Country Director

Eleanor Crook Foundation Country Director, Nepal 

Position Overview: 

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Country Director to lead ECF’s engagement in Nepal.

The Country Director will be responsible for representing the organization to key government stakeholders and development partners, ensuring the successful implementation of our programs, and providing overall strategic leadership to our efforts to support the government of Nepal to meet its nutrition goals. Long-term success for the Country Director will be defined through improvements seen in key nutrition indicators and substantial increases in coverage for critical nutrition interventions. 

The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of the malnutrition landscape in Nepal, strong advocacy skills, and a track record of uniting diverse stakeholders to achieve common goals. 

About The Eleanor Crook Foundation 

The Eleanor Crook Foundation was founded in 1997 with a single goal: to eradicate global malnutrition. We’re focused on scaling the most cost-effective interventions to address malnutrition. Achieving sustainable scaling of these high impact interventions requires evidence, global and national systems reform, and increased financing. To support this, we invest across the spectrum of implementation research, policy analysis, and advocacy. Our role extends far beyond grantmaking; we leverage our expertise and voice to advance the fight against global malnutrition. We are an active investor and our team of experts prides itself on being accountable and informed. We are conveners, innovators, and problem-solvers, seeking to upend the status quo by identifying roadblocks to progress and brokering solutions. In 2017, the Foundation pledged $100 million towards the elimination of global malnutrition. We’re well ahead of schedule to meet that commitment. And, in 2023, the Eleanor Crook Foundation was awarded $25 million through Open Philanthropy’s Regranting Challenge, an unprecedented opportunity to further accelerate our progress. 

The Eleanor Crook Foundation has a strategic focus on scaling up high impact malnutrition interventions, including but not limited to the Power 4. In Nepal, ECF’s initial investments in support of the Government’s nutrition agenda include implementation research on multiple micronutrient supplements for pregnant and lactating women, and exploratory research to strengthen integrated management of acute malnutrition (IMAM). Further investments are expected to be developed in 2024 in close collaboration with the government and other partners.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Lead engagement with government officials and other stakeholders to support the prioritization of malnutrition in policies, budgets and programs at national and subnational levels, and to ensure that priority programs are implemented effectively. 
• Proactively and persuasively build coalitions with philanthropic organizations, bilateral and multilateral agencies in Nepal to align efforts towards a common strategy, maximizing impact and avoiding duplication of efforts 
• Develop and implement ECF’s strategy to support the government of Nepal to reach its nutrition goals, in collaboration with ECF’s global team 
• Represent the organization to government officials, donors, and other stakeholders in Nepal to establish and maintain strong partnerships and collaborations 
• Ensure the successful implementation of all ECF-supported programs, including maintaining visibility on grantees implementing research, policy and advocacy projects, and providing strategic advice where necessary. 
• Serve as a thought leader on malnutrition, regularly participating in nutrition events and coauthoring reports, op-eds and policy briefs 
• Work closely with the global technical team to develop innovative approaches to addressing malnutrition in Nepal 
• Provide input to ECF’s global strategy to address malnutrition 
• As needed, provide advice on ECF projects taking place within the region or globally

Qualifications: 

• Proven track record of successful collaboration and coalition-building with government, donors, multilateral agencies and implementing partners 
• Deep knowledge of health programs in relevant contexts, including understanding what it takes to scale up programs or initiatives successfully 
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with experience in senior stakeholder engagement and representation 
• Strong understanding of the political, economic, and social context in Nepal 
• Demonstrated ability both to work independently and to collaborate effectively with international teams. 
• Note that this is a senior leadership position. We would expect though not require that a successful applicants have at least 10-15 years of experience working in health and related areas.

Location and application instructions: 

This position is based in Kathmandu, Nepal, with travel within the country as needed to fulfill job responsibilities, and occasional international travel.

We don’t expect or seek “perfect” candidates. We encourage all interested candidates to apply. If you are on the fence about applying because you are unsure whether you are qualified, we would strongly encourage you to apply. 

ECF offers a vibrant, mission-driven organizational culture and competitive compensation. Please submit your resume, cover letter, and compensation requirements to hiring@eleanorcrookfoundation.org