Nutrition School Garden Project Coordinator at Gardens for Health International (GHI): (Deadline 14 August 2025)

Nutrition School Garden Project Coordinator at Gardens for Health International (GHI): (Deadline 14 August 2025)

Gardens for Health International

Job Description

Position: Nutrition School Garden Project Coordinator

About the Organization

Gardens for Health International bridges the disconnect between food, agriculture, and nutrition. For over a decade, Gardens for Health International (GHI) has implemented nutrition-sensitive agriculture programs to combat childhood malnutrition in Rwanda. We equip families and communities with the knowledge, resources and support they need to meet their nutritional needs. GHI’s core program works in collaboration with government-run health centers to identify and support rural families struggling with malnutrition. In addition to this core program, GHI collaborates with a variety of governmental and non-governmental partners to bring our expertise to new settings and new populations, such as primary schools and refugee camps. We are an impact-driven organization with a deep commitment to ensuring that every program we design meets and responds to the unique needs of the communities we serve. Our team is flexible, innovative, and passionate about sparking lasting change.

About the Role:

Since 2016, Gardens for Health International has partnered with the UN-World Food Programme under the auspices of the Ministry of Education to integrate nutrition sensitive interventions in the Home-Grown School Feeding project. The project has served more than 100,000 students in 7 Districts (Karongi, Rutsiro, Nyamagabe, Nyaruguru, Kayonza, Burera and Gasabo). Gardens for Health has also built capacity for more than 8,000 key school feeding stakeholders across the 30 Districts.

The project is set to enter its third phase, with expanded coverage to Nyamasheke and Ngororero Districts. Gardens for Health International seeks to recruit two qualified and experienced Rwandan professionals to serve as Nutrition School Garden Project Coordinators to support implementation in these newly added Districts.

The Nutrition School Garden Project Coordinator will serve as technical lead person for the nutrition school garden, a component of the Sustainable School Feeding (Home-Grown School Feeding) project and as a focal person in the designated area where he/she is responsible for leading project’s implementation, monitoring and relationship building.

He/She is expected to lead implementation of all activities related to WFP partnership under Nutrition School Garden in the District.

The Nutrition School Garden Project Coordinator will play a key role in advancing school and community-led initiatives, integrating Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) into schools and surrounding communities, and facilitating sustainable, climate-smart school gardening interventions.

The Nutrition School Garden Project Coordinator will be expected to contribute as needed to the Core program delivery and growth through knowledge sharing, on demand supervision and participation in capacity building and content development.

Overview of the Role

Position: Nutrition School Garden Project Coordinator (2)

Place of Work: Ngororero and Nyamasheke districts with travel to the field as required

Reports to: HGSF Project Manager

Time frame: 1 years (renewable depending on availability of funds)

Key Responsibilities

Project Coordination and Implementation

• Promote improved nutrition and dietary practices through school-based activities, community awareness campaigns and stakeholder engagement.
• Coordinate the implementation of Nutrition School Gardens across schools, including gardens’ establishment, conduct nutrition training at schools and involve GHI Health, Agriculture and M&E teams in a timely fashion to accomplish project goals.
• Facilitate the rollout of Training of Trainers (ToT) on nutrition and agriculture for key project stakeholders (School leaders and teachers, parent committees, local leaders, health center representatives, community healthcare workers and farmer promoters).
• Lead the integration of Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) activities into schools and surrounding communities.
• Conduct onsite nutrition-agriculture training sessions and routine follow-up visits with trained teachers, representatives of the parents’ committees, community healthcare workers and farmer promoters to ensure the successful adoption and implementation of the nutrition school garden.
• Ensure implementation of climate-smart agriculture practices in the nutrition School Garden at all Home-Grown School Feeding supported schools.
• Conduct field monitoring, participate in the partners’ joint supervision visits, data collection and learning exchange visits to assess impact and share best practices.
• Advocate for active community involvement and gender equality across all activities, with a focus on inclusive leadership among students and parents.
• Meet regularly with school leaders, health center administrators, sector government officials, and cell leaders to discuss project progress.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with school leaders, local leaders, health center staff, community healthcare workers and farmer promoters
• Represent GHI at HGSF events and meetings upon request by the line manager, ensuring alignment with Gardens for Health International’s values, objectives, and goals.

Communications

• Maintain clear lines of communication with school administrators, health centers, District& Sector government officials and WFP to update them on project activities and timelines while responding to requests for meetings and reports when needed.
• Participate in frequent calls with the GHI and HGSF Project Manager to provide updates on project progress, with call frequency varying based on project needs.

Technical Reporting

• Prepare weekly and monthly reports to track project progress, milestones and deliverables.
• Document case studies and capture photographs, where needed, for inclusion in project reports.

Financial Reporting

• Submit expense requests biweekly, ensuring accurate tracking of project expenditures.
• Maintain receipts and other financial records for accountability and transparency.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition, Public Health, Agriculture, Development Studies, or a related field.
• Minimum of 3–5 years’ experience in school-based nutrition/health/agriculture interventions, working with communities, nutrition programming
• Demonstrated experience in coordination and working with partners
• Experience working with government institutions and international partners or local NGO
• Proven experience in working with health centers, community healthcare workers, farmer promoters, local leaders and parents/caregivers’ groups.
• Residing and willingness to work in Ngororero and Nyamasheke.
• Motorcycle driving license (Category A) is mandatory

Equal Employment Opportunity

Gardens for Health International is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer fully dedicated to achieving a diverse staff. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We encourage and welcome all interested potential applicants, regardless of background or prior experience volunteering with Gardens for Health International, to apply

Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (Psea)

Gardens for Health International has zero – tolerance policy for exploitative and abusive relationships. Gardens for Health International will ensure the fulfillment of our moral obligation to protect minor children and other vulnerable members of society from abuse, exploitation, neglect, and other forms of violence.

Child Safeguarding: 

Level 3: the post holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

Health and Safety:

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with GHI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should send an application letter plus updated Curriculum Vitae in English, including 3 names of professional referees to careers@gardensforhealth.org . The deadline for receiving applications is 14^th August 2025 at 5:00pm. Please mention Nutrition School Garden Project Coordinator as subject of your mail.

*Note that only shortlisted candidate shall be communicated *