Humanitarian Nutrition Adviser at Save the Children Nigeria

Save the Children is a leading international organization helping children in need around the world. First established in the UK in 1919, separate national organizations have been set up in more than twenty-eight countries, sharing the aim of improving the lives of children through education, health care and economic opportunities, as well as emergency aid in cases of natural disasters, war and conflict.

In Nigeria, Save the Children has been working since 2001. The early focus was on getting children actively involved in shaping the decisions that affect their lives. Today, Save the Children is working in seven federal states - Zamfara, Yobe, Jigawa, Katsina, Kano, Bauchi and Kaduna - focusing on providing basic healthcare and protecting children.

We are recruiting suitably qualified candidates to fill the position below:

Job Title: Humanitarian Nutrition Adviser

Location: Borno
Job Type: Full-time

Role Purpose

• The Nutrition Adviser will be the lead nutrition staff for the humanitarian response, supporting the implementation of SC’s various awards with nutrition components by providing close technical oversight, direction and capacity building.
• The Nutrition Adviser will be expected to lead on the design of sectoral assessments, programme design and master budgeting, coordination, development of trainings, and support fundraising, recruitment and procurement.
• The Nutrition Advisor also be expected to mentor and/or capacity-build both SCI colleagues and partners, in addition to provide input on strategy documents, master budgets and project reports (annexes) for the nutrition sector.

Scope of Role

• Reports directly to:  Deputy Team Leader- Programme Development and Quality with technical matrix management with the Head of Nutrition at Abuja Country Office
• Staff directly reporting to this post: None
• Budget Responsibilities: None

Key Areas of Accountability
Programme Support:

• Lead on nutrition technical assessments, in coordination with other SC thematic areas and/or other external sector agencies, ensuring assessment findings are documented and that all assessments include a specific analysis of children’s needs.
• Ensure that community assessments contribute to informing nutrition programme design.
• Contribute to Save the Children’s overall response strategy, ensuring Nutrition is not overlooked within the response, and proactively promoting high quality Nutrition technical approaches
• Proactively support fundraising for the humanitarian nutrition sector, including the development of high quality.
• Ensure consideration of gender is reflected in proposals, indicators and throughout the programme cycle.
• Technically supervise the implementation of nutrition strategies, assessments, proposals and programmes as necessary, and proactively promote high quality nutrition technical approaches within the response.
• Support the nutrition components of projects, ensuring quality programme delivery and appropriate deployment of strategies.
• Provide timely inputs into programme and donor reports to ensure quality reporting and in compliance with internal SC requirements and any relevant external donor requirements.
• Working closely with the HR team, lead on identifying nutrition programme staffing needs, and support recruitment, induction and training of national programme staff.
• Ensure collaboration and cooperation with other nutrition related projects in the country programme.
• Working closely with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEAL) team support the Nutrition sector MEAL plan  development and implementation linking plan to reporting requirements; ensure activities to support accountability to affected populations are reflected in the MEAL plan.
• Support the team during donor visits to the field to SC’s nutrition work (OTPs and SC).

Capacity Building:

• Build the capacity of the emergency nutrition team to perform the roles required of them in the emergency response.
• Ensure capacity building of partner and government nutrition staff on the response and facilitate an understanding of roles, strategies and quality parameters for the response.
• Ensure that on-going capacity building, mentoring and coaching initiatives are reflected in programme design.
• Ensure the use of appropriate training methodology and materials for Save the Children and partnering staff, based on national training packages, and support delivery of trainings, as required by the strategy.
• Link capacity building initiatives to wider opportunities identified via coordination and networks.

Documentation and Reporting:

• Ensure quality documentation and reporting for nutrition projects in the North East.
• Work with the nutrition and MEAL team to ensure quality data is produced, collated, compiled and shared
• Lead on report writing related to donors reports or relevant studies
• Build the capacities of the nutrition team to produce quality reports

Representation, Advocacy & Organizational Learning:

• Help shape broader sector strategies, ensuring the specific needs of children are being addressed, through engaging with nutrition partners (UN/NGO (eg through actively participating in inter-agency coordination forums such as the Nutrition Sector Working Group), keeping informed on the nutrition situation and activities of nutrition agencies in the north-east.
• Support the documentation of lessons learned, best practice and case studies to shape in-country strategies and programme approaches, and contribute to broader sector learning.
• Pro-actively identify advocacy opportunities which link with wider organisational strategic objectives, and work to mobilise these into action.

General:

• Follow up on actions specified in the former Nutrition Technical Advisors handover document
• Demonstrate leadership in relation to Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures
• Ensure that the minimum standards of humanitarian relief are maintained in accordance with the Sphere Charter and Red Cross Code of Conduct.

Qualifications Experience and Skills
Essential:

• Substantial operational experience (at least 5 years) of working internationally in Nutrition programmes in a humanitarian context and a track record of success on nutrition programming, including CMAM and/or IYCF.
• Academic/professional qualification at post graduate level or equivalent in Public Health and/or Nutrition.
• Previous experience of working in large-scale first phase emergency response
• Experience in project management of at least 2 years.
• Demonstrable experience in budget formulation and monitoring.
• Sound strategic thinking and planning skills, including ability to think creatively and innovate and to set priorities, manageable work plans and evaluate progress.
• Demonstrable ability to acquire a high level of thematic expertise on priority issues within nutrition.
• Experience in providing technical support to partners and in particular government at senior levels.
• Proven capacity to develop a network of contacts with key players from amongst government, donors, international agencies and NGOs, to maintain these relationships over time and to raise significant funding from donor grants.
• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and negotiate clearly and effectively at all levels.
• Tact and diplomacy are essential.
• Proven capacity to deliver results against objectives, reporting schedules and work plans.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• Proficient in word processing, presentations and spreadsheet computer packages.
• Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s values and mission.

Desirable:

• Experience in supporting development of national guidelines and policies.
• Specific experience of designing and managing ECHO, OFDA and other major donor projects
• Experience working in Northern Nigeria.
• Understanding of food security and livelihoods programmes.
• Knowledge of Hausa language.

Skills and Behaviours (SCI Values in Practice)
Accountability:

• Holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values.
• Works closely and constructively with many colleagues at all levels and across cultures, influencing effectively while having little formal authority and to hold peers accountable to deliver on their responsibilities.
• Sensitivity to the needs of a range of stakeholders and able to balance conflicting interests to create shared goals.
• A proactive and flexible approach to work.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves, takes responsibility for their own personal development.
• Proactive, forward thinker who is able to plan ahead and anticipate requirements and problems

Collaboration:

• Maintains a calm disposition and positive outlook when working under pressure.
• Self-motivated and able to work with a high degree of autonomy as well as with others.
• Fully appreciates of the value of cooperation, both internationally and within a team.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions and cuts away bureaucracy and encourages an entrepreneurial approach.
• Thinks creatively and strategically and translates strategy into practical action.
• Analyses complex information from different sources and to synthesise this information into coherent briefs and communication documents.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency, builds trust and confidence. Displays consistent and excellent judgement.
• Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills with proven experience of relationship management with stakeholders.
• Passion and commitment to the values of Save the Children.

Application Closing Date
29th January, 2018.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online