Food for Education (F4E) is an African-led, women-led social enterprise dedicated to providing affordable, high-quality meals that improve nutrition and educational outcomes for primary school children in Kenya. Leveraging technology, efficient operations, and smart logistics, F4E focuses on reducing the cost of school lunches while ensuring quality and sustainability.
Since its inception in 2012, the organisation has delivered over 100 million meals and is on an ambitious path to reach at least 1 million public primary school students in Kenya daily by 2027. By scaling models rooted in sustainable sourcing and robust supply chain management, F4E continues to drive impactful change in the school feeding landscape.
Role Overview
The Policy Analyst – Research is a critical member of the F4E policy team, tasked with producing evidence to shape and influence school feeding policies at national and county levels. This position leads research design, strategic analysis, and policy assessment while creating knowledge products such as policy briefs and reports that underpin advocacy and decision-making efforts.
The role also involves close collaboration with internal and external stakeholders to ensure that school feeding is recognised as a development priority. By anchoring policy initiatives in strong, data-driven evidence, the Analyst contributes directly to improving health, learning, and economic opportunities for children.
Key Responsibilities
Lead Strategic Policy Research
- Design and oversee research projects to generate evidence informing school feeding policies at both national and county levels.
- Identify and pursue strategic research opportunities aligned with F4E’s policy priorities and advocacy goals.
Develop High-Impact Knowledge Products
- Produce policy briefs, strategic reports, and analytical papers translating complex research into actionable insights for policymakers, donors, and partners.
- Ensure all outputs are timely, relevant, and aligned with advocacy and policy change objectives.
Inform Policy Design and Financing
- Provide data-driven recommendations for improving the design, financing, and implementation of school feeding programs.
- Analyse policies at national and county levels, identifying gaps, innovative approaches, and alignment with global best practices.
Advance Evidence-Based Advocacy
- Generate and manage strategic evidence to support advocacy messaging and campaigns.
- Work closely with advocacy and finance functions to ensure research strengthens influencing strategies and public finance initiatives.
Support Policy Monitoring and Learning
- Monitor policy implementation, offering analytical insights to improve delivery and effectiveness.
- Maintain a research repository and establish feedback loops for continuous learning within the policy team.
Build and Leverage Strategic Policy Partnerships
- Collaborate with universities, think tanks, and research institutions to develop policy-relevant studies.
- Represent F4E in technical working groups, research networks, and policy forums.
Support Internal Policy Function Strategy and Planning
- Contribute to the development and review of F4E’s policy strategy by providing analytical input on emerging trends, risks, and opportunities.
- Ensure research activities align with institutional priorities and influence goals.
Other Duties
- Carry out additional responsibilities as assigned in line with the objectives of the policy team and F4E’s mission.
Qualifications and Experience
Education
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Public Policy, Development Studies, Economics, Public Health, Nutrition, Social Sciences, or a related research-oriented field.
- Additional training or certification in policy analysis, research methods, or data analytics is preferred.
Experience
- Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in policy research, analysis, or evidence-based advocacy, ideally in education, nutrition, food systems, or public health.
- Proven track record in designing and implementing research using qualitative and quantitative methods.
- Experience producing policy briefs, reports, and knowledge products for government and development partners.
- Demonstrated experience working with or influencing public sector actors, multilateral agencies, research institutions, or think tanks.
- Background in policy and advocacy roles within NGOs, government, or multilateral bodies is an advantage.
Skills and Competencies
- Strong analytical and strategic thinking, with the ability to turn data into actionable recommendations.
- Excellent writing, editing, and presentation skills, capable of simplifying complex research for non-technical audiences.
- Proficiency in tools such as Stata, R, SPSS, NVivo, or other data analysis software.
- Sound understanding of Kenya’s policy-making processes, especially in education, nutrition, and school feeding.
- Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced setting.
- Strong interpersonal skills for effective collaboration with stakeholders.
- Commitment to advancing equitable access to nutritious school meals.
Key Personality Attributes
- Analytical and strategic thinker who can translate complex data into relevant policy insights.
- Proactive and self-driven, capable of delivering results with minimal supervision.
- Clear and impactful communicator who can engage varied audiences.
- Collaborative and relationship-oriented, fostering partnerships internally and externally.
- Adaptable and agile, able to adjust to shifting priorities.
- Deeply passionate about social impact and systemic change in school feeding.
Equal Opportunity Statement
F4E is an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will be considered regardless of age, ancestry, colour, family or medical care leave, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, disability, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), or sexual orientation.
Career Growth and Development
F4E fosters a culture of continuous learning, providing opportunities for professional and personal growth. Employees benefit from regular check-ins with managers, structured feedback, and bi-annual career reviews. Staff are encouraged to shape the organisation’s growth while building long-term careers with meaningful impact.
Due to high application volumes, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Applicants not selected will still be considered for future opportunities and are encouraged to monitor the organisation’s job board for roles matching their skills and experience.
