Role & Responsibilities
The Nutrition Advisor is expected to lead the Medair response to the emergency situation in the South of Madagascar. Providing technical support, leadership and strategic direction, other important aspects of the role include managing and training health/nutrition staff to meet quality standards in health and nutrition delivery, ensuring proper, relaible and timely data collection/analysis and reporting, encouraging beneficiary participation, liaising with other stakeholders and managing and training health/nutrition staff, and anticipating, planning, and contributing to the development of the health/nutrition project proposals and reports. Nutrition Advisor provides the lead for new needs assessment in the Country. Develop, lead, monitor, and evaluate the nutrition and Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) aspects of the country programme.
Project Overview
Madagascar is counted as country with the second or third highest chronic malnutrition rate worldwide and Southern Madagascar is experiencing the worst drought and food security crisis recorded since the 1981. The most recent years have been a series of years with extremely low rainfall, and the complete failure of the harvest in 2020/21, and the subsequent prolonged drought have caused a state of emergency.
Workplace & Working conditions
Field based position in the south of Madagascar.
- Interventions can be performed in remote and hard-to-reach areas (environment physically challenging, accessible on foot). The security context is monitored and visits to emergency locations will be expected.
Starting Date / Initial Contract Details
As soon as possible. Full-time, 6 months with possibility of extension.
Key Activity Areas
Nutrition project technical oversight
- Maintain an overview of the country nutrition programme and of the regional context, with a view to strategically developing new projects in current sites and / or in surrounding regions, and proactively planning for responsible exit
- Give technical advice to field managers, Country Team and GSO on potential involvement in new nutrition interventions and internal nutrition capacity for implementation.
- Provide technical support to the nutrition teams in all project sites, including the evaluation and impact analysis of current projects and the writing of donor proposals and reports within the required time frames.
- Carry out regular monitoring visits in conjunction with other field managers, ensuring that project objectives are met within the stated time frames and in accordance with recognised international standards.
- Supervise and monitor the development of reporting systems for data collection (qualitative and quantitative), analysis and follow-up and feedback to relevant staff, donors, partners, Medair GSO and other agencies.
- Be responsible to implement new nutrition assessments (both quantitative and qualitative) of the situation on the ground to identify the needs and the geographical area of intervention. Provide a full assessment report.
- Contributing to the set-up of the emergency response in the identified project area. Complement the already ongoing need assessment to better define the target population. Ensure that the nutrition project(s) meet the project objectives vs potential occurrences.
- Ensuring Community involvement, participation in the locations identified for the starting up of the project.
- Communication Coordination with the local stakeholders (if any) and the UN Agencies for developing PCA and FLA (in strict collaboration with the GSO Health and Nut Advisor). HR: forming the Nutrition Team, hiring of local staff and strengthening Community health/nutrition worker (CHW) network, preparing JDs.
- Ensuring initial stock of food and drugs for management of co-existing illnesses are in place before the start of the activities
- Set clear objectives and indicators for nutrition activities in collaboration with the GSO Health and Nutrition Advisor, nutrition staff, field managers and, where appropriate, with the local communities.
- Continuously monitor and supervise nutrition activities, evaluating progress through outputs and impacts using both quantitative and qualitative data, and involving the nutrition team (and where applicable local health authorities) in analysis and taking appropriate action as needed to ensure continued progress.
- Ensure proper data collection and accurate and timely reporting of activities according to Medair, donor and other applicable time frames and formats.
Staff Management
- Line-manage the Health/ Nutrition Project Manager(s) of the nutrition project(s), including day-to-day management, development and training, appraisals, etc. Provide coaching and technical supervision to staff in order to develop ownership and full responsibility for nutrition activities.
- Assess the training needs of nutrition staff and ensure that appropriate training is conducted. Training of the staff on CMAM and MIYCN and IMCI (for management of coexisting illnesses).
Representation
- Develop and maintain relationships with Ministry of Health, Department of Nutrition, Nutrition Cluster, UN, NGOs, donors, partners and other stakeholders, with the objective of raising public awareness of Medair and ensuring good co-operation and partnerships.
- Represent Medair at nutrition cluster coordination, sector and bilateral meetings and with national and / or local government departments and any other relevant meetings or events, facilitating supportive synergies and overall progress in the nutrition sector and avoiding duplication with the work of other agencies (e.g. NGOs, UN, etc)
Financial Management
- Work with the relevant field managers and GSO staff to plan and construct nutrition budgets as well as BCC components
- Ensure the nutrition project expenditure is in line with approved budgets, advising on potential under / over spend and recommending appropriate corrective action.
Communication and Coordination
- Develop and maintain appropriate, regular, transparent and supportive communication structures with the assigned nutrition team, Medair in-country and GSO health and nutrition managers and advisors and other relevant stakeholders (e.g. beneficiaries, community leaders, local and national government officials, UN agencies and other NGOs), with the objective of ensuring good cooperation and partnerships.
Quality Management
- Promote and use the Medair IMpact and Medair Teams and SharePoint and other operating procedures, ensuring that all standardised formats are used and guidelines are followed.
- Ensure nutrition projects are implemented in line with donor proposals and requirements and in accordance with Medair, donor, country and international standards i.e. Sphere and HAP standards.
Team Spiritual Life
- Reflect the values of Medair with team members, local staff, beneficiaries, and external contacts.
- Work, live, and pray together in our Christian faith-based team settings. Fully contribute to the rich spiritual life of your team, including team devotions, prayers, and words of encouragement.
- Encouraged to join and contribute to Medair’s international prayer network.
This job description covers the main tasks that are anticipated. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary.
Qualifications
- Higher level qualification, preferably in nutrition.
- Excellent working knowledge of the English (spoken and written).
Experience
- 5 years post-qualification professional experience in a relevant field. Management experience in a nutrition / health context.
- Past Experience in Door Proposal. Advanced planning, assessment and analytical skills.
- Experience in the design, monitoring of implementation and evaluation of CMAM programmes
All new deploying international staff to Medair’s country programmes (and other roles which require field travel) should be fully vaccinated with a WHO-approved COVID vaccine, supported with a COVID vaccination certificate as evidence.
More Information
- Job City Madagascar
