Nutrition Officer at the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfil their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Nutrition Officer

Job Number: 522402
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Work Type : Temporary Appointment
Duration: for 364 days
Level - NOA

Background

• UNICEF scaled up comprehensive nutrition program in Borno and Yobe state in 2017-2018 in collaboration with government and partners. Preventive, promotive and curative nutrition services are designed based on local context to ensure availability and access to life-saving nutrition services in host communities, IDP camps and hard to reach areas through integration of nutrition services in functional health facilities, deployment of out-reach team in IDP camps and mobile nutrition team in hard to reach areas. UNICEF 2019 North east Nigeria strategy is to strengthen health system and enhance the quality of nutrition program.

Purpose

• Under the direct supervision of the Nutrition Manager, Nutrition Officer provides professional technical, operational and administrative assistance throughout the programming process for the nutrition programs/projects through the application of theoretical and technical skills in researching, collecting, analyzing and presenting technical program information while learning organizational rules, regulations and procedures to support the development and formulation of the Nutrition programs in North East Nigeria.
• S/He will also coordinates with partners and field colleagues to ensure availability of nutrition supplies and its proper storage and use throughout the year in Borno and Yobe state.

How can you make a difference?
Support to program development and planning:

• Conduct/update situation analysis for the program development, design and management of nutrition related programs/projects. Research and report on development trends (e.g. political social, economic, nutrition, health) to enhance program management, efficiency and delivery of results.
• Contribute to the development/establishment of section program goals, objectives and strategies and results-based planning through analysis of nutritional needs and areas for intervention and submission of recommendations for priority and goal setting.
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes by executing/administering a variety of technical program transactions, preparing materials/documentations and complying with organizational processes and management systems, to support program planning, results-based planning (RBM) and monitoring and evaluating results.
• Prepare required documentations/materials to facilitate the program review and approval process.

Program management, monitoring and delivery of results:

• Work closely and collaboratively with internal and external colleagues and partners to discuss operational and implementation issues, provide solutions, recommendations and/or alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level intervention and/or decision.
• Keep record of reports and assessments for easy reference and/or to capture and institutionalize lessons learned.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, program reviews and annual reviews with government and other counterparts to assess programs/projects and to report on required action/interventions at the higher level of program management.
• Monitor and report on the use of section program resources (financial, administrative and other assets), verify compliance with approved allocation/goals, organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity.
• Report on issues identified to ensure timely resolution by management/stakeholders. Follow up on unresolved issues to ensure resolution.
• Prepare regular/mandated sectoral program/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of program progress.

Technical and operational support to program implementation:

• Conduct regular program field visits and surveys and/or exchange information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress and provide technical support, take appropriate action to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for resolution. Report on critical issues, bottlenecks and potential problems for timely action to achieve results.
• Provide technical and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on the application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices on nutrition and related issues to support program implementation, operations and delivery of results.
• Collect requisition for nutrition supplies from partners and government counter parts and ensure their timely delivery, storage and uses in collaboration with logistic and LGAs level staffs.

Networking and partnership building:

• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with nutrition sector, government counterparts and state stakeholders through active sharing of information and knowledge to facilitate program implementation and build capacity of stakeholders to achieve program goals and social justice, equity and rights of mothers, newborn and children.
• Draft communication and information materials for program advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support fund raising for nutrition programs.
• Participate in appropriate inter-agency meetings/events on programming to collaborate with nutrition partners.

Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building:

• Identify, capture, synthesize and share lessons learned for knowledge development and to build the capacity of stakeholders.
• Apply innovative approaches and promote good practice to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable program results.
• Participate as resource person in capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of government counter parts and partners.

Qualifications & Experience Required
Education:

• Completion of a University degree in Nutrition, Public Health, International Health or other Health related Social field is required.

Experience:

• A minimum of two years of professional experience in nutrition, public health, related program planning and management in relevant areas of maternal, infant and child nutrition in the context of Nigeria some of which preferably in a humanitarian situation is required. Recent experience in Nutrition in Emergency programmes including CMAM, IYCF, and nutrition surveys.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English required. Knowledge of the working language of the duty station an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate:

• UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The functional competencies required for this post are:

• Leading and supervising
• Formulating strategies and concepts
• Analyzing
• Relating and networking
• Deciding and Initiating action
• Applying technical expertise

View our competency framework at:
http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

Application Closing Date
23:55:00 GMT+0100 (West Africa Standard Time);  3rd June, 2019.

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

Note

• UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.
• UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
• Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.
• Nigerian nationals only.