Nutrition Specialist at The Center for Clinical Care and Clinical Research

Job Summary

• Under the supervision of the Senior Advisor, Nutrition /SBCC, the senior Nutrition Specialist will support the implementation of high-quality nutrition intervention in Kano State, ensuring national protocols and agreed strategies are followed.  
• The Senior Nutrition/SBCC Specialist will lead the Nutrition component of CCCRN THRIVE program in Kano State.
• S/He is Responsible for the overall implementation, oversight, and reporting of the program’s Nutrition activities, including design of behavior change and communication interventions and integration of nutrition interventions into Health and community structures 

Duties and Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership: Provide technical leadership and guidance on nutrition-related interventions for OVC, including the development of nutrition care plans and protocols
• Nutrition Assessment and Surveillance: Conduct nutrition assessments and surveillance to identify nutrition gaps and vulnerabilities among OVC.
• Program Design and Implementation: Design and implement evidence-based nutrition programs for OVC, including community-based nutrition interventions and support for institutionalized care.
• Capacity Building: Build the capacity of CSO staff, Health workers, and caregivers to provide nutrition support and services to OVC.
• SBCC Capacity building: Train healthcare workers, community leaders, and other frontline staff on effective SBCC techniques and nutrition counselling skills to deliver consistent messages. 
• Monitor and Evaluate Nutrition Programs: Participate in monitoring and evaluating of nutrition programs, including data collection, analysis, and reporting. 
• Develop and implement monitoring and evaluation plans to track the effectiveness of nutrition interventions for OVC.
• Track the impact of SBCC interventions through data collection and analysis, adjusting strategies as needed to optimize outcomes
• SBCC Needs assessment and analysis: Conduct research to understand local nutrition needs, identify key barriers to healthy eating, and analyse existing behaviours to inform SBCC strategy development. 
• Partnership and Collaboration: Collaborate with government agencies, NGOs, and community-based organizations to ensure a coordinated and comprehensive response to the nutrition needs of OVC. 
• Collaborate with Stakeholders: Work closely with stakeholders, including government officials, healthcare providers, and community leaders, to promote nutrition-related activities and ensure integration with existing health services.
• Implement Nutrition Programs: Implement and monitor nutrition programs, including Management of Malnutrition, WASH, Homestead Gardening, Food demonstration, Nutrition and counselling support (NACs) and MIYCN
• Develop and Implement Nutrition Education Materials: Develop and disseminate nutrition education materials, including counselling cards, posters, to promote optimal MIYCN practices and healthy eating habits.
• Messaging development: Craft culturally appropriate and impactful nutrition messages that are tailored to different audiences and address specific behaviours like breastfeeding, complementary feeding, WASH and healthy food choices. 
• Community engagement: Facilitate workshops, training sessions, and community mobilization activities to promote awareness and adoption of healthy nutrition practices

Job Requirements

• B.Sc / M.Sc / PGD in Public Health, or a related field.
• Strong technical skills on Nutrition, knowledge of HIV/AIDS and OVC programming, including the unique nutrition needs of children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders. 
• Familiarity with national and international nutrition-related policies and guidelines, including the WHO guidelines for the management of severe acute malnutrition.