Nutrition Program Coordinators at Save the Children Nigeria

Save the Children is a leading international organization helping children in need around the world. First established in the UK in 1919, separate national organizations have been set up in more than twenty-eight countries, sharing the aim of improving the lives of children through education, health care and economic opportunities, as well as emergency aid in cases of natural disasters, war and conflict.

In Nigeria, Save the Children has been working since 2001. The early focus was on getting children actively involved in shaping the decisions that affect their lives. Today, Save the Children is working in seven federal states - Zamfara, Yobe, Jigawa, Katsina, Kano, Bauchi and Kaduna - focusing on providing basic healthcare and protecting children.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Nutrition Program Coordinator (Nationals Only)

Job ID: #1185566
Location: Borno

Role

• To support implementation of Nutrition component of project.
• To support and manage the Nutrition Program Officers, breastfeeding counsellors of the Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergency and Community management of malnutrition Programme.
• On a day to day basis, to assist the NIE Advisor in ensuring that the all components of the programme are functioning properly, providing care of quality to all the beneficiaries through respecting guidelines and principles of good practice (Operational Guidance on Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies, and Guiding Principles for Feeding Infant and Young Children in Emergencies, WHO 2004).

Main Responsibilities
The post holder will receive a context specific ToR for each deployment, which will draw upon the responsibilities outlined below.

Programme Support (typically will be at field level):

• Support field level technical assessments in coordination with the Nutrition response lead and other SC thematic areas and/or other external sector agencies, ensuring assessment findings are documented and that all assessments include a specific analysis of children’s needs.
• With support from the NIE Adviser and/or other senior programme staff, develop project plans and budgets, contributing towards an overall project implementation.
• With support from the NIE Adviser and/or other senior programme staff, support with inputs in development of high quality concept notes and proposals.
• With the support of NIE Adviser, support project implementation to ensure timely delivery of project activities (for example, monitoring against log frames, individual performance management work plans).
• Working closely with the NIE Adviser and/or other senior programme staff, support timely programme and donor reports on project activities in compliance with internal SC requirements and any relevant external donor requirements.
• Working closely with the Field Manager and the NIE Adviser and/or other senior programme staff, with the HR team, help in the identification and recruitment of community mobilisers and/or project volunteers
• With support from the NIE Adviser and/or other senior programme staff, identify programme supplies needs and coordinate with the logistics team to put in place a sensible phased procurement plan.
• Responsibility for the day to day management of project site activities and staff (Child Friendly Spaces, breastfeeding counsellors and volunteers)
• Provide technical support to Save the Children staff (IYCF-E, CMAM, health, Child Protection and others as necessary), MoH, partners and other humanitarian actors as necessary to promote consistent good practice
• Ensure all staff understand and implement programme guidelines used for assessing the mother-child pair, advising the best feeding option and following up as appropriate.
• Ensure appropriate and consistent education messaging to mothers and other carers at Child Friendly Shelters and in the community.
• Facilitate the development and scheduling of volunteer outreach activities
• With the Breastfeeding Counsellors and Child Protection staff, develop monthly work plans for the Child Friendly Shelters.
• Prepare field visit plans and supervision checklist in advance of trips.
• Compile monthly activity reports and assist with stock consumption/distribution plans for each of the CFSs as required.
• Conduct evaluation and appraisal of staff as required
• Facilitate cross sectoral programming, particularly to promote excellent communication and referral between IYCF-E, CMAM, FSL and CP programming.
• At field sites, liaise with other humanitarian actors, local authorities, ministries and the military as appropriate, to maximize collaboration and ensure proper coordination of activities.
• Under the guidance of the PM, undertake local level advocacy targeting other humanitarian actors, local authorities, ministries and the military as appropriate, on assessment and appropriate response to support infant and young child feeding
• With support from the Monitoring & Evaluation team support the M & E plan implementation within the Nutrition projects, ensuring this links to reporting requirements.
• With support from the Accountability Lead ensure accountability is enforced in all project activities as well as ensuring that feedback from children and their families is considered in project design/implementation
• Work closely with partners and their staff to ensure project activities are implemented in time and within the stipulated quality.
• To ensure that the minimum standards of humanitarian relief are maintained in accordance with the Sphere Charter and Red Cross Code of Conduct.

Capacity Building:

• Identify learning and training opportunities for partner staff and communicate this to the Field manager or Lead NIE Adviser.
• Conduct trainings to build the capacity of staff/partners/volunteers, MoH staff and the community at large

Representation & Advocacy & Organisational Learning:

• Ensure that Save the Children's work is coordinated with efforts of other agencies and Government, and support Interagency Coordination forums, advocating for the specific needs of children. This may involve supporting coordination working groups within the IDP camps and host communities or target project sites.
• Contribute to communications and media work as required through correction of data and information and sharing with the project heads

General:

• Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.

Core Behaviours
Understanding humanitarian contexts and application of humanitarian principles:

• Ensures that programme goals and activities uphold the principles of the key national and international humanitarian frameworks, codes and commitments
• Integrates beneficiary accountability principles into the approach
• Participates in disaster coordination mechanisms and interagency cooperation

Achieving results effectively:

• Ensures efficient and transparent use of resources in accordance with internal controls
• Establishes staff engagement mechanisms.
• Addresses difficult situations and makes tough decisions confidently and calmly
• Considers the wider impact of decisions to be made in the short and long-term.
• Continuously provides feedback and updates to achieve improved results
• Coordinates with stakeholders to avoid duplication and maximise resources
• Documents lessons learned and applies them to future projects

Maintaining and developing collaborative relationships:

• Actively listens to different perspectives and experiences of stakeholders
• Actively participates in networks to access and contribute to good practice
• Establishes and maintains clear communication and dialogue with disaster and conflict affected people and other stakeholders
• Establishes clear objectives with teams and individuals and monitors progress and performance

Operating safely and securely:

• Identifies and communicates risk and threats and minimises these for oneself and the agency
• Takes measures to do no harm and to minimise risks for partners and the communities
• Reduces vulnerability by complying with safety and security protocols set by the organisation
• Demonstrates an understanding of wider UN/NGO security coordination and how the organisation can benefit from, and contribute to, those mechanisms

Managing yourself in a pressured and changing environment:

• Helps team members to practise stress management through prioritisation of workloads and modelling of appropriate self care
• Remains effective and retains perspective in the face of difficult or demanding situations
• Demonstrates personal integrity by using one’s position responsibly and fairly
• Maintains ethical and professional behaviour in accordance with relevant codes of conduct
• Plans, prioritises and performs tasks well under pressure
• Takes responsibility for own work and for the impact of own actions

Leadership: Action; Thinking; Self; Inspiring; Developing Others:

• Builds own awareness of the bigger global picture by using a broad range of sources to gather data
• Demonstrates managerial courage by confronting difficult situations and seeking resolution, and stating willingness to champion ideas
• Demonstrates approachability and trust by listening carefully to others and valuing their contribution, and making others feel comfortable by being open and honest about their thoughts and feelings
• Demonstrates self-development and management by taking responsibility for own development, and actively seeking out feedback to better understand their own strengths and weaknesses
• Makes positive statements about work
• Effectively influences others by understanding their interests and showing how they will be met by own preferred solution
• Gives constructive feedback to enhance capabilities and responsibilities to another for the purpose of his/her development

Qualification & Experience
Essential:

• Health / Public Health / Nutrition / B.Sc or equivalent
• Demonstrable management experience
• Experience of implementation programmes (ideally nutrition related), including monitoring and evaluation
• Experience in conducting assessments and an understanding of nutritional data
• Proven capacity to supervise, train and coach staff
• Willingness and capacity to be flexible and accommodating when faced with difficult and frustrating working conditions
• Prepared to live and work in an uncertain security environment
• Ability and willingness to frequently travel and stay at the field
• Fluency in written and spoken English and local languages
• Demonstrable ability at report writing
• Ability and willingness to frequently travel and stay at the field
• Prepared to live and work in an uncertain security environment

Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles:

• Experience and ability to represent Save the Children's nutrition work in external meetings
• Demonstrable ability at report writing and excellent communication skills
• Computer literate

Desirable:

• Qualified Nutritionist, B.Sc Nurse or midwife with primary health care / community health care experience
• Emergency programming experience.

Application Closing Date
30th September, 2015.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their C.V and qualifying statements to: [email protected] explaining why you are suitable for the position you are applying for. State position clearly in the subject field as applications without appropriate subject will be disqualified.

Note: Also, applications received after the above closing date will not be considered.