Program Officer - Nutrition and Food Assistance at Mercy Corps Nigeria

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action; helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future. Mercy Corps Nigeria was established in 2012 to respond to these challenges. The Nigeria Mercy Corps team. Headquartered in Abuja, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with offices throughout Nigeria delivering multi-sectoral life-saving humanitarian support, early recovery, and development programs. Our Nigeria country team is co-investing with the Federal and State Governments in a diverse portfolio that motivates and empowers Nigerian change agents to direct a more resilient future for themselves and their communities. Specific sectoral work includes girls’ education and financial inclusion, community peacebuilding, market-based livelihoods, and a multi-sector humanitarian response.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Program Officer - Nutrition and Food Assistance

Location: Damboa, Borno
Employment Type: Full-time, Regular

Program / Department Summary

• Mercy Corps Nigeria is preparing to deliver 24-month assistance and early recovery intervention in line with the Borno State Government Strategic Transformational Initiatives-STIs (2020-2030) and 25-Year Development Framework.
• The Broadening Emergency and Graduation Efforts in Borno (BEGE-Borno) intervention not only contributes to Pillar Six (Reconstruct, Rehabilitate & Resettle) of the Borno State Government STIs, it also aligns with Mercy Corps vision of building towards a more inclusive, resilient future for the communities we serve through a framework of helping people and communities to cope, adapt and thrive.
• The BEGE Borno intervention’s goal is to deliver lifesaving, life-sustaining interventions and enhance adaptation of 238,369 displaced, returnee and host households to shocks and systemic constraints within Borno State.
• BEGE Borno is a consortium led by Mercy Corps, with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) as a partner, alongside other local partners, delivering integrated assistance to people in acute need through Health, Nutrition, WASH, Food Assistance, Unconditional Cash, Protection, Shelter and Agriculture sectors.
• The nutrition response supports both nutrition-sensitive and specific interventions that contribute to the prevention, detection, and management of malnutrition.
• It largely focuses on filling gaps in Community Management of Acute Malnutrition services i.e., Support community nutrition screening, referral and follow-up of SAM and MAM cases and the treatment of Moderate Acute Malnutrition using the Tom brown supplementary feeding program. It will also collaborate with other Nutrition and health Actors to ensure the existence and functionality of the Stabilization Center, Outpatient Therapeutic Program (OTPs) and other Primary health care services.
• The program will also food assistance and support supplemental Nutrition Assistance through the distribution of Food Vouchers to ensure that vulnerable households/participants, especially Pregnant and Lactating Women and Children Under 2 years, consume diets that meet the minimum dietary diversity as well as improve health-seeking behaviour.

General Position Summary

• The Nutrition and food assistance Officer is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day implementation of food and nutrition activities in Damboa and Dikwa under BEGE Program. S/he will work closely with other sectors such as MEL, CASH, and Livelihood ensuring smooth project implementation and delivery of program objectives.
• Activities will include Promotion / supporting adoption of recommended maternal and Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices, distribution of Food Vouchers to target participants, food redemption monitoring, regular vendors review meeting, monitoring and supervision of community-level nutrition screening including the rollout of Mother Led MUAC approach and as well participation in planned nutrition surveys and assessments.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Implement all Food and nutrition assistance activities within the work plan and offer technical guidance to the team.
• Support the implementation of Food and nutrition assistance activities and ensure smooth coordination across sectors.
• Ensure that beneficiaries are effectively targeted according to vulnerability criteria.
• Conduct monthly food redemption across communities within the LGA.
• Collaborate with other team members for effective integration between other services like Nutrition and health services.
• Collaborate with local authorities and other partners to harmonize different efforts for better impact and sustainability.
• Able to learn and update his/ her information or knowledge to adapt to the changing situation and context.
• Provide technical inputs on the execution of the implementation of Food assistance activities in a timely manner.

Program Management:

• Coordinate with other sectors (Cash, Livelihoods, Shelter, MEL, WASH) and support units to ensure activities are conducted within MC policy and with the maximum benefit to the program.
• Provide inputs to the design and implementation of training in any areas related to the program activities for staff, communities, and program beneficiaries.
• Supervise community mobilization and sensitization activities aimed at promoting appropriate Maternal, Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices and Fresh Food Vouchers to improve Household dietary Diversification.
• Regularly monitor and supervise redemption exercise as well as beneficiary targeting.
• Ensures beneficiary complaints mechanisms and Accountability to the Affected Population are addressed in the appropriate way that does not discredit the image of Mercy Corps.
• Spearhead the rollout of the Mother Led MUAC approach i.e., coordinate with community structures and any other key stakeholders, organize necessary materials/ tools required for the training, and lead the training sessions.
• Participate in nutrition assessments and surveys planned in the catchment area.
• Actively participate in area-level nutrition, food security and Health sector meetings.
• Ensure timely submission of quality weekly and monthly nutrition activity reports.
• Ensure that key learnings are extracted from Food assistance implementation and incorporated in Food assistance implementation and staff development processes.
• Regularly monitor and ensure that the nutrition team in the field has the necessary tools (i.e., data collection tools, job aids, IEC materials etc.) and supplies required for quality implementation of planned nutrition activities.
• Maintain filing of all Mercy Corps beneficiaries, and ensure all lists are well captured electronically and manually.
• Facilitate and co-facilitate community meetings, events and training as required.
• Build and maintain good external relationships and coordination with relevant food assistance actors within and out of Maiduguri.
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
• Any Other duties as assigned.

Team Management:

• Identify technical gaps among staff line managed and in liaison with the line manager provide on-the-job training and/ support supervision.
• Participate in developing detailed project implementation plan and orient the line managed on agreed actions.

Finance & Compliance Management:

• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to emergency programming.

Influence & Representation:

• Creates and maintain relationships with local health and other authorities to link services with the existing health structure smoothly.
• Always upholds the image and values of Mercy Corps at all times.

Security:

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

Organizational Learning:

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries:

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Supervisory Responsibility:

• Transaction monitors.
• Community Nutrition Mobilizers.

Accountability:

• Reports Directly To: Food Assistance Coordinator and Nutrition Program Coordinator.
• Works Directly With: All program Staff, M&E teams, MC beneficiaries, and MC Partners.

Knowledge and Experience

• BA / B.Sc in Nutrition, Agriculture or any related discipline.
• 2 years of experience working on the development, implementation, administration and compliance of a field-based international development or humanitarian program; general gender and protection mainstreaming experience & knowledge required.
• At least 2 years of experience implementing Food Assistance and Nutrition programs in the Northeast of Nigeria.
• At least 1 year of experience implementing Supplementary Nutrition Assistance/fresh food and vegetables.
• Experience using voucher modality and knowledge of Nagis platform.
• Experience working with local partners, especially market vendors is required.
• Demonstrated strengths in analytical skills, monitoring and evaluation, and report writing.
• Strong interpersonal, intercultural and communication skills.
• Excellent oral and written skills and computer skills.
• Fluency in English and Hausa is required.

Success Factor

• The successful candidate will be capable of multi-tasking, rapid decision-making, have initiative, drive, and a lot of energy, as well as high emotional intelligence, constructive mentoring skills and proven experience with capacity building.
• S/he will be committed to long-term program sustainability and the delivery of high-impact activities at the community level.
• Successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion:

• Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges.
• We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
• We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

• Mercy Corps is an equal-opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis.
• We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have a sustained global impact.
• We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, colour, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics:

• Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity.
• We are committed to the core principles regarding the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary-General and IASCand have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.
• We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members.
• As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and adhere to the Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times.
• Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

Application Closing Date
16th June, 2023.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note

• Applicants should have their CVs and Cover Letters in one document addressing the position requirements.
• Female candidates who are qualified are strongly encouraged to apply.