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Emergency Nutrition Officer, Nigeria Joint Response (NJR) Project
Program Summary
- Save the Children (SC) is implementing a 7.5 months Dutch Relief Alliance (DRA) funded Nigeria Joint Response (NJR) project in Nigeria, which seeks to provide emergency relief to eligible internally displaced, returnee and host community households in Borno State. As a contribution to the humanitarian crises in the North East of Nigeria, SC through this project, will target vulnerable households with livelihoods, and nutrition support. We are currently seeking an Officer to lead the nutrition component of the project in Borno.
- The Nutrition Officer will be based in Maiduguri and work under the supervision of the Project Manager, to provide technical guidance as well as ensure monitoring, evaluation, accountability, learning (MEAL), and quality implementation of the nutrition component of the project.
Key Roles
Work closely with the Project Manager and the Emergency Nutrition Advisor:
- Ensure the high quality and timely implementation of SC’s NJR project’s nutrition component
- Ensure implementation is as per project proposal, budget and SC procedures (including those related to sourcing, management of project resources, fraud, child safeguarding)
- Lead in collaboration with the partner CSO and other relevant stakeholders, in the constitution and functioning of Mother to Mother Support Groups (MtMSG) and Father to Father Support Groups (FtFSG)
- Support the identification and training of relevant project stakeholders (including health staff, MtMSG, FtFSG, community volunteers, religious leaders and other power brokers), on relevant malnutrition prevention strategies including emergency infant and young child-feeding (e-IYCF), pregnant and nursing mother nutrition, malnutrition screening, diarrhea & intestinal worm control, vitamin supplementation etc.
- In collaboration with the Nutrition Advisor, and other relevant project stakeholders, lead on the acquisition/elaboration of relevant user-friendly tools for awareness raising on nutrition, e-IYCF and pregnant and nursing mother feeding
- Ensure information, education and communication (IEC) sessions include cues to action such as nutritional demonstrations and referrals to relevant services
- Ensure SC’s NJR nutrition interventions complement those of its food security and livelihoods component as well as those of other relevant SC, NJR and non-NJR INGOs projects in project intervention communities
- Facilitate the set-up/functioning of relevant referral mechanisms including to relevant facility-based (e.g. outpatient consultations, ANC, family planning, IYCF, EPI, ORT etc.) and community-based services (OTP sites, MtMSG, FtFSG, EPI outreaches etc.)
- Facilitate at project sites, the integration of IYCF as well as pregnant and nursing-mothers nutrition into relevant community and facility-based interventions such as ANC and EPI sessions etc.
- Put in place mechanisms to ensure peer to peer education especially during MtMSG and FtFSG sessions
- Ensure the minimum standards of humanitarian relief are maintained in accordance with the Sphere and other Core Humanitarian Standards as well as protection mainstreamed.
- Ensure equal participation by all segments of the community, taking into consideration issues regarding gender, age, disability and other specificities
- Lead the process of conducting and updating the risk assessment for the nutrition component of the project, as well as the proposition and implementation of risk mitigation measures
- In collaboration with the project as well as SC’s field and procurement teams, advice on as well as prepare and implement procurement plans for the timely delivery of planned nutrition activities
Qualifications and Experience
Essential:
- 2-3 years’ experience of nutrition work (preferably CMAM and the implementation of feeding/IYCF programs) in emergency context.
- Education: At least a B.Sc in Public Health/Nutrition or related field
- Proven abilities in developing program implementation plans, and working collaboratively with community groups and partner organizations to successfully achieve project objectives
- Demonstrated experience and capacity in conducting nutrition assessments, field-level data collection and analyses, concise reporting on results as well as nutrition surveillance and management of information systems.
- Strong ability to work independently, organize work, meet deadlines, prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail
- Excellent interpersonal and problem-solving skills, creativity and flexibility; Works well in and promotes teamwork; comfortable in a multi-cultural environment; willing, flexible and able to handle pressure well; willing to travel often.
- Experience of negotiating, developing and implementing successful partnerships with multiple stakeholders
- Proven ability to influence change at operational levels
- Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy
- Understanding of gender, protection and human rights
- A high level of written and spoken English as well as computer skills
- Commitment to the aims and values of Save the Children (SC). In particular, a good understanding of the SC’s mandate and child-focus, and the ability to ensure this always underpins the support we provide.
Desirable:
- INGO experience preferred
- Primary/Community health care experience.
- Work experience in the North East of Nigeria and mastery of the local languages
Nigeria Joint Response (NJR) Project Manager
Job Description
- The Project Manager (PM) will be based in Maiduguri and work under the supervision of the Deputy Team Leader (DTL) and in collaboration with the Nigeria Joint Response (NJR) Consortium Coordinator, to provide technical guidance, manage the project team, ensure monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning, and quality implementation of the project.
- He/she will also lead on effective financial and operational management of the project.
Key Roles
Work closely with the DTL, NJR Coordinator, Head of Food Security and Livelihoods, the emergency Food Security and Livelihoods Coordinator and the Humanitarian Nutrition Advisor to:
- Develop, and lead the successful and timely implementation of work plans as well production of reports and other project deliverables to the Dutch Relief Alliance.
- Oversee and support the implementation of activities assigned to local partners, including proper targeting as well as identification, registration, and monitoring of beneficiaries, ensuring the services they receive complement those of other SC humanitarian projects as well as those of other INGOs implementing in the project area especially those of the NJR
- Lead and coordinate the provision of quality technical support to all project stakeholders for qualitative project implementation and monitoring.
- Work closely with other humanitarian actors, agencies and working groups to ensure project activities are in line with national humanitarian priorities and recommendations as well as humanitarian principles, SPHERE standards, protection mainstreaming and relevant good practices.
- Ensure that efficient systems are in place to support all aspects of project planning and implementation, including financial and grant management, project monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL), and sub grant management, in line with DRA compliance regulations.
- Work closely with the MEAL team to develop appropriate monitoring and evaluation, as well as accountability plans as well as identify, document, share with (including with partner INGOs of the NJR) and facilitate the implementation of learnings from the project by relevant project stakeholders
- Work with the logistics team to ensure timely sourcing and management of project inputs including the selection and monitoring of vendors for the voucher system as well as inputs for the nutrition component of the project (including tools for communication for behavioral change)
- Lead on the monitoring of market prices and generation of monthly market assessment reports.
- Ensure that all stakeholders involved in the project are abreast and comply with all SCI procedures, rules and regulations including those related to the rights of and accountability to beneficiaries, child safeguarding, security and fraud.
- Lead on the identification and roll out of capacity building initiatives in favor of local partners
- Maintain close contact with the service providers, and ensure timely recharge of beneficiary voucher accounts as well as tracking of beneficiary transactions.
- Ensure compliance with all SC, DRA and government provisions, and timely reporting to donor, government and other relevant stakeholders.
- Ensure expenditures are timely and as per approved budgets monitored to avoiding under spending and overspending on grant line items, and programmatic and budget realignments proposed to the donor on time.
- Lead on initiatives to ensure visibility (as per SC, donor and security guidelines), including of project activities and outcomes, to project stakeholders including donor, NJR INGO partners and other relevant stakeholders.
Other Roles
Personnel management and Administration:
- Supervise as per SC reporting lines, project field based staff, conduct performance evaluations and ensure talent development.
- Ensure all project staff are aware of and understand SC policies and procedures, and appropriate disciplinary measures taken as need be.
- Promote team work, accountability, collection and communication of expectations and constructive feedback.
- Responsible for the timely recruitment, orientation, and capacity building of project staff.
- Ensure all administrative procedures are followed, such as those regarding sourcing and management of project resources
Representation and Leadership:
- Represent Save the Children in coordination, consensus and communication fora relevant to the project.
- Maintain good working relationships with officials and other humanitarian and project actors, especially those of relevant government agencies (SEMA etc.), other INGO including those of the NJR, and leaders of community structures
- Keep abreast of NJR, INGO, government, and donor initiatives, relevant to the project and SC’s work.
Monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL):
- Make regular visits to field sites, to monitor, oversee and support project implementation.
- Lead on project assessments, internal (including at mid-term) and external evaluations and other required reviews
- Contribute to other relevant analyses as well initiatives related to the development of relevant strategy and sector documents and plans.
- Coordinate with the MEAL team for the timely development of periodic evidence-based project impact reports and post-distribution monitoring
- Ensure the findings and best practices of past phases of the project as well as those of other relevant projects feed into implementation of the project.
- Contribute to the development and deployment of relevant project MEAL systems and tools (including for surveys and assessment) and ensure their data contributes to Country office MEAL tools including the humanitarian output tracker.
Communication for Behavioral impact:
- Ensure through the use or appropriate tools and mechanisms, that project livelihood and nutrition activities lead to sustained behavioral change, and positive impact in the lives of beneficiaries and children under their care.
Qualifications and Experience
Essential:
- Extensive experience working (including in a management role) in a complex country programs in an emergency response or fragile state
- Previous experience of managing program teams in large-scale first phase emergency response is essential
- Experience managing, monitoring and reporting on grants from institutional donors
- Education: MA / M.Sc level (or equivalent field experience) in the applied sciences including in the domain of Economics, Agriculture, Nutrition, Development Studies and any other related domain
- Experience with M&E, and implementing learning and beneficiary accountability in a large complex program
- Experience of negotiating, developing and implementing successful partnerships with multiple stakeholders
- Proven ability to influence change at an operational and strategic levels
- Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy
- A high level of written and spoken English
- The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.
- Commitment to the aims and values of Save the Children (SC). In particular, a good understanding of the SC’s mandate and child-focus, and the ability to ensure this always underpins the support we provide.
Desirable:
- At least 5 years of humanitarian experience
- Previous experience working in West Africa.
More Information
- Job City Borno State
