Food for Education (F4E) is a pioneering African-led and women-led social enterprise that is on a mission to transform the lives of public primary school students in Kenya through innovative, efficient, and scalable school meal programs. By combining data-driven operations, cutting-edge logistics, and community-focused interventions, F4E has delivered over 40 million meals since its founding in 2012. With an ambitious target of feeding at least 1 million children daily by 2027, F4E is scaling its impact rapidly and deepening its engagement in national and continental school feeding policies.
To help actualize this vision, F4E is hiring a dynamic and driven Policy Analyst – Advocacy and Systems Strengthening. This role is essential to propelling our policy and advocacy initiatives and ensuring that school feeding remains a central pillar in national development agendas across sectors.
About Food for Education
Food for Education was established to tackle child hunger and its devastating effects on learning and development. Operating at the nexus of nutrition, education, and systemic transformation, F4E partners with governments, donors, schools, and communities to provide nutritious, affordable, and locally sourced school meals to children in public schools.
By building cost-effective supply chains, employing technology for transparency, and fostering a learning culture within the organization, F4E is at the forefront of reshaping how school feeding is delivered in Kenya and beyond.
Our core values guide every decision and interaction we make:
- Build with excellence and curiosity: Embrace innovation, iterate frequently, and pursue excellence in all initiatives.
- Be the change you seek: Actively improve processes and systems, taking responsibility for progress and results.
- We do what we say; and say what we do: Operate with integrity, consistency, and ownership.
- Ask why; and commit: Encourage open dialogue, seek clarity of purpose, and commit to impactful execution.
Role Overview
The Policy Analyst – Advocacy and Systems Strengthening will play a pivotal role in executing Food for Education’s advocacy and policy agenda. The successful candidate will operate at the intersection of government relations, systems reform, and strategic communication to advance school feeding as a national development priority.
This position involves active engagement in coalitions, advocacy campaigns, policy forums, and technical working groups. It requires a combination of strategic thinking, policy fluency, stakeholder engagement, and systems-level insight.
The Policy Analyst will report to the Senior Manager, Policy and work closely with internal teams across Government Relations and Community Affairs (GRCA), Communications, and Operations, as well as external partners and government stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities
Advocacy and Coalition Engagement
- Serve as an active member of the National School Meals Coalition and contribute meaningfully to relevant technical working groups.
- Represent Food for Education in cross-sectoral advocacy platforms and stakeholder forums at both the national and county levels, as well as at regional policy discussions.
- Cultivate and strengthen relationships with stakeholders across education, health, agriculture, social protection, and related sectors to advance the school feeding agenda.
- Drive collaborative advocacy strategies that align with both organizational goals and national development objectives.
Systems Strengthening
- Provide technical assistance to national and county governments to enhance the implementation, governance, and sustainable funding of school meal programs.
- Coordinate sensitization sessions and capacity building for both internal teams and external stakeholders on policy, advocacy, and systems transformation.
- Partner with GRCA and Operations teams to institutionalize systems for sustainable and nutritious school feeding programs that prioritize local sourcing and cost-efficiency.
Campaigns and Communications
- Collaborate with the Communications team to design and implement impactful advocacy campaigns that raise the profile of school feeding programs and their societal benefits.
- Document and share stories of impact, advocacy achievements, and strategic outputs for both internal learning and external dissemination.
- Prepare briefs, reports, presentations, and policy memos that communicate the significance and outcomes of F4E’s advocacy initiatives.
Strategic Positioning
- Position Food for Education as a thought leader in school feeding governance, advocacy, and systems development through research, dialogue, and participation in policy-shaping events.
- Proactively identify emerging opportunities to influence national and regional policy discourse around school feeding, food systems, and child nutrition.
- Provide high-level strategic advice on planning and coordinating policy-related events including roundtables, national dialogues, and stakeholder consultations.
Qualifications and Experience
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics, Nutrition, Public Policy, or a closely related field.
- At least 5 years of progressive experience in advocacy, public policy, or systems transformation, particularly in sectors such as education, nutrition, health, or agriculture.
- Strong track record in engaging with government institutions, civil society organizations, and policy platforms at both county and national levels.
- In-depth understanding of Kenya’s devolved system of governance and public administration frameworks.
- Demonstrated success in crafting and executing multi-sectoral advocacy strategies, campaigns, and coalitions.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to create persuasive policy narratives and clear impact reports.
- Competence in distilling complex issues into understandable formats for varied audiences including policymakers, communities, and donors.
Desirable Skills and Attributes
- A deep-rooted passion for school feeding, child nutrition, and social equity.
- Advanced analytical thinking with a systems-based approach to problem-solving.
- Highly collaborative, proactive, and self-motivated with a bias towards action and results.
- Proficiency in English and Swahili is essential; knowledge of additional languages such as French is an added advantage.
- Experience in convening and managing high-level events, dialogues, and policy roundtables with diverse stakeholders.
What We Offer
- An inspiring and mission-driven working environment committed to equity, impact, and innovation.
- A unique opportunity to shape national and regional policy on school feeding and nutrition.
- Competitive remuneration and benefits package.
- Access to rich learning and development opportunities within a Pan-African advocacy ecosystem.
- Career progression pathways supported by a robust culture of mentorship, feedback, and goal setting.
Career Growth and Development
At Food for Education, we are intentional about nurturing talent and developing leaders. Our people benefit from:
- Regular one-on-one check-ins with managers to track progress and set development goals.
- Bi-annual career reviews and feedback sessions to evaluate performance and refine career trajectories.
- Exposure to a dynamic, growing organization where your work has visible impact and long-term significance.
- The opportunity to contribute meaningfully to shaping the future of education and nutrition in Kenya and across the continent.
Equal Opportunity Statement
Food for Education is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Application Information
Deadline for applications: 29th June 2025
Due to the volume of applications received, we will only contact shortlisted candidates. If you do not hear from us within two weeks of the application deadline, please consider your application unsuccessful on this occasion. However, we encourage you to continue monitoring our job board for future opportunities that match your skills and experience.
To apply for this position, please send your application via email to the contact details provided by the organization.
