Chemonics International Inc. is a leading international consulting firm based in Washington, DC, has been contracted by USAID to manage FEWS NET’s technical and field activities.
Chemonics seeks applications from qualified and experienced Nigerian professionals to fill the position below:
Job Title: Regional Food Security Specialist - Nutrition
Location: Niamey, Niger
Job Type: full-time
Introduction
The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) is an integrated set of activities funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) intended to provide timely, accurate, evidence-based, and transparent food security early warning information and analysis. Created in 1985 in response to famines in East and West Africa, FEWS NET provides global coverage through a mix of presence and remote monitoring. FEWS NET’s work is implemented across several pillars by a team of partners that includes NASA, NOAA, USGS, Kimetrica, and Chemonics International (Chemonics). Chemonics implements FEWS NET’s integrated emergency food insecurity analysis through a Washington-based technical office and more than 20 field offices.
Based on in-depth understanding of local livelihoods, FEWS NET analysts monitor information and data on factors that affect food security, such as weather conditions and climate, crops, pasture, markets and trade, and nutrition. FEWS NET produces regular reports, including Food Security Outlooks and Outlook Updates, emergency alerts, market and price updates, and global weather hazards. FEWS NET makes reports available at www.fews.net and distributes them globally to governments, relief agencies, and other organizations engaged in humanitarian response and development programs.
The seventh phase of FEWS NET (FEWS NET 7) began in 2019 and relies on close collaboration with international, regional, and national partners on food security analysis and reinforcement of food security networks. Major activities include joint monitoring and assessments, data exchanges, collaborative analysis and report writing, and technical capacity strengthening. FEWS NET supports local and regional food security networks to contribute to achieving the global objective of food security for all.
Background
Nutrition is an integral part of food security analysis. Nutritional status is both a driving factor influencing food insecurity, and also an outcome of food insecurity. Along with data on food consumption and livelihoods, nutrition data are some of the most important pieces of evidence used to classify the severity of food insecurity for a population.
FEWS NET uses nutrition information and data to inform food security projections made using scenario development, FEWS NET’s methodology to develop food security projections. Nutrition information is a key piece of evidence used to make the Cadre Harmonisé (CH) and the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) for an area. In addition, FEWS NET makes assumptions about the evolution of the nutrition situation based on analysis of the causes of undernutrition and factors that are likely to influence nutrition in the future.
The overarching goal for FEWS NET’s nutrition sector is to develop an in-depth nutrition knowledge base and fully integrate nutritional information into FEWS NET's early warning and food security analysis. This goal is achieved through:
Malnutrition is a major problem in West Africa and reflects a complex situation. FEWS NET is a key and active member of the Nutrition Taskforce of the Technical Committee of the CH and the Regional Food Security and Nutrition Working Group. FEWS NET also participates in IPC Acute Malnutrition analyses and provides extremely valued early warning expertise in the region.
Position Description
Responsibilities
The main responsibilities of the RFSS-N include, but are not limited to:
Monitoring, analysis, and reporting:
Technical capacity development and guidance:
Leadership, representation, and liaison:
Qualifications
Location and Reporting:
Selection Criteria
Core Competencies:
Technical Skills (depth of understanding and experience on the following topics)
Application Closing Date
28th February, 2020.
Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online
Application Instruction/Important Notice