Senior Project Officer - Nutrition at Catholic Relief Services

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work are accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

CRS has been supporting program activities in Nigeria for over 30 years and has long-standing relationships with Church and non-Church partners and communities throughout the country. The Nigeria country program has a diverse funding base with projects in health, nutrition, food security and agricultural livelihoods, microfinance (SILC), emergency response and peacebuilding. CRS/Nigeria currently has over 210 national and 8 international staff. With an FY22 annual budget of over USD $100 million, coupled with strong donor interest in supporting CRS’ work in the country, significant growth opportunities exist for the CP. The CP has been supporting emergency activities in the NE states since 2015 with offices in Damaturu, Maiduguri and Yola.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Senior Project Officer - Nutrition

Location: Maiduguri, Borno

Job Summary

• The Senior Nutrition Project Officer is responsible for the overall management and technical direction of Ceton Rayuka nutrition program (CMAM and MIYCN- E) activities, targeting vulnerable IDPs and host communities. Reporting to the Nutrition Program Manager with accountability to the CRS and partner's Nutrition Officers, and Nutrition Community Mobilizers, MiYCN counsellors. Ceton Rayuka Program is implemented in Gubio, Kaga and Magumeri LGAs. The Nutrition SPO will undertake the following responsibilities related to project cycle management, technical direction, and program development:

Roles and Key Responsibilities
Technical/Administrative, Program Quality and Implementation:

• Ensure quality and timely field level implementation of the Nutrition program against set objectives, targets, and work plans
• Advise and assist CRS nutrition team in developing project specific strategies, tools, systems, and plans.
• Develop activity workplans for the Nutrition programme and ensure proposed activities are developed in coordination with other sectors-internally and externally with other implementing partners.
• Ensure that nutrition programs utilize international best practices, policies, and guidelines, in line with Ministry of Health and WHO/UNICEF
• Oversee the collection and timely reporting of data and statistics for all nutrition programs in line with CRS guidelines and according to donor requirements.
• Actively monitor programs/projects through field visits, surveys and/or exchange of information with partners to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.
• With support from the line supervisor, and MEAL department and nutrition team, lead the development of routine monitoring tools for tracking project progress, as well as necessary IEC materials to strengthen MIYCN-E and SBCC activities advocacies in the community.

Program Development and Strategic Planning

• Contribute to and support in carrying out the situation analysis for the nutrition sector to ensure timely and current data on maternal and child nutrition are available for the designing, development, and management of nutrition projects.
• Identify opportunities for program and proposal development in line with the CRS's and donor guidelines.
• Work in coordination with Procurement and Admin units to track Nutrition programme procurements, delivery and distribution at the field level.
• Participate in proposal writing and budget development processes for nutrition program
• Lead technical assessments as a basis for nutrition program development when necessary to monitor evolving needs of the target communities and adjust the programmatic priorities as necessary.

Capacity Building and Supervision

• Ensure the capacity building of CRS nutrition team and partner staff through on-the-job training, technical guidance and coaching sessions while ensuring staff performance evaluation plans are developed
• Ensure appropriate support to the nutrition team by regular field visits and provide targeted technical feedback
• Develop capacity building plans and strategies and identify relevant training opportunities for CRS and partner staff to advance knowledge and skills in nutrition.
• Monitor staffing needs and assist the recruitment of local staff and support staff development through mentoring to enhance the capacity of project and partner staff
• Develop a process for ensuring quality and safety of nutrition related activities and products

Coordination and Representation

• Represent CRS at nutrition sector working group meetings and coordination forums UN, international and national NGOs for nutrition coordination as needed at the LGA and state level
• Ensure good coordination with other CRS partners staff, nutrition field teams and provide frequent feedback and updates
• Develop new and manage existing relationships with key stakeholders and potential collaborators for nutrition programs.
• Good understanding of Nutrition sector reporting requirements, templates and timelines.
• Review and highlight opportunities for Protection, safeguarding and Gender mainstreaming in the proposed Nutrition activities; And follow up to ensure, nutrition team integrate the protection principles during activity design and implementation.

Reporting:

• Support the development of field-based reports to CRS, Nutrition sector and/or external donors, as necessary.
• Develop reporting templates for supervisees to aid in tracking progress of programme activities and key indicators 
• Conduct any other programming responsibility delegated by the supervisor.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• CRS Nutrition officers

Key Working Relationships:

• Internal: Head of Office, Nutrition Program Manager, Nutrition Project Officers, Accountability Officer, procurement, Fleet, Finance Officers, Enumerators, GBV Officer
• External: Partner staff, contractors, volunteers, CNMs, lead mothers, Partner nutrition officers lead mothers, MIYCN counsellors and vendors

Basic Qualifications

• B.Sc in Nutrition / Public Health / BSc or equivalent required. Master’s preferred. 
• 6 to 8 years of work experience in community development, mobilization and management of CMAM and MIYCN-E projects in emergencies, preferably Northeast, Borno state.
• Experience in conducting nutrition assessments and an understanding of nutritional surveillance and information systems
• Excellent communication skills and a willingness to be respectful, kind, sensitive and empathize with all beneficiaries
• Willingness and capacity to be flexible and accommodating when faced with difficult and frustrating working conditions
• Demonstrable ability at report writing, budget review and concept note development.
• Experience in participatory action planning and community engagement.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).

Required Languages:

• English and Hausa required. Kanuri strongly preferred.

Travel:

• Must be willing and able to travel up to 40 %.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Observation, active listening and analysis skills with ability to make sound judgment
• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to interact effectively with diverse groups
• Proactive, results-oriented and service-oriented
• Solid analytical, writing skills, and communication skills.
• Sound knowledge and skills in training and facilitation.
• Team spirit and excellent interpersonal relations
• Good coordination, creative and innovative skills.
• Should be very adaptive and responsive, due to the fragile nature of Programme context.
• Great writing and review skills to develop and review high quality success stories.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):
These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results:

• Integrity
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Building Relationships
• Develops Talent
• Strategic Mindset
• Accountability & Stewardship.

Application Closing Date
5th October, 2022.