Program Officers - Nutrition at Mercy Corps Nigeria

Mercy Corps works in fragile and conflict-affected environments to build secure, productive, and just communities. We believe that transitional environments - countries affected by civil wars, economic and political crisis, or natural disasters - offer tremendous opportunities for positive change. Since the 1990s, Mercy Corps has managed over 100 peacebuilding projects in over 30 countries and regions, and currently implement 34 peacebuilding programs in some of the world’s toughest places.

Mercy Corps started its operations in Nigeria in 2012, and since then has been providing humanitarian assistance in response to the crisis in the North East, helping adolescent girls’ in getting access to education and economic resources, ensuring vulnerable households have the skills needed to pursue economic activities, decreasing conflicts in the Middle Belt and other parts of the country.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Program Officer - Nutrition

Location: Damboa, Borno

General Position Summary

• The Mercy Corps Nutrition Officer is to ensure successful implementation of BSFP project activities in Damboa.
• Working in partnership with the Program Officer (Food distribution), he/she shall ensure BSFP project beneficiaries receive supplementary food items (monthly rations).
• He/she shall further support CMAM/IYCF trainings for staff/volunteer/mobilizer and community group trainings.
• Further, he/she shall ensure consistent MUAC screening and follow up i.e. referrals to existing OTPs/stabilization centers.
• The position is based in Damboa with at least 100% time to be spent in the field in ensuring delivery of project objectives.

Essential Job Functions

• Under supervision of Deputy Team Leader, the Nutrition Officer provides technical oversight of all aspects of BSFP program implementation and community sensitization around good nutrition, hygiene and health practices.
• Nutrition Officer will advise on nutritional messaging strategy to ensure the messages developed address the current knowledge and practices gaps, messages channels are in line with those most commonly used by the communities;
• S/he will deliver trainings to Mercy Corps program staff as well as community-based volunteers on community sensitization and messages delivery.
• Successful candidate will work with local actors to establish linkages with existing CMAM, OTP, SC centers, as well as other actors intervening in food security and nutrition area.
• Plan and conduct mass MUAC screening of the under 5s on a predefined basis
• Provide technical supervision to the nutrition sensitization component, whenever required
• Liaise with M&E team on monitoring the BSFP project impact
• Document project impact with support of M&E team through success stories, reports, maintaining tracking sheets, attendance sheets etc
• Attend coordination meetings, whenever delegated. Liaise with SMoH and local actors whenever required
• Ensure the daily/weekly/monthly reporting tasks of BSFP activities (screening-referral- distribution of food-challenges etc.)
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge and Experience

• This position requires a minimum a Bachelor's Degree in nutrition or other related field and minimum of 2 years of experience focused on nutrition/food security, including community mobilization, participatory planning and rural/community development; previous similar experience with International NGO will be an asset.
• Must have full knowledge on nutrition supplementary feeding distributions working with UN or INGO.
• Experienced in working in camp or host community settings.
• Experience working with multiple stakeholders to identify beneficiaries according to criteria required.
• Experience with running assessments, monitoring and evaluation and other learning efforts required.
• Experience representing the organization and its interests to a diverse range of local and international government officials, local civil society organizations, other international organizations, the media and the public.
• Commitment to renewing and maintaining knowledge of best practices
• Demonstrated training and facilitation experience
• Ability to work under pressure
• Should be a team player and adjust to work in team.
• Demonstrated strengths in analytical skills, monitoring and evaluation, and report writing
• Strong interpersonal, intercultural and communication skills
• Excellent oral and written skills and computer skills
• Fluency in English and fluency in Hausa is required.

Success Factors:

• The successful candidate will have a can-do attitude. Ideally s/he will have previous experience in working in emergency programs in insecure and conflict-affected contexts.
• S/he is a problem solver, an effective community mobilizer who is adept in successfully dealing with issues of complexity.
• S/he is an active listener and contributor, working to create a strong team share ideas and learn.

Application Closing Date
27th April, 2017.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their Cover letter and CV's in one document, addressing the position requirements to: ng-recruitment.nigeria@mercycorps.org

Note

• All applications must include the position title in the subject line and be not more than four pages.
• Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview and we are an equal opportunity organization so women are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.