TERMS OF REFERENCE
Title: Regional Health & Nutrition Technical Advisor (Africa/ Asia)
Department: Health & Nutrition
Location: Nairobi, Kenya. Can be home based from a RI country of operation up to a +3 hour time difference with Nairobi.
Reporting to: Regional Program Director, with technical reporting to Global Health & Nutrition Director
Direct reports: Not Applicable
Budget responsibility: Not Applicable
* This role is classified as requiring advanced pre-employment checks
About Relief International
Relief International (RI) is a leading non-profit organization working in 16 countries globally to relieve poverty, ensure well-being and advance dignity. We specialize in fragile settings, responding to natural disasters, humanitarian crises, and chronic poverty.
RI combines humanitarian and development approaches to provide immediate services while laying the groundwork for long-term impact and resilience. We focus on health/nutrition, education, economic opportunity, and water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH) programming while integrating protection, environment/climate change, and conflict mitigation in partnership with the communities we serve. We empower communities to find, design and implement the solutions that work best for them.
RI includes the three corporate members of the RI Alliance: RI-US, RI-UK, and MRCA/RI-France. Under our alliance agreement, we operate as a single, shared management structure.
About our Programs
RI is active in 16 countries around the world, including some of the most fragile: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen. Often, RI is the only organization providing assistance to highly vulnerable communities.
RI employs about 5,000 staff and auxiliary workers. 97% of staff are local nationals and there are about 90 international (expat) staff.
2021 programs budget is about $125M
RI receives funding from a broad range of institutional donors – US, UK, Europe, and the UN, to delivery life-saving and resilience building programming with communities and local and international partners. RI supports solutions that reinforce and improve upon existing in-country systems. Where such systems do not exist or are chronically underperforming, RI’s crisis response lays the foundation for long-term, sustainable change.
Position Summary.
RI currently seeks a dynamic Health and Nutrition Technical Advisor to support our health
and nutrition portfolio. The Health and Nutrition Technical Advisor will provide timely and adequate technical support to Africa/Asia Region Health and Nutrition portfolio in Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Philippine, Pakistan and Bangladesh including guidance on overall health program design, health assessments, medical supplies/ pharmaceutical procurements, fund-raising, project monitoring and evaluation, and quality monitoring and improvement. The capacity building of country office technical staff will be an integrated component of his/her work. This position requires an individual who is used to the pace of emergency response programming, has a broad understanding of public health programming in fragile settings, and is flexible and highly responsive.
Key Responsibilities and Duties.
Technical Assistance
- Provide technical expertise to support country teams in developing new programs in the health sector.
- Support harmonization of health programming and implementation approaches across the Africa/Asia region as applicable.
- Support Health and Supply Chain teams at country office in procurement of medical supplies and pharmaceuticals in alignment with RI and donor medical procurement policies.
- Provide technical support to program teams consistent with international and national standards and ensure that program design and implementation creates no harm in the communities, promotes human rights and has positive impact.
- Conduct monthly meetings with country teams to support analysis of data in order to improve the program interventions.
- Support Technical Assistance Department (TAD) at global level to develop standard operating procedures and guidance on technical topics.
Program Quality
- Provide technical support and recommendations for service delivery in line with RI policies.
- Support country office staff to conduct quarterly quality reviews and validate and support the related quality improvement plans.
- Provide direction to technical teams to ensure assessments adequately inform new programming and capture the impact of RI current programs.
- Provide input into quality standards and tools developed by the global TAD team.
- Provide guidance to country teams to adhere to RI medical supplies procurement policy and pharmacy management tools in coordination with RI Global Pharmacist
- Support project teams to develop job descriptions, recruit, and train qualified staff.
- Revise program reports and other types of reports.
- In coordination with TAD Health and AIM departments, ensure that the H&N program is well documented and that learning and research are supported.
- Work in collaboration with AIM department to ensure all CO health and nutrition programs have health information systems that are fit for purpose.
- Support medical audits to assess status of health and nutrition services, including support for medical incident investigations as required.
- Provide direction to RI during outbreaks of disease or other health emergencies, as required.
Technical capacity building
- Support the RI Health and Nutrition Community of Practice though delivery of quarterly health fora, sharing relevant technical standards and guidance, and maintaining RI health and Nutrition Toolbox.
- Propose and implement capacity building activities aimed at enhancing skills
- Share methods, approaches, and tools with RI colleagues across the region, and contribute toward RI’s regional response strategy by ensuring programmatic coherence, innovation and responsiveness.
- Develop training materials and support country teams to deliver technical trainings, including routine training and drills.
- Support the Global Medical Advisor to develop a continuing medical education program for RI and partner staff.
- Conduct quarterly supportive supervision visits to country offices.
Representation/coordination with external actors
- Represent RI at various technical sector meetings, regional meetings, webinars and learning events as required.
Safeguarding
- Uphold and promote RI’s commitment to ensuring the safeguarding and safety of the vulnerable communities we serve.
- Consistent with RI’s safeguarding and protection policies, ensure all people who come into contact with Relief International are as safe as possible.
Equity and Diversity commitment
- Demonstrate sensitivity and understanding of systemic diversity and cultural differences.
- Ensure that gender equity is addressed in our staffing and programming
Other related tasks that may from time to time
- Uphold and promote RI’s commitment to ensuring the safeguarding and safety of the vulnerable communities we serve.
- Consistent with RI’s safeguarding and protection policies, contribute to ensuring that all those who come into contact with Relief International staff and the communities we serve can be trusted to work safely with them
- Support and develop systems that create and maintain an environment that prevents sexual exploitation and abuse and promotes the implementation of the Code of Conduct and safeguarding policies.
- Work collaboratively with the Global Safeguarding Manager to advocate for the inclusion of safeguarding activities and resources within program
- Ability to demonstrate knowledge of donor requirements of safeguarding standards and protection from exploitation and abuse
Culture and leadership
- Ensure a positive and productive work environment which is free from harassment and bullying.
- Ability to demonstrate sensitivity and understanding of diversity and cultural differences, gender issues and the commitment to equal opportunities
- Ability to demonstrate and uphold RI’s values and ethics
Other duties as required for this role.
Role requirements.
Experience and skills required for the role.
- Advanced degree in a health or nutrition field (M.P.H., MD, R.N);
- At least 5 years’ experience in public health, including at least two years in complex humanitarian setting, preferably in a conflict humanitarian setting in the Africa/Asia Region
- Demonstrated technical expertise in more than one of the following areas: primary health care, child health, reproductive health, health systems strengthening, research and evaluation;
- Able to transfer technical knowledge and skills and experience of coaching and capacity building of teams
- Demonstrated experience in project design, proposal development and fund raising
- Excellence in writing and presentation; strong interpersonal communication and ability to facilitate collaboration.
- Solid background and knowledge of UN agencies and other international emergency response systems, standards and modalities of work in Health and Nutrition sectors;
- Experience in technical management of programs, coaching or capacity building of teams and M&E activities;
- Strong skills in remote setting management;
- Excellent English writing skills
- Ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and tasks efficiently;
- Excellent time management skills and resourcefulness with strong attention to detail;
- Knowledge of other sectors (WASH, Protection, FSL) is an asset.
RI Values.
Guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, as well as “Do No Harm,” Relief International Values:
We value:
- Integrity
- Adaptability
- Collaboration
- Inclusivity
- Sustainability
To apply for this post, click on the “Apply” button in the job advert page.
- You will be asked to upload a CV and Cover Letter.
- The cover letter should be no more than 2 pages long and explain why you are interested in this post with Relief International and how your skills and experience make you a good fit.
Closing date. Please apply immediately we will be reviewing applicants on a rolling basis, therefore may withdraw the position for the job board closing date.
Due to limited resources, only short-listed candidates will be contacted
Relief International has a zero-tolerance policy for unlawful harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse. Relief International is committed to protecting our staff and the communities we work with from abuse and harm including sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and sexual harassment.
All staff are expected to abide by our Code of Conduct.
Recruitment to all roles in Relief International include a criminal records self-declaration, references and other pre-employment checks, which may include police and qualifications checks.
More Information
- Job City Nairobi
