Nutrition Officers at Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps - Is an international development organization that helps people around the world survive and thrive during crisis and natural disaster. Mercy Corps works in more than 40 countries to alleviate suffering and poverty by helping people build secure, productive and just communities. Since 1979, mercy Corps has been helping people in the world's toughest places to turn crises into opportunities to thrive.

Mercy Corps is recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Nutrition Officer

Position Category: Full-time
Salary Level: 3
Location: Gombe
Current Employee: New Position

Program/Department Summary

• Within its humanitarian response portfolio, Mercy Corps is starting food security intervention in Gombe state. This one-year program will incorporate relief assistance supporting displaced people and host communities within Gombe To support community outreach with best nutrition practices, Mercy Corps is looking for dedicated Nutrition Officer.

General Position Summary

• Under supervision of Program Coordinator, the Nutrition Officer provides technical oversight of all aspects of community sensitization around good nutrition, hygiene and health practices.
• Nutrition Officer will advice 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 assist Program Coordinator in establishing linkages with existing CMAM centers, as well as other actors intervening in food security and nutrition area.
• S/he is an effective communicator, dedicated to the community work, willing to travel to the field and is able to work with a diverse team to achieve common objectives.

Essential Job Functions
Main Activities:

• Conduct inventory of existing visual aid materials, promoting good nutrition practices; advice on developing new ones
• Take the lead on designing and implementing the KAP survey to inform the project about the knowledge gaps and mal nutrition/hygiene practices.
• Assist Program Coordinator and Program Manager in developing messaging strategy, including messages, communication channels, ensuring the strategy is in line with the overall MoH nutrition strategy for Gombe.
• Provide general oversight to the nutrition messaging strategy implementation, ensuring its effectiveness and high quality
• Train Mercy Corps staff and community-based volunteers on effective messaging
• Provide technical supervision to the nutrition sensitization component, whenever required
• In coordination with Project Officers design nutrition messaging workplan, messaging campaigns etc
• Liaise with M&E team on monitoring the messaging impact
• Document awareness raising activities by preparing reports, maintaining tracking sheets, attendance sheets etc
• Attend coordination meetings, whenever delegated. Liaise with MoH, whenever required
• Prepare briefing papers, short-hand notes in English documenting the training sessions conducted highlighting results achieved and challenges to overcome.
• Watch and report on any new nutrition/food security needs arising in the Project target area

Security:

• Support and adhere to policies that maintain the safety and security of the team.

Other:

• Adhere to all MC policies and procedures as outlined in MC policies and procedure manuals;
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
• Other duties as assigned.

Accountability To Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects

Supervisory Responsibility:

• None

Reports Directly To:

• Program Coordinator

Works Directly With:

• Field-based program, M&E and logistics and finance teams

Knowledge and Experience

• This position requires a minimum a Bachelor's Degree in nutrition or other related field and min 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.
• Training experience of impoverished rural areas desirable. Capacity to undertake hazardous travel to rural areas is needed.
• Successful candidate will demonstrate excellent communication and facilitation skills, both verbally and in written, will posses effective coordination skills.
• This position requires fluency in English and Hausa. This post requires a high computer literacy with a full knowledge of Office applications.
• Previous working knowledge in the North-East, particularly Gombe - will be an asset.

Success Factors

• The ability to interact effectively with community members, international and national personnel.
• S/he must demonstrate the ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities.
• S/he must be an excellent organizer and planner, must be able to work independently as well as part of the team.
• S/he will present high professional standard of work ethics as well as the willingness and ability to enforce compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies.
• The Nutrition Officer must be willing to travel to Mercy Corps project sites in rural Gombe on a regular basis.

Application Closing Date
14th November, 2014.

Method of Application
Interested candidates are encouraged to submit CV and Cover Letter, addressing the position requirements to: [email protected]

Note: Application must include Program Officer FFP the subject line. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. We are an equal opportunity organization and we encourage women to apply to these positions.