Nutrition Officer at Albarka Health Spring Foundation (AHSF)

Albarka Health Spring Foundation (AHSF) is a non-governmental organization dully registered with Nigerian government through Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC/IT NO: 91613). Existing since October 2016, AHSF focuses on improving the quality of life of vulnerable population across communities in North East Nigeria. AHSF operates both in emergency and developmental context and have its program principally rooted in identifying gaps that affects population or increases vulnerability of population and bridging those gaps through resource base planning and implementation.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Nutrition Officer

Locations: Kaga, Magumeri & MMC Askira Uba - Borno
Employment Type: Contract
Contract Duration: 2 Months
Expected Start Date: As soon as possible

Project Implementation

• Implement Targeted Supplementary Feeding Program (TSFP) in partnership with the World Food Programmme WFP funded project to prevent acute malnutrition among children MAM 24-59-month-old and Pregnant and Lactating Women PLW for host community populations in KAGA, MMC, & MAGUMERI LGA of Borno State.
• The project will implement different kind of activities to ensure, prevention from acute malnutrition among children 6–59-month-old and PLW, for host community populations inKAGA, MMC& MAGUMERIby the end of the December 2023:
  • To treat Moderate Acute Malnutrition amongst children 6-59 months and Pregnant and Lactating Women – PLWs
  • Preventing the nutrition status of vulnerable groups from further deteriorating
  • To strengthened government systems to deliver quality comprehensive management of acute malnutrition -MAM
  • To strengthened community structures to take ownership and facilitate delivery of community-nutrition activities.

Job Summary

• The Nutrition Officer will be the main point of reference in the field for the Targeted Supplementary Feeding Programme (TSFP); he/she will collaborate with the Project Manager to support the team and the activities and directly contribute to the implementation of the distributions and of the nutrition awareness activities.

Main Duties & Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, and in collaboration with the other collaborators of the project and of the base, he/she:

• Coordinate regular project activities guaranteeing the smooth implementation of the TSFP:
  • Prepare distribution plans in coordination with the distribution team;
  • Ensure that teams have all the documentation needed when conducting distributions (such complaint registers, ration cards, attendance sheets, reporting templates, beneficiary list and so on);
  • (From 0 to 59 months)
  • Submit a movement plan for the TSFP team to theProject Manager/Project Manager as applicable;
  • Coordinate the sensitization and community mobilization activities before the distribution;
  • Report the needs of the team to the Project Manager/Project Manager for follow up.
• Conduct monitoring of the distribution activities, provide comments to the team and suggest corrective actions when needed.
• Conduct a debriefing with the team after the distribution point monitored.
• Prepare a report to submit to the Project Manager/Project Manager on the distribution point monitored on a daily basis.
• Conduct regular training of the staff in relation to nutrition, IYCF, MUAC screening (from 0to 59 months).
• Supervise the team of TSFP Officers, Nutrition Assistants, Storekeepers and Data Entry Clerk directly; Provide coaching and training to the team.
• Prepare objectives for the direct supervisee and follow up on the achievements of the objectives by conducting a performance evaluation in cooperation with the Project Manager.
• Conduct regular meetings to discuss TORs and general performance of the team, challenges and issues.
• Coordinate IYCF activities, including cooking demonstrations, formation and training of mother support groups, overall monitoring of nutrition awareness activities conducted by the Nutrition Assistants, ccontribute to the development of IYCF messages and IEC material for nutrition campaigns, tailored to local needs;
• Support with the development of the tools for the Nutrition surveys to be rolled out at the beginning, mid-term and end of the project;
• Supervise the update of the beneficiary database, by organizing the delivery of the TSFP registers, the printing of the beneficiary list and the analysis of the nutrition data, together with the M&E Officer and the Data Entry Clerk.
• Receive and compile weekly activity reports from the field and share with the Project Manager/Project Manager.
• Prepare daily and monthly distribution reports, with data received from the TSFP Officers and the Storekeepers and share them with WFP.
• Provide inputs for the monthly narrative reports, including analysis of the complaints received.
• Participate in nutrition related coordination forums, working groups, and technical meetings and activities at state level.
• Support the teams in the field with their coordination with health and nutrition facilities and actors, local authorities, community leaders and Food Management Committees, support the Nutrition Assistants with ensuring complementarity of IYCF promotion with other organizations’ activities.
• Consistently and proactively monitor/assess the safety and security of field teams; promptly reporting concerns or incidents to AHSF management and liaising with community leaders and other external parties to maintain/enhance the security environment for AHSF programs.
• Treat beneficiaries with dignity and apply AHSF Code of Ethics and Conduct, the UN Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in the field, including sensitizing Field Staffs and vendors/agents on such principles.

Position Requirements

• Minimum of Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition, Public Health, Community Health or another relevant field.
• Minimum of 5 years’ work experience in implementing CMAM, IYCF, and other community-based nutrition activities.
• Experience in MAM treatment using TSFP is desirable under WFP funded project.
• Master’s degree in relevant fields; Nutrition, Public Health, Community Health will be an added advantage
• Borno indigene, fluent in Kanuri language.
• Be proficient in the use of computer applications (Microsoft Office - Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Have excellent leadership, coordination, team, budget, project management and representation competencies.
• Fluent in English and Hausa languages.
• Have previous NGO experience managing mobilization in different interventions (i.e.BSFP, Nutrition) preferably.
• Be committed to Action the AHSF’s mission, values, and policies.

Essential:

• Professional, motivated, open, creative, mature, responsible, flexible and culturally sensitive.
• Good understanding of cultural context.

Preferred:

• Previous experience in similar roles in a humanitarian set up (WFP funded project)
• Good knowledge of the intervention area/s and local context.

Application Closing Date
3rd November, 2023.