Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) Officers 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: Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) Officer

Location: Borno, Nigeria

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 Coordinator 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.
• Responsibility for the day to day management of Nutrition project site activities and staff (Child Friendly Spaces, breastfeeding counsellors and volunteers)
• Working closely with the Field Manager and the Nutrition Coordinator and/or other senior programme staff, with the HR team, help in the identification and recruitment of community mobilisers and/or project volunteers (MTM Support Group Leaders)
• Provide technical support to Save the Children staff (IYCF-E, FSL, Child Protection and others as necessary), MoH and other humanitarian actors as necessary to promote consistent good practice
• Conduct trainings to build the capacity of staff/volunteers, MoH staff and the community at large
• 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
• With the support of Nutrition Coordinator, support project implementation to ensure timely delivery of project activities (for example, monitoring against log frames, individual performance management work plans).
• 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
• Facilitate cross sectoral programming, particularly to promote excellent communication and referral between IYCF-E, FSL and CP programming
• Under the guidance of the Nutrition Coordinator, 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.
• 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.
• 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 Project Manager or Nutrition Coordinator.
• 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 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.

Qualifications & 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 nurse or midwife with primary health care / community health care experience.
• Emergency programming experience.

Application Closing Date
15th February, 2016.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online