Head of IT and Digital Strategy - SYS-1312

Location New Delhi, India or Nairobi, Kenya Salary Please see main advert Contract Type Fixed Term Duration Other About the Role

GAIN is seeking a Head of IT and Digital Strategy to consolidate its digital, data and technology improvements over the last few years and to achieve innovation alongside value for money whilst maintaining high levels of system integrity and data security.

The overall purpose of the role is to ensure GAIN has the digital, data and technology environment, governance, project coordination, supplier oversight and risk management it needs and can afford.

This is a senior leadership, governance-led role which has organisation-wide responsibility for digital, data, and technology governance, and plays a critical role in advising senior leadership on risk, investment decisions, and operational resilience across GAIN. It must ensure GAIN has the digital, data and technology environment it needs across 16 countries. This includes supporting innovation in the areas of AI, data and analytics.

The position works with a small internal team and multiple external vendors requiring strong judgement on cost, risk, security, and value for money, ensuring that the core focus remains on strategy, governance and transformational change while day-to-day operations and ‘business as usual’ are also managed effectively.

Experience leading digital or IT functions in a multi-country or geographically dispersed INGO or development organisation is essential.

This full-time role will be based out of New Delhi, India or Nairobi, Kenya and will be offered on a 2.5 year fixed-term contract basis.

Key Responsibilities include

• Lead the strategic vision for GAIN’s digital, data, and technology environment, ensuring systems are secure, efficient, and cost-effective.
• Advise senior leadership on technology strategy, investment, innovation, and opportunities to leverage AI.
• Drive digital transformation by delivering scalable, value-for-money solutions across geographically dispersed teams.
• Oversee the technology stack, budgets, project delivery, and standardised processes for systems development and implementation.
• Manage outsourced service providers to ensure high-quality, secure, 24 / 7 infrastructure across 16 countries aligned with SLAs.
• Ensure strong cybersecurity, GDPR compliance, and business continuity while managing technology and data-related risks.
• Provide reliable, timely data to support organisational planning, decision-making, and reporting, ensuring strong data governance and AI readiness.
• Lead and develop the digital, data, and technology team, ensuring effective project management, stakeholder engagement, and staff training.

About You

We are looking for a strategic IT leader with proven experience in shaping and executing clear technology visions within the INGO sector (essential). You have a strong track record in driving digital transformation and AI initiatives to enhance operational efficiency. With expertise in data strategy, system integration, and decision-making, you will be adept at managing teams and delivering impactful business outcomes.

The ideal candidate will bring extensive experience in leading IT functions for multi-country or geographically dispersed organisations, advising senior leadership on technology investments, and aligning IT strategies with business goals and will be skilled in cybersecurity, data protection, and navigating global regulatory compliance.

Your leadership and interpersonal skills enable you to build strong relationships with stakeholders, while your technical expertise spans software development, network infrastructure, and emerging technologies. You will have a demonstrated ability to manage outsourced IT services, optimise budgets, and ensure high service standards, all while implementing data governance frameworks to support compliance and business decision-making.

With a minimum education background with Master’s degree in Computer Science, Technology, or a related field, you will understand how digital and data systems underpin organisational performance and you will be committed to delivering secure, reliable, and cost-effective technology solutions.

About our Offer

The maximum gross salary offered for this role is indicated below, depending on experience.

India : INR 3,830,988 – INR 4,380,804 (gross, per annum)

Kenya :  7,755,768 – 8,874,132 (gross, per annum)

GAIN offers a total of 37 days holiday per year (including annual leave, public holidays and additional office closure days), an attractive pension scheme and competitive insurance cover including health, travel and life assurance. We are committed to the health of our staff, especially in these challenging times, and have developed a programme of wellbeing that includes flexible and hybrid working, additional leave allowances, wellbeing days, mindfulness coaching and access to independent and confidential counselling.

GAIN also has a strong commitment to professional development. We will support you to grow in your career through both formal and informal training, and are committed to providing opportunities through internal recruitment, secondments, and promotion. All of this is delivered in a supportive and collaborative environment.

About GAIN

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a Swiss-based foundation launched at the United Nations in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition. Working with governments, businesses and civil society, we aim to transform food systems so that they deliver healthier diets for all people, especially the most vulnerable.

Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, GAIN has offices in countries with high levels of malnutrition : Bangladesh, Benin, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. To support work in those countries, we have representative offices in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

At GAIN, we believe that everyone in the world should have access to nutritious, safe, and affordable food. Today, one in three people - drawn from nearly every country on the planet - are unable to consume enough nutritious food. We work to develop and deliver solutions to this daily challenge.

Our Working Culture and Environment

We provide a flexible working environment that includes a combination of home and office working opportunities through our global hybrid working policy. This encourages our staff to have a healthy work-life balance and increases staff motivation, enriches employee wellbeing, and improves performance and productivity.

All of our positions are based in one or more of GAIN’s designated offices as stated on our job advertisements. Successful candidates will be based in one of GAIN’s country offices and must have the existing right to live and work within a reasonably commutable distance of the relevant city / cities in which the role is advertised. Please note, that GAIN does not sponsor working visas and relocations.

GAIN reserves the right to withdraw an offer of employment for candidates who are considered to ineligible under the above conditions during or after the recruitment process.

Applicants must have the right to work and be currently based in the advertised country location, to be eligible to apply for this position.