sustainable food systems and impacts in Transforming Lives project in Kenya.
2. Provide technical support to assigned County (Makueni, Tharaka Nithi or Kilifi) and ensure quality implementation of the Transforming Lives through Nutrition Project.
3. Monitor project progress, document achievements and best practices, and facilitate learning.
4. Facilitate collaboration and coordinate Transforming Lives project at the county level with the government departments of health, agriculture, water, social services and relevant stakeholders

Specific Objectives

1. Program implementation and technical support

• Support the planning, coordination, and implementation of food systems interventions and activities within the Transforming Lives project Counties.
• Facilitate community-level engagement in sustainable agriculture, climate-smart practices, and nutrition-sensitive agriculture.
• Provide technical assistance to staff, partners and local stakeholders on food systems integration and innovation.
• Working closely with the Transforming Lives project staff contribute to the development of the project work plans ensuring food systems interventions are included.
• Provide technical support to the County in the implementation of all activities according to the work plan ensuring objectives are met.
• Prepare quality activity reports; monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual reports
• Review and monitor project budget and follow the burn rate throughout the project duration.
• Ensure integration of project plans in the County health and nutrition annual work plan (AWPs)
• Promote integrate nutrition into livelihood interventions to ensure food security at the household level.

1. Provide technical support to assigned County and ensure quality implementation of the Transforming Lives through Nutrition Project.

• Working closely with the Transforming Lives project staff contribute to the development of the project work plans and monitor implementation regularly.
• Provide technical support to the County in the implementation of all activities according to the work plan ensuring objectives are met.
• Prepare quality activity reports; monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual reports
• Review and monitor project budget and follow the burn rate throughout the project duration.
• Ensure integration of project plans in the County health and nutrition annual work plan (AWPs)
• Promote integrate nutrition into livelihood interventions to ensure food security at the household level.

1. Monitoring and Evaluation

• Contribute to the development of tools and systems to track progress and impact of food systems interventions
• Support to collect, analyze, and report on data related to agriculture, nutrition, market systems, and livelihoods.
• Document lessons learnt, human interest stories and success stories from the project implementation.
• Plan and implement project data reviews, document findings and recommendations and work with assigned County to implement the actions agreed.
• Ensure relevant project data are collected, analyzed and reports developed to inform program impact.

1. Coordination, Advocacy and Partnership

• Act as the focal communication point for the project while collaborating with the relevant government departments and the County stakeholders
• Actively participate in County level coordination programs that are relevant to the project objectives.
• Ensure effective communication and networking is developed and maintained through partnership and collaboration with County and sub-county health, agriculture, water, social services and other partners within the County,
• Actively participate in county planning and coordination meetings
• Organize county project inception, planning, review, closure meetings, and other relevant forums to facilitate project implementation and feedback sharing.
• Ensure the integration of project-supported interventions in the county health and nutrition annual work plans (AWPs).
• Advocate for prioritization of nutrition and gender equality and inclusion by actively participating in county and sub-county planning and coordination meetings.
• Enhance project visibility and communication efforts on behalf of Helen Keller Intl

1. Community Engagement

• Engage and Support communities in identifying nutrition and gender-related challenges and developing community-led solutions to promote diversified nutrition practices.
• Support Community health Promoters (CHPs) to conduct household nutrition counselling for project beneficiaries at community level.
• Support initiatives that empower women and girls in nutrition-related activities.

1. Others

• Identify funding opportunities and write grant proposals for research projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, Food Systems or related field.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in implementing food systems or agriculture-related programs.
• Experience working with rural communities, smallholder farmers, or marginalized groups.
• Familiarity with concepts like agroecology, value chains, climate-smart agriculture, and food sovereignty is preferred.
• Strong understanding in linkage of food systems and health programming including nutrition standards, and health structures at county and sub-county level
• Familiarity with national health and nutrition policies.
• Experience in health and nutrition community resilience programming and household food production.
• Significant NGO experience with community groups and state institutions.
• Demonstrated experience in coordination and management of food systems and nutrition projects
• Ability to analyze data and produce quality reports
• Demonstrated experience in preparation of donors’ proposals, budgets, and reports
• Able to priorities clearly, oversee multiple tasks, and set clear objectives to be achieved
• Commitment to accountability principles and knowledge of quality assurance.
• Knowledge of computer applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and MS Outlook.
• Creative, open-minded, flexible, and self-learner.
• Excellent interpersonal, facilitation, and communication skills.
• Proficiency in data collection, monitoring tools, and basic analysis.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Fluency in English and Swahili; knowledge of local languages is an advantage.

Competencies

• Demonstrated experience in coordination and management of food systems and nutrition projects
• Ability to analyze data and produce quality reports
• Demonstrated experience in preparation of donors’ proposals, budgets, and reports
• Able to priorities clearly, oversee multiple tasks, and set clear objectives to be achieved
• Commitment to accountability principles and knowledge of quality assurance.
• Knowledge of computer applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and MS Outlook.
• Creative, open-minded, flexible, and self-learner.
• Excellent interpersonal, facilitation, and communication skills.
• Proficiency in data collection, monitoring tools, and basic analysis.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Fluency in English and Swahili; knowledge of local languages is an advantage.

How to Apply:

How to Apply

Interested candidates to send their cover letter and a curriculum vitae as a single document to kenya.recruitment@hki.org Please indicate the position on the subject line of the email. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis; early submissions are encouraged. The deadline for application is 10th June 2025.

NB: HELEN KELLER INTERNATIONAL

• DOES NOT RECRUIT THROUGH A RECRUITMENT AGENCY;

• DOES NOT CHARGE ANY FEES OF ANY KIND TO THE CANDIDATE;

• DOES NOT REQUEST INFORMATION ABOUT CANDIDATES’ BANK ACCOUNTS;

ALL RECRUITMENTS ARE FREE OF CHARGE

In the spirit of our namesake, Helen Keller is dedicated to building an inclusive workforce where diversity in all its forms is fully valued.