Nutrition Sector Coordinator at Action Against Hunger | ACF Nigeria LTD/GTE

Location: Maiduguri, Borno State with frequent travel to Adamawa and Yobe States 
Department: Nutrition and Health
Experience: Manager / Supervisor
Proposed Start date: June 2021
Direct Line Manager: Nutrition and Health Head of Department

Company Overview / Description

• Action Against Hunger (Action Contre la Faim – ACF) began operations in Nigeria in 2010 in response to the high rate of chronic malnutrition in Northern Nigeria, focusing on integrated programming and looking at the Nutrition for children, pregnant and lactating mothers. In 2011, we expanded our work to begin implementing nutrition development projects in Jigawa and Yobe. Following the crises in Northeast Nigeria, we further expanded our operations in Borno State in 2014 in response to the crisis to address the Nutrition, Health, Food security & livelihoods, WASH, and shelter needs of conflict-affected communities. We are operational in 11 Local Government Areas of Borno, 12 in Yobe, and 3 in Jigawa.
• The mission has over 600 staff including over 40 international employees. There are four base offices: Damaturu, Maiduguri, Monguno, and Dutse, and three sub-bases including Potiskum, Bade, and Damasak.
• USAID-Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA)'s mission is to save lives, alleviate human suffering, and reduce the physical, social, and economic impact of rapid and slow-onset disasters by supporting at-risk populations to build stable foundations. By ensuring affected populations have enough food and income, health and nutrition services and increased access to improved water, sanitation and hygiene, Action Against Hunger through this action will enhance the goal of saving lives, alleviating human suffering and reducing impact of disasters for the vulnerable populations.
• Action Against Hunger is looking for to fill the role of a Nutrition Sector Co-Coordinator to contribute to the successful implementation of nutrition program activities with the aim to improve access to nutrition and health services for affected population in Borno state. 

Key Responsibilities

• Regularly liaise with the “Lead agencies” and Cluster Lead Agency (CLA) LGA facilitators at the LGA level to identify progress, gaps, bottlenecks and challenges in implementation of nutrition responses, and communicate/feedback to the Sector coordinator and propose corrective actions (if needed); Spend at least 50% of the time in the “deep field”, of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa supporting LGA level coordination
• Support the Sector Coordination team in organizing of and participating in regular sector coordination meetings and information sharing to strengthen emergency nutrition responses in priority locations;
• Identify and liaise with FSL, WASH and other sector partners to advocate for integration of nutrition sensitive interventions and nutrition indicators into their respective response plans and where feasible; propose corrective actions, if needed;
• Provide regular inputs from sector’s partners for Nutrition sector information management products, bulletins, etc., including needs, gaps, supply pipeline updates, etc;
• Act as a Sector Coordinator in the absence of the CLA Sector Coordinator by, which includes management of other sector coordination team member (IMO).
• Act as a focal point for receiving NGO concerns or complains in order to raise these with the Nutrition Sector Coordinator and the Sector Lead Agency to strengthen accountability and transparency of the sector’s decisions and work.
• Participate or coordinate and support the sector coordinator to input into humanitarian needs overview (HNO/HRP), Cadre Harmonize analysis, etc,
• Represent the sector coordination team in the ISWG in the absence of the Sector coordinator and other relevant technical working groups where needed and lead discussion related to analysis of nutrition information.
• Coordinate with the UNICEF/WFP RRM and other rapid response mechanisms in identifying location for intervention based on sector priorities, mobilizing partners to participate in the Missions and analyzing all data generated by RRM teams.
• In collaboration with the SPHCDA, IMTWG and with other sectors, ensure nutrition assessments are conducted using standardized tools and methods.
• Ensure representation of nutrition sector in the Food Security & Livelihoods, WASH, Health and Education Sectors by regularly attending meeting organized by those sectors.
• Support the development of Nutrition Sector strategies and plans, based on solid analysis of the situation; in order for the sector to prepare for and respond appropriately to emergencies.
• As a member of the sector coordination team, provide relevant inputs to the development and revision of the Nutrition Sector Strategic Response Plans (HRP) as required. As part of this process, ensure that gaps and duplications are identified and appropriately addressed.
• As member of the sector coordination team, develop and contingency planning and preparedness for new emergencies related assessment and analysis needed and capacity required for assessment by sector partner, and ensure this is adequately reflected in the overall humanitarian country strategy and response plan
• Ensure that OCHA identified priority crosscutting issues, including gender, HIV and environment; are fully integrated into the nutrition sector strategy and nutrition sector partner projects, in line with ISAC guidance and international best practices with specific focus on ensuring cross-cutting issues are addressed in nutrition survey plans, methodologies, etc.
• Conduct analysis and write up of the nutrition sector information from the various sources and share nutrition briefings with stakeholders and monthly situation analysis with the humanitarian community.
• Identify core nutrition advocacy concerns, including resource requirements related to nutrition surveys/assessments, and contribute key messages to the broader advocacy initiatives of the HCT.
• Advocate for donors to fund Nutrition Sector partners to carry out activities in line with the Nutrition Sector strategies and identified priorities while at the same time encouraging sector participants to mobilize resources for their activities through the usual channels.
• In collaboration with the Sector Coordinator, guide the work of the Information Management Officer to maintain a functional Nutrition Sector Information Management system; which includes Monthly Partner Reporting, Nutrition Partner database and 5W Matrixes; Gap analysis mapping database, Repository of Nutrition Surveys and Sector Website.
• Ensure regular monitoring of nutrition surveys/assessments activities and coordination against sector indicators, including activity at operational level (quality, coverage, continuity and cost).
• Submit regular Sector reports to OCHA and UNICEF in line with reporting requirements (monthly/quarterly).
• The sector co-coordinator is expected to spend at least 40% of his/her time in field monitoring responses and supporting partners in improving quality programming.
• Identify capacity building needs for the sector and coordinate and support training of humanitarian personnel and capacity development of humanitarian partners; based on capacity mapping and understanding of available personnel and institutional capacities.
• Support efforts to strengthen the capacity of SPHCDA and other national//local authorities and civil society on emergency nutrition coordination, responses and assessments.
• Collaborate with the nutrition sector TWGs to organize/conduct training aimed at improving the capacity of partners in conducting SMART surveys, IYCF-E and CMAM programs coverage assessments.
• Support in ensuring that the nutrition sector framework on accountability to affected population is integrated, implemented by nutrition sector partners, monitored and reported accordingly.
• Monitor the implementation of the core sector indicators on AAP that have been agreed with all nutrition sector partners.

Position Requirements

• Master's Degree in Nutrition, Public Health, Public Health Nutrition, Management or related fields or Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition, Public Health Nutrition with experience in sector/partnership coordination.
• At least 6 years of experience in managing nutrition and health programs in underdeveloped/ crisis contexts;
• Work experience in international NGO context, with a sound knowledge of prevention and management of malnutrition;
• Sound understanding of national guidelines/protocols (CMAM, MIYCN, PHC, IMNCI, RMNCH,  PHC); including international standards (e.g. SPHERE);
• Previous training and experience in nutrition assessments including SMART surveys, MIYCN assessments, KAP surveys etc
• Humanitarian field experience, preferably with supervisory role;
• Excellent skills in report writing, analysis and presentation skills;
• Proven ability to translate analysis and evaluation into operational planning and strategy
• Experience with external representation and knowledge of Cluster mechanisms;
• Experience in Health System Strengthening and working with Government/Ministry of Health
• Good diplomatic, negotiation and conflict/dispute resolution skills.
• Working experience in Northern Nigeria.
• Experience working in an insecure context
• Experience in conflict-related displacements and nutrition crisis contexts;
• Experience communicating in different cultural work environments & with a wide diversity of cultures.

Minimum Basic Salary & Other Benefits

• NGN 575,072 per month
• Other benefits include but not limited to 100% health care coverage, paid leave per year, free and direct access to Cross Knowledge e-learning platform.