Officer, Nutrition

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Officer, Nutrition

Location: Kano
Category: Nutrition

Job Summary

• The Officer, Nutrition is responsible for implementing all Nutrition programs, participating in defining intervention priorities, developing necessary contacts and relationships with government, non-government, donors, and UN agencies at the field level.
• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function with or without reasonable accommodation:
• The Nutrition Officer will ensure that the International Medical Corps program is delivering the highest level of quality of nutrition services in line with national and international guidelines.
• This position also contributes to the development of strategies, manages existing programs and resources, and provides day to day supervision, management and coaching of Nutrition team in the operational area.

Principal Duties and Responsibilties

• Provide direct hands-on technical support Nutrition health workers and IMC partners to manage Nutrition projects effectively and innovatively with focus on key technical areas.
• Support and mentor the Nutrition health facility workers in implementing OTP, TSFP services, in addition to providing technical support to the midwife’s/health facility workers to have IYCF counselling services provided to mothers/caregivers, with challenges/difficulties in practicing optimal IYCF.
• Support in establishment of Mother support groups or mother care groups in the project area, ensure that monthly the groups are supported to carry out IYCF and Hygiene sessions.
• Provide support on a regular basis in the running of the Nutrition (CMAM, IYCF) programs at both health facility and community levels.
• Compile information to ensure that the Nutrition situation around implementation of the program is achieving the expected result, when required.
• Participate in country Nutrition sector-specific assessments and make recommendations as required.
• Work closely with Nutrition health workers, and community structures to follow up on implementation of Nutrition activities and support.
• Be familiar with national policies, strategies and other initiatives and developments by government and other stakeholders in Nutrition.
• Ensure effective Implementation of sensitization activities whilst collaborating with key stakeholders.
• Liaise with M&E Team to ensure timely submission of contributions, support the M&E team in analysis of beneficiary data collection through the various tools.
• Determine the cause of malnutrition in the emergency response and formulate appropriate responses that will address the cause.
• Provide feedback to the programme team based on the field monitoring visits.
• Ensure that CMAM, IYCF Nutrition protocolsguidelines are respected AND strictly adhered to, such as admission, discharge criteria, referral system and follow up of defaulter cases.
• Develop and monitor weekly and monthly planning of nutritional activities.
• Support in the establishment of Baby and mother friendly space and ensure it is functional at Health facility level.
• Actively participate in surveys done at the Community level (KAP, SMART, Causal Analysis, Barriers, Coverage, etc.)
• Work closely with the Nutrition health workers for proper and timely referral for SAM cases with medical complications in established stabilization Centers available in the area.
• Build the capacity of Technical, Community Health and Nutrition Volunteers (CHNVs), mother support group leaders (MSGLs) and committees to deliver quality service and undertake participatory monitoring of the implementation of the project works and record lessons learned and reports.
• Assist in development of, or provide technical review for, emergency response proposals.
• As required ensure emergency nutrition and related projects are technically sound, environmentally friendly, socially, and culturally acceptable.
• As required, actively represent International Medical Corps in Nutrition sector discussions and activities.
• Ensure development of core skills and competencies in Nutrition among IMC staff in the project offices.
• Support to track the progress of activities, challenges encountered, lessons learned, and good practices and Compile collected data, pictures, and other information from the field.
• Provide technical support and training where required to all team members and partners.
• Support the project team in developing high quality project/programme reports.
• Train the Community Health Workers/volunteers in MUAC screening, CMAM and how to use the IYCF and Hygiene promotion IEC material, to enable them to effectively deliver key messages, in a manner that it is easy for the communities to remember and adopt the practices.
• Keep monitoring tools and files archived at the IMC office, ensuring their availability to his/her supervisor.
• On job capacity building of the Nutrition health workers in management of acute malnutrition both SAM and MAM at health facility and community levels.
• Perform other duties as assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed in this document are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and not necessarily all inclusive.

Job Requirements

• Fluent in written and spoken English and Hausa.
• Strong leadership, team building, conflict resolution and ability to deliver IMC's strategic objectives.
• Good knowledge of the processes and approaches concerning nutrition issues; knowledge of the operations of the national governments in nutrition and health.
• A willingness and capacity to be flexible and accommodating when faced with difficult and frustrating working conditions.
• Excellent inter and intrapersonal skills to ensure consistent positive relations with key stakeholders.
• Commitment to and understanding of IMC's aims, values, and principles.
• Good Knowledge of nutrition activities particularly in management of acute malnutrition, growth
• Understanding of nutritional surveillance and information systems,
• Significant experience on community management of acute malnutrition and Infant feeding in Emergency in host communities/ IDP camp setting.
• A team player and culturally sensitive.
• Minimum 3 years' experience in Nutrition work and implementation of Nutrition programs, including community mobilization, monitoring and evaluation aspects.
• Extremely flexible and can cope with stressful situations.
• Strong report writing and computer skills.
• Typically, University degree in Public Health, Nursing, Nutrition or equivalent
• Ability to deal with relations with local authorities as a Nutrition representative of IMC in the working areas.
• Demonstrated proficiency in computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, email, and utilization of the internet.
• Advanced training in facility-based management of severe malnutrition, nutrition surveillance and communications is desirable.
• Ability to integrate into the local environment including awareness of political, religious, and economic aspects of the community.
• Excellent communication skills and a willingness to be respectful, kind, sensitive and empathize with children and their care givers.
• Proven capacity to supervise, train and coach local staff and community workers.
• Ability to interact with health and nutrition professionals at various levels.
• Proven ability and experience in planning and conducting formal training sessions on Nutrition including CMAM and IYCF.
• Strong communication skills: oral, written and presentation skills.