Senior Nutrition Officer (Doctor) at International Rescue Committee (IRC)

Job Overview/Summary

• The Stabilization Doctor will be responsible for running day-to-day activities of MAIDUGURI stabilization center and he/she reports to the stabilization center manager and works closely with the Health and Nutrition Manager of BORNO state for Day-to-day administrative issues.
• The stabilization center Doctor ensures the implementation of quality clinical care of children admitted to the center in accordance with National and international standards. The Medical Doctor will identify gaps in SC and take the necessary steps to address those gaps.
• He/she provides technical oversight assistance in planning, implementing, and monitoring of high impact intervention and provides support in system strengthening and promotion of childhood nutrition, with special focus to the most vulnerable and unreached population groups.
• He/she will directly supervise clinical staff and ensure staff maintain high professionalism throughout. The stabilization Doctor will ensure quality of services in the stabilization center CMAM PROGRAM through strengthening capacities on the clinical management of   SAM and facilitating integration of services related to newborn and child health, with the support of the Nutrition coordinator and stabilization center manager.
• The stabilization center Doctor will oversee night coverage activities/services provided to admitted cases (and caregivers) at the stabilization center and will generally be responsible for documentation and stock management of commodities, medicines/consumables and data tools.

Major Responsibilities

Under direct supervision of the Stabilization Center Manager, the stabilization center Doctor will have the following stabilization center functions:

• Daily calculation of the quantity of food needed for the day to day based on the number of children present in phase I and transition or refers the work to somebody who will calculate, and he supervises him.
• Order the food for the SC In collaboration with the hospital dietician.
• Order the drugs for the SC In collaboration with the pharmacist and the SC matron.
• Manage the daily collection of the number of new admissions and exits and attendance from the registrar.
• Weekly checks and transmit the statistics to the stabilization center manager
• Give feed back to the team and take appropriate action
• Compiles monthly reports and submits to sc manager, coordinator and hospital/state leadership
• Provision of high-quality care to complicated SAM cases
• Provide clinical care to complicated cases of SAM admitted at the stabilization center (SC)
• Ensure clinical care provided at the SC is in accordance with the National guidelines for inpatient Management of SAM
• Mentor and provide on the- job training on stabilization care and documentation to nurses and other health workers deployed to the SC to ensure:
• Respect of approved protocol for management of acute malnutrition
• Correct use of programme monitoring and evaluation (recording tool)
• Appropriate use of resources, stock control and ordering procedures
• Programme Management and Documentation
• Monitor the in-patient Management of SAM
• Supervise the use of medicines, medical supplies, and nutrition related commodities and data tools in the SC
• Participate in the development and review of programme monitoring and evaluation tools where necessary
• Ensure timely collection, compilation, and analysis of quality data as well as production of quantitative and qualitative reports regarding all IRC activities
• Produce case studies related to patient care, at least one per quarter or as per line manager’s request
• Evaluate regularly the impact of the activities and propose changes for improvement
• Prepare weekly and monthly activities reports and any other ad hoc report that may be required
• Support the supply chain management and forecast for medicines, medical supplies, Nutrition commodities (F-75, F-100, Resomal) and data tools
• Monitor the stock of commodities, medicines, medical supplies: calculate needs, decide quantities to be delivered to the stabilization center
• Plan logistics and materials needs for the SC
• Participate in stakeholder meetings on crosscutting health issues
• Facilitate integration of services for a holistic approach of SAM by working in collaboration with partners

Therapeutic Feeding Functions:

• Checks the pharmacy correct drug preparation, storage and stock balance etc
• Checks food stock: food consumption and cleaning of the store
• Food distribution: works with hospital dietician to ensure meals distributed on time and respect of the quantity
• Maintains and supervises quality of medical care dispensed: drugs distribution correct application of the medical protocols: clinical follow up, rehydration, detection in times of the medical complication
• Nutritional follow up: correct measurements and follow-up of the weight and edema
• Individual cards and the attendance register book correct filling
• Ensure and quality checks admission and exit: respect of criteria
• Ensures and role-models respect for the dignity of the patients and the accompanying caretaker
• Resolution of problems occurring between the patient and the personnel
• Ensure that mothers are well informed about the functioning of the center, the state and the evolution of their child.

Clinical Functions:

Set work schedule to include overnights shared with emergency hospital physicians

• Clinical examination of all patients with signs of complicated pathologies or presenting complications or refer by the nurses
• Prescription management and follow up of severe and complicated cases in consultation with hospital physician
• Adaptation and change of specific medical treatment and differential diagnosis in partnership with hospital physician
• Authorizes and interprets rapid clinical laboratory
• Referral of patients to hospital and between hospital
• Training of hospital IRC nurses on routine treatment prescription (theoretical and on job training)
• Works in collaboration with the nurses to ensure medical care of quality
• Works as a member of the team taking into consideration the non-medical problems encountered by the patients (feeding and psychosocial)
• Develop relationship with medical counterparts with hospital

Staff Management:

• Maintain an updated job description conduct interviews, orient new staff to the IRC and the stabilization center manager
• Supervise the stabilization center staff (Nurse, help mothers, cleaner and registrars) directly provide ongoing leadership to the project team and oversee implementation and coordination of activity plans to ensure targets are met
• Provide ongoing supervision, leadership, training and technical support and guidance to nutrition staff and ensure all stabilization center staff adhere to best-practice principles in all aspects of implementation
• Overall responsibility for stabilization center staff team’s timesheet, workplan vacation schedules and staff training/development activities
• Ensure performance management system documentation for all staff is in place and followed up regularly
• Build staff capacity in workplan development and reporting to ensure accurate monitoring and documentation of activities
• Recommend and implement a capacity building/development plan for project staff based on documented capacity needs assessment exercise
• Ensure stabilization center staff understands and follows IRC and donor policies and procedures
• Participate in nutrition related meetings seminars and workshop and feed information acquired back into programming
• Work and strengthen relationship with Borno State ministry of health and Hospital Management board UNICEF, BOSPHCDB and other partners implementing CMAM in the state
• Hire, supervise, and build the capacity of team members in relevant technical and management competencies.

Job Requirements

Education:

Medical Degree (MBBS) from a recognized/accredited university in Nigeria and registered with Nigeria Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria Dentist on board and

Work Experience:

At least three (2) years post-graduation experience

Demonstrated Technical Skills:

• Previous experience with other local and International NGO’S
• Experience in Nutrition in community-based programs
• Training and experience in treatment of acute malnutrition

Advocacy and logistics experience

• Demonstrated Managerial/Leadership Competencies:
• Excellent management skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to live under pressure in an unstable security environment