Nutrition Officer at Save the Children Nigeria

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries, including the United States. We aim to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives by improving their health, education and economic opportunities. In times of acute crisis, we mobilize rapid assistance to help children recover from the effects of war, conflict and natural disasters. Each year, we and our partners reach millions of children in communities around the world.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Nutrition Officer (National Position)

Ref No: 190000D7
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Employee Status: Permanent

Role Purpose

• To support the breastfeeding counsellors of the Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergency and Community management of malnutrition Programme
• On a day to day basis, assist the Nutrition Coordinator in ensuring that the all components of the programme are functioning properly, providing care of quality to all the beneficiaries
• In addition to this, he/she will ensure that the CMAM program is functioning properly, providing quality care to all the beneficiaries, respecting protocols and principles of good practice.

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):

• Plan and organise OTP/SFP at designated distribution sites in liaison with Nutrition Coordinator and Specialist
• Complete order forms for the logistics team of material, medicine and food requirements for each site for the week in advance
• 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 Nutrition Coordinator and/or other senior programme staff, support with inputs in development of high quality concept notes and proposals
• 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)
• Working closely with the Nutrition Coordinator 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 Nutrition Specialist and the Nutrition Coordinator and/or other senior programme staff, help in the identification and recruitment and training of community mobilisers and/or project volunteers
• With support from the Nutrition Coordinator and/or other senior programme staff, identify programme supplies needs and coordinate with team to put in place a sensible phased procurement plan
• 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
• To ensure that the minimum standards of humanitarian relief are maintained in accordance with the Sphere Charter and Red Cross Code of Conduct
• 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
• Attend regular nutrition meetings and LGA meeting. Liaise with other sectors for up to date information of SCI work in the LGA
• Responsibility for the day to day management of project site activities and staff (IYCF,CMAM, deworming and micronutrient supplementation)
• 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 OTPs as required.
• 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.

Capacity Building:

• Conduct trainings to build the capacity of Nutrition Assistants and volunteers at the community.
• Representation & Advocacy & Organisational Learning:

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

Skills and Behaviours (our Values in Practice)
Accountability:

• Accuracy and timeliness in all areas of responsibility
• High level of accuracy in work, and ability to analyse complex sets of relationships and situations
• Holds self and others accountable

Ambition:

• Zeal to work with Children
• Future-orientated, thinks pro-actively

Collaboration:

• Working effectively with stakeholders to achieve common goals
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Designing more effective admin systems
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency, demonstrates highest levels of integrity.

Qualifications & Experience
Essential:

• Health / Nurse / Public Health / Nutrition / BSc or equivalent with minimum of 2 years progressive experience post NYSC
• Demonstrable management experience
• Experience of nutrition work (preferably CMAM) and implementation of feeding programs, including monitoring and evaluation
• Experience in conducting nutrition assessments and an understanding of nutritional surveillance and information systems
• Proven capacity of management, leadership and teamwork
• Excellent communication skills and a willingness to be respectful, kind, sensitive and empathise with all beneficiaries and their carers
• Willingness and capacity to be flexible and accommodating when faced with difficult and frustrating working conditions
• Demonstrable ability at report writing
• Prepared to live and work in an uncertain security environment
• Ability and willingness to frequently travel and stay at the field
• Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles
• Demonstrable ability at report writing and excellent communication skills
• Fluency in written and spoken English and local languages
• Computer literacy
• Registered nurse/midwife with community health care experience
• Emergency programming experience

Desirable:

• Registered nurse/midwife with community health care experience
• Emergency programming experience

Application Closing Date
20th February, 2019.

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

Note

• Applicants are advised that Save the Children International does not require any payment or expense during the entire recruitment process. Any request in this direction should be immediately reported as it is contrary to the values and practices of our organization.
• Due to the volume of applications received, Save the Children may not provide feedback to all applicants. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
• Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, as applications will be reviewed as received. Save the Children reserves the right to change the closing date, if considered necessary.