Nutrition Officer at Save The Children

ROLE PURPOSE:

• The Nutrition Officer will provide technical support and lead the implementation of Nutrition interventions within the project, ensuring activities are in line with National guidelines, global best practices, desired Quality Benchmark, and Save the Children’s clinical standards. The role will focus on strengthening facility and community-level systems for the early identification and management of severe acute malnutrition (SAM), supporting IMAM, MIYCN-E, and MAMI programming and outcomes.

SCOPE OF ROLE: 

• Reports to: Nutrition Coordinator
• Staff reporting to this post: MoH Health Workers  

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY: 

• The post holder will receive a context-specific ToR for each deployment, which will draw upon the responsibilities outlined below.
• Programme Support (typically will be at the field level):
• Working closely with the Nutrition Coordinator and the Nutrition Officer, will do the following.
• Coordinate with partners to ensure quality of nutrition screening for children under-5 conducted by Community Nutrition Mobilizers (CNM) in target Communities.
• Supervise and support the provision of OTP Services in target communities together with the IMAM team.
• Ensure quality of MIYCN counselling sessions is provided during Support group meetings and one-on-one counselling at health facilities.
• Ensure integration by coordinating with other sectors such as WASH, Health, and CP to ensure complementary services are provided
• Monitor nutrition commodities supplied (RUTF, MNP, and others) to ensure proper utilization and avoid stockouts
• With support from the Nutrition coordinator, coordinate with partners to ensure quality MIYCN sessions are conducted in Project-supported Communities.
• Build capacity of local partners, Health Workers, CNMs, and Mother Leaders by providing on-the-job coaching on IMAM and M-IYCN and other identified capacity building needs.
• Support Project-level nutrition assessment/surveys as approved by Donor. 
• Support quality data collection of activities conducted in the Communities.
• Promote increasing awareness of appropriate nutrition behaviour in project communities by ensuring behaviour change materials are visible in supported communities and health facilities.
• Support the development of case studies and success stories from programme implementation.
• Provide maternal and child-care/feeding key messages to beneficiaries of the food program during food distribution.
• Plan Project activities in line with the Detailed implementation plan, ensuring they are conducted as planned and in the right quality 
• Support the Project coordinator in procurements for the project
• Assess and identify service delivery gaps for improves service delivery
• Support the Project coordinator in budgeting and reporting of activities 
• Support other duties as assigned

Additional job responsibilities

• The job duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive, and the Post holder may be required to carry out additional duties within the reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving, and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance, and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development, and encourages their team to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

QUALIFICATIONS   

• Certificate or Degree in Nursing, Nutrition, Health sciences, or equivalent with post NYSC experience.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

• Recommended a minimum of 3 years’ experience in a humanitarian and development environment, including significant field operations experience and experience working with the MOH and working in a consortium
• Extensive knowledge of nutrition and health interventions.
• Extensive experience in stakeholders’ management, participation in TWGs, and other coordination meetings.
• Significant knowledge of humanitarian and development systems, institutions, and donors, and best practices in emergency management
• Ability to analyze information, evaluate options, and to think and plan strategically.
• Excellent interpersonal communication and presentation skills
• Fluency in written and spoken English and at least one major Nigerian Language
• Ability and willingness to travel frequently, live and work in difficult physical conditions in an area of potential insecurity.
• Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s Vision, Mission, Values, and Practices