Policy Director - Eleanor Crook Foundation

About the Eleanor Crook Foundation: 

The Eleanor Crook Foundation (ECF) is a growing U.S. Philanthropy committed to research, policy analysis, and advocacy to end global malnutrition. It is our goal to make global malnutrition infamous, and in so doing, mobilize the global health and development community to end poverty and hunger by 2030. We believe achieving this ambitious goal will require positive disruption, innovation, and creativity to upend a status quo that fails to meet the needs of so many. We bring dedication to creating new norms, alongside a spirit of optimism and hope, to all of our work to end global malnutrition.

Policy Director: 

The Eleanor Crook Foundation (ECF) seeks a Policy Director (PD) to join our team during an exciting time of expansion and growth. Reporting to the Managing Director and working alongside a dynamic team of policy, advocacy, and nutrition technical experts, the PD will be responsible for developing a multi-year policy agenda related to global nutrition and managing a small team of policy analysts to execute that agenda. In doing so, the PD will be required to stay abreast of the latest trends across global nutrition policy, financing, and advocacy, understand the latest nutrition technical developments which will inform required policy change, and explore and anticipate emerging issues across ECF’s priority areas of focus. This policy agenda will set the direction and priorities for ECF, establishing priority areas of focus for the entire ECF team.

This is a new position at the Eleanor Crook Foundation and the person who assumes this role will be asked to build upon existing efforts to articulate an ambitious policy agenda for the Foundation in their first 60 days. Applicants should be excited to roll up their sleeves and embrace the opportunity to help build a world-class policy team by recruiting a small number of analysts and advisors to drive forward that agenda.

A “sick-of-business-as-usual” attitude is required, and applicants should have an unrelenting desire to dream up big ideas with the potential to have transformative impact on global malnutrition. The potential impact of the PD role in revolutionizing the global nutrition sector is huge!

The ideal applicant will be based in, or willing to relocate to, Washington, DC.

Policy Director Responsibilities:

• Develop and Execute an Ambitious Policy Agenda: Working across ECF’s team, develop and implement a robust policy leadership agenda. Bring the global nutrition community to the next level by providing high-level thought leadership, encouraging and contributing to bold, outside-the-box thinking, and identifying and funding effective policy analysis and research. Understand and assess ECF’s current areas of focus and survey the broader policy landscape to evaluate can’t-miss opportunities to drive impact. Conduct desk-based policy-related research and analysis. Produce policy briefs, articles, blogs, op-eds, talking points, and other synthesis material.
• Lead the Policy Team: Working with the CEO and the Managing Director, recruit and develop a small team of expert policy analysts, advisors, or other positions, to meet the long-term objectives of the Foundation’s policy team. Lead, manage, and develop the team to achieve an ambitious policy leadership agenda, fostering significant collaboration across the Foundation at every level.
• Oversee and Manage ECF’s Policy Grants Portfolio & Budget: Work closely with ECF grantees to lead and support policy analysis. Oversee an annual budget to leverage outside expertise in support of the Foundation’s policy agenda. Development and management of this budget will be expected to happen collaboratively and in close coordination with ECF’s Research Director.
• Collaborate with ECF’s Leaders & Community of Partners: Consult with ECF’s Research Director and Advocacy & Communications Director to ensure synergistic investment across the Foundation’s program teams. Proactively identify investments that will support the work of ECF’s Research and Advocacy & Communications Teams, and understand the latest nutrition technical developments which will inform required policy change. Provide expert policy advice to ECF’s community of partners, and thought leadership to ECF’s technical or advocacy grantees, to ensure that all of ECF’s investments benefit from the policy team’s insights, analysis, and expertise.
• Represent ECF Externally: Serve as a spokesperson for the Foundation’s policy objectives. Skillfully represent the ECF at external convenings and events by asking hard questions, providing thoughtful answers, and remaining restless in the fight towards global progress in the fight against malnutrition.

Required Qualifications, Skills & Attributes:

• Mission & Values Alignment: A passion for - and commitment to - ending global malnutrition. Restless about the status quo of global development, and eager to disrupt it to make greater impact. Exceptional interpersonal skills and demonstrated cultural sensitivity to effectively interact with all levels of US and internationally-based partners and staff.
• Global Nutrition Policy Expertise: At least 10-15 years of relevant experience in a global development policy role. Demonstrated expertise in global health and global nutrition policy. Significant track record in designing, executing, and delivering nuanced policy analysis related to global development, global health, and/or global nutrition. Professional experience at relevant UN agencies, multilateral institutions, and/or bilateral donor agencies a significant plus.
• Team Leadership: Experience building, developing, and managing high performing, cohesive, collaborative teams. Fosters a team culture of trust and transparency, enabling all team members to give and receive feedback, both positive and constructive. Ability to hold staff and partners to high standards of excellence, while maintaining a positive work environment. Ability to coordinate activities with supervisors, colleagues, and consultants. Willingness to jump in and build a world-class team at a growing foundation, requiring attention to details both big and small, flexibility, and an unrelenting desire to do better, together.
• Creative Vision, Strategy, and Roadmap Setting: An ability to step back from current practice and imagine future frontiers, in research, advocacy, and policy. Confidence to assess opportunity – even when it stands against the status quo – and to inspire action in others. Ability to chart medium to long term direction of global nutrition, and craft vision for where community should be in the next five years.