State Coordinator, Nutrition (Gombe) at Evidence Action

Job Purpose

• In Nigeria, Evidence Action has a strong track record of delivering high-quality TA for health programs. Evidence Action has supported Nigeria's national school-based deworming program since 2016, currently reaching 6 million children annually across five states. In partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Evidence Action has also conducted pilots of multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) and intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in school-age children (IPTsc).
• Small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) are a WHO-recommended intervention to prevent malnutrition. Evidence shows that SQ-LNS prevents stunting and wasting and can reduce child mortality by 24%. Evidence Action is supporting the Nigerian government's rollout of SQ-LNS to children 6-18 months of age living in areas with elevated mortality and malnutrition.
• We are recruiting one State Coordinator per state. Each successful candidate will provide technical assistance (TA) for the rollout of SQ-LNS in one high burden state only: Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Plateau, and Sokoto.
• The State Coordinator will support program planning and management, supply chain activities, training, and community sensitization at the state level.

Duties and Responsibilities

• We are seeking State Coordinators (one per state) to support state governments with the rollout of the SQ-LNS program.
• State Coordinators will work closely with relevant state officials to strengthen program planning, implementation, and monitoring

This position is based in the respective state capital. State Coordinators will be responsible for the following activities:

Program Planning and Coordination:

• Coordinate with state Ministry of Health, Primary Health Care Development Agency, and other relevant government departments on operational planning and effective implementation of the SQ-LNS program 
• Coordinate and collaborate with other SQ-LNS partners and implementing organizations active in the state
• Support state officials to develop a comprehensive SQ-LNS operational plan aligned with national guidelines and state context
• Monitor implementation of state-level workplans and identify and resolve bottlenecks
• Support state officials to use the national SQ-LNS allocation tool for geographic targeting and quantification for SQ-LNS programming
• Facilitate state- and LGA-level planning, review, and dissemination meetings with government stakeholder
• Facilitate engagement with the state government for resource allocation for the procurement of SQ-LNS and sustained program delivery

Training:

• Organize the state and healthcare worker training cascade in coordination with state officials and partners
• Support development of state-specific training materials as needed
• Monitor implementation of training activities at state, LGA, and facility levels

Supply Chain Support:

• Support state officials to develop supply chain protocols and distribution plans
• Conduct remote monitoring to ensure SQ-LNS supplies are delivered to LGA warehouses and health facilities in accordance with the approved distribution plan, and flag stockouts or supply chain bottlenecks
• Coordinate with state officials on quantification and forecasting of SQ-LNS supplies
• Support resource mobilization efforts to sustain and expand SQ-LNS coverage in the state

Community Engagement and Sensitization:

• Ensure distribution of information, education, and communication (IEC) materials as planned
• Coordinate community-level engagement workshops to promote awareness of SQ-LNS

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Collaborate with the zonal MLE personnel to oversee implementation of independent monitoring and coverage surveys by contracted survey firms
• Undertake periodic monitoring visits to LGAs and health facilities (as needed and as security allows)
• Share findings and recommendations with state officials and Evidence Action program management

Requirements
Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Public Health, Nutrition, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Sciences, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or a related field required
• A Master’s degree in Public Health, Nutrition, Health Systems, Development Studies, or a related discipline is an added advantage

Experience:

• Minimum of five years of experience in nutrition, public health, or child health programming, preferably with government or NGOs in Nigeria
• Experience working with government health systems in Nigeria, preferably in the state of assignment
• Strong relationship-building and coordination skills with government officials, community stakeholders and development partners
• Effective communication (written and verbal), documentation, and reporting skills in English and the local language(s) of the state
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Demonstrated skills in work planning and tracking, project management, and coordination
• Experience with using data and tools to support decision-making, and in monitoring and evaluation systems (e.g., DHIS2) is preferable
• Highly motivated to achieve exceptional quality and results, and the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously
• Priority will be given to qualified individuals who are local residents of the state of assignment
• Experience in facilitating multi-stakeholder workshops, coordination meetings, and building consensus among diverse partners.
• Experience in managing the supply chain for nutrition commodities, including forecasting, procurement, storage, and distribution, particularly in challenging logistical environments.
• Familiarity with national nutrition policies, strategies, and guidelines in Nigeria or similar contexts.
• Proven experience in developing and delivering training materials and programs for health workers and program staff on nutrition interventions.
• Ability to speak in the Hausa language is a MUST.