Health and Nutrition Officer at Save The Children

TEAM: Programme Operations

GRADE: 4

POST TYPE: National

CHILD SAFEGUARDING: Level 3- The responsibilities of this post may require the post holder to have regular contact with children and young people. In the overseas context all posts are considered to be level 3.

As part of these responsibilities the post holder will support the establishment of child safeguarding systems, promote a culture of keeping children safe, and ensure that potential harm to children (by our own staff and/or as a result of how we do our work) is identified and addressed on an ongoing basis.  The post holder should report and respond to interventions as determined by position related responsibilities identified in the Child Safeguarding Policy.

ROLE PURPOSE:

Under the general guidance and direction of the HoHN/Health TA, the health and nutrition officer will support implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all health and nutrition activities under Integrated Health and Nutrition (IHN) project in the state. Coordinate all health/nutrition interventions with government stakeholders and community structures. Lead implementation of all health and nutrition activities of the project, prepare reports and build capacity of the health workers and respective LGA focal persons. Promote best practices in health and nutrition programs and contribute to the overall success of IHN project.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Programme Manager

Staff directly reporting to this post: None

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

1. Support health facility assessment, preparation and planning for implementation, working in partnership with State and LGA health authorities.
2. Facilitate the implementation of the health and nutrition interventions for the programme, ensuring technical resources required have been factored into work-plans and budgets.
3. Contribute to developing/modifying programme design in health and nutrition based on experience and lessons from implementation, also in consultation with the programme team and HoHN/Health TA
4. Ensure programme approaches and implementation are sensitive to cultural and gender dynamics.
5. Provide technical assistance to State and LGA teams on health and nutrition, with a particular focus on development of effective methodologies to improve health and nutrition knowledge, attitudes and practices.
6. Conduct follow up monitoring of health and nutrition-related activities and document findings to feed into improved programming
7. Support strengthening of information flow between State, LGA and Health Facilities.
8. Ensure budget utilization for H&N interventions in line with the financial forecast and within timelines
9. Ensure compliance to logistics and finance during the planning of workshops, training, and/or meeting that requires financial advances and/or logistical procurement, etc.
10. Ensure the Health and Nutrition activity targets are met monthly in selected locations
11. Monitor the project activities and output targets
12. Build relationships with INGOs and local NGOs for synergies in nutrition and health service delivery to avoid duplication of efforts in the targeted LGAs.
13. Share health and nutrition gaps with key leaders, SMOH/SPHCDA, community groups, and community members during ongoing meetings in community, LGA and state levels
14. Ensure case-finding and referral mechanisms are functional in HF and communities.
15. Ensure community health and nutrition screening is functional and linked to the health facilities.
16. Capacity Building:
    1. Ensure all training are conducted in compliance with national guidelines
    2. Lead the organization of health and nutrition trainings in project locations following training plan
    3. Follow up on all trainings to ensure utilization of knowledge
    4. Conduct mentoring visits to health facilities
17. Documentation and reporting:
    1. Ensure that all training and meeting records are dully in place for all activities (attendance sheet, on-job coaching sessions, workshop/meeting reports)
    2. Ensure timely collection, compilation and analysis of quality data as well as production of quantitative and qualitative reports regarding nutrition activities in the Programme.
    3. Provide technical review of programme reports in line with the M&E framework.
    4. Ensure regular communication and sharing of lesson learned and challenges with the management and partners to inform implementation
    5. Work closely with the MEAL team to ensure that data are captured in a correct and accurate manner.
    6. Share success stories on system strengthening and any other Nutrition and health interventions in the LGAs.
    7. Participate in the relevant coordination/Technical working group/task force meetings and other related forums within the target locations
18. Representation & Advocacy & Organisational Learning:
    1. Represent SCI in relevant State level forums for nutrition in coordination with other SCI programmes.
    2. Contribute to communications and media work as required through correction of data and information and sharing with the project heads
19. General:
    1. Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

1. Accountability:
   1. accuracy and timeliness in all areas of responsibility
   2. high level of accuracy in work, and ability to analyse complex sets of relationships and situations
   3. holds self and others accountable
2. Ambition
   1. creating best-in-class EA function
   2. future-orientated, thinks pro-actively
3. Collaboration:
   1. working effectively with stakeholders to achieve common goals
   2. excellent communication and interpersonal skills
   3. builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners
   4. approachable, good listener, easy to talk to
4. Creativity:
   1. designing more effective admin and value for money systems
   2. willing to take disciplined risks
5. Integrity:
   1. honest, encourages openness and transparency, demonstrates highest levels of integrity.

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Essential

1. Bachelor's degree in Medicine / Public Health / Nursing or equivalent with minimum of 4 years progressive relevant experience post NYSC
2. NYSC or exemption certificate
3. Experience in Health and Nutrition program implementation especially in humanitarian setting
4. Experience with Save the Children or International Non-Governmental Organizations
5. Understanding of national guidelines on CMAM, IYCF and IMCI
6. Experience working in humanitarian settings
7. Proven capacity of management, leadership, and teamwork
8. Excellent communication skills and a willingness to be respectful, kind, sensitive and empathise with all beneficiaries and their carers
9. Willingness and capacity to be flexible and accommodating when faced with difficult and frustrating working conditions
10. Experience in community-based interventions in Northern Nigeria
11. Demonstrable ability at report writing
12. Fluency in written and spoken English and local languages (Hausa)
13. Working knowledge of MS office
14. Prepared to live and work in an uncertain security environment
15. Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles