FHI 360 is a nonprofit human development organization dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions. Our staff includes experts in health, education, nutrition, environment, economic development, civil society, gender, youth, research and technology - creating a unique mix of capabilities to address today's interrelated development challenges. FHI 360 serves more than 70 countries and all U.S. states and territories.
We are currently seeking qualified candidates for the position below:
Job Title: Program Officer
Job ID:18238
Location: Lagos
Project Summary
- Alive & Thrive is an initiative to save lives, prevent illness, and ensure healthy growth and development through improved breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices. In its first five years (2009 to 2014), A&T demonstrated that innovative approaches to improving feeding practices could be delivered with impact and at scale in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Viet Nam.
- Alive & Thrive continues its work there and is supporting others to scale up nutrition by applying and adapting tested, proven approaches and tools in Burkina Faso, India, Southeast Asia, and Nigeria.
- Alive & Thrive is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the governments of Canada and Ireland.
Job Summary / Responsibilities
- Under the supervision of the A&T State Team Lead, and with input from the A&T technical team, the State Program Officer performs functions related to planning, design, implementation, monitoring and reporting of activities for the Alive & Thrive Project in the state.
Program Summary
- The Nigeria A&T IYCF social and behavior change program focuses on improving rates of early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding, timely introduction of complementary feeding, and minimum dietary diversity for infants over 6 months old.
- A&T works across the public, commercial/private, and NGO sectors to improve IYCF through A&Ts four components: advocacy, interpersonal communication and community mobilization, mass communication, and strategic use of data; to reach households, communities, and facilities with targeted, age-appropriate social and behavior change (SBC) messaging on IYCF practices. At the national level, A&T predominantly collaborates with public, private/commercial, and other partners (e.g., UNICEF, Scaling Up Nutrition and other national IYCF initiatives) to improve the implementation, monitoring, and enforcement of key IYCF policies (e.g., Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes; maternity entitlements; work place policies; breastfeeding-friendly health care and delivery facilities).
- Specifically in metropolitan Lagos and in rural and urban Kaduna, the Nigeria program works with the State Ministries of Health, State Primary Health Care Agencies, Proprietary and Patent Medicine Vendors, Licensed Traditional Birth Attendants, major public and private maternity centers, social franchise-oriented private organizations, faith- and community-based organizations, and related on-going and related health initiatives/projects to improve advocacy; interpersonal behavior change communication (counseling), and community mobilization efforts to reach pregnant women and new mothers; and uses mass communication (through broadcast and digital channels) to further extend the reach of IYCF messages, provide follow-up counseling, and improve the social norm around IYCF practices among stakeholders and public and private frontline healthcare providers.
- At both the national level and in the two states, while the emphasis is to build the capacity of the public sector to improve IYCF practices, the involvement and resources from the private and commercial sectors will be pursued to advance IYCF policies, expand the promotion of positive social norms, and extend timed and age-appropriate behavior change messaging through private and commercial facilities to households and communities. Results from the formative research determines and explains the target populations and audiences (stakeholders, providers, beneficiaries), as well as guides the monitoring process to ensure that program inputs, outputs, and outcomes are tracked and fed back into improving the program.
Essential Job Functions
- The position reports directly to the A&T State Team Lead, and requires a local Nigerian with strong leadership, managerial skills, a high level of independent action, and a focus on innovation and strategic direction in capacity building, social and behavior change communication and basic understanding of Infant and young child feeding practice/ nutrition.
- The State Program Officer (SPO) will assist the State Team Lead in assuring effective planning, implementation and management of assigned projects for Alive & Thrive Nigeria in the state.
- Assist the State Team Lead in strengthening systems for reporting on program progress against stated objectives and monitoring, according to Alive & Thrive and donor guidelines.
- In consultation with the State Team Lead, the SPO support other implementing partners, state IYCF committees, and local partners and provide technical assistance for the development and implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the A&T program.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Coordinate input from various technical and program staff to ensure that all required reports (Program, M&E, Finance, logistics, etc.) are prepared and submitted within the expected time frame.
- In coordination with finance and operational staff, develop and review activity budgets, procurement plans and tracking systems for A&T Nigeria activities.
- Provide content for project website, working with the program officer in Abuja and the communications team at A&T headquarters in Washington, DC, USA to keep content current. This will include drafting content, interfacing with staff members to develop progress/success write-ups, sharing A&T Nigeria photos and event summaries as needed.
- Support the provision of programmatic assistance to A&T partners in implementing their sub-agreements, as needed.
- Remain informed on current programs and research in the health and development field; improve skills by working closely with technical specialists.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
- BS/BA in public health, health sciences, behavioral sciences or its recognized equivalent with 5 - 7 years of relevant experience with international development programs.
- MS/MA degree in public health, health sciences, behavioral sciences or its recognized equivalent with 3 - 5 years relevant experience with international development programs.
- Demonstrated success in multicultural environments is an advantage.
- Experience working in Kaduna/ Lagos state preferred.
- At least 3 years of program management experience in Nigeria (similar global experience may be acceptable) required.
- Public health/nutrition field experience preferred.
- Previous experience with website content development, success story writing, or social media a plus.
- Fluency in Yoruba will be an added advantage.
Application Closing Date
Not Specified.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online