Health and Nutrition Officer at Save the Children Nigeria

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries. We save children’s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Save the Children is working in Nigeria because one in five children in Nigeria dies before their fifth birthday. About 40% of children miss out on school and have to work to survive while nearly 2 million children have lost one or both parents to an AIDS-related disease.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Health and Nutrition Officer

Location: Borno 
Employment Type: Full Time

Role Purpose

• Support set-up of IMAM, and IMCI program implementation in targeted state in coordination with relevant stakeholders and in line with best practice.
• Provide technical leadership within the project in the area of Nutrition and Health ensuring that the activities in this area are established and carried out efficiently and effectively in line with approved detailed implementation plan.
• Provide on the job training/mentoring to HW across targeted HF on integrated management of childhood illness ensuring minimal or no clinical errors in line with Nigeria clinical guidelines.
• Coordinate with health and nutrition TAs in the need assessment as it relates to nutrition and health within project areas.
• Provide technical support to project partner on the implementation of health outreach, MIYCN-E and active case search of acute malnutrition and community mobilization ensuring quality and compliance with national guidelines. 
• Support and ensure coordination of health and nutrition activities with other sectors within the project ensuring person centered multi sectoral project implementation.
• Determine the training need of health and nutrition workers at the target health facilities and coordinate with internal and external stakeholder to carry IMCI, IMAM, MAMI and MIYCN-E trainings as maybe required.
• Conduct post training evaluation and determine impact of capacity building and area of improvement. 
• Work closely with health and nutrition TAs define the training need and other technical support of health facilities at all levels.
• Facilitate and support the operationalization of OTP, c-MIYCN and f-MIYCN across targeted communities in line with national guidelines and utilize the generated information for quality improvement towards reduction of child mortality and morbidity.
• Work closely with supported facility to improve data management and tracking and reporting of relevant indicators in line with MOH priorities on Nutrition and health outcomes. 
• Work closely with relevant functions to conduct prevention interventions towards reducing nutritional and health risks for children and their mothers including new born.
• Contribute to regular project review process and prepare the maternal and new born component of project report.
• Maintain constant and updated knowledge of overall project performance.
• Maintain daily monitoring of project activities in targeted health facilities.
• Coordinate with MOH to conduct regular supportive supervision.
• In line with SCI Clinical Standards Scorecard, maintain quality of care for all maternal and new born health activities.                     
• Coordinate with sector lead on budget phasing and ensure project expenditure are on track especially maternal and new born health component. 
• Regularly attend and provide quality contribution to nutrition and health sector meetings and ensure SCI is well represented.
• Provide technical assistance and policy advice to the targeted state(s) to advocate for and strengthen the health systems from development, implementation, and monitoring of Nutrition and Health interventions in partnership with other collaborating partners.
• Advocate, coordinate, and build partnerships with state counterparts, technical departments at at the state level to harmonize recommendations on policies and strategies related to Health systems and resolve issues or concerns and seek improved funding for new health sector.
• Perform all other related duties as assigned.

Scope of Role

• To provide technical support and lead the implementation of nutrition and health component of the projects in line with organizational priorities. Guide in the promotion of early identification of SAM, and nutritionally at-risk mothers and infants, and establish referral linkages to ensure equitable access to quality health and nutrition services. To provide technical support to targeted health facilities on the provision of comprehensive primary health care services, ensuring compliance with national guideline/protocol and SCI clinical standard score card. 
• Reports to: Nutrition Coordinator
• Staff reporting to this post: None

Qualifications and Experience

• Degree in Nursing, Medicine, or related field.
• Recommended a minimum of 3 years’ experience in a humanitarian and development environment, including significant field operations experience and experience working with MOH.
• Extensive knowledge of nutrition and health interventions.
• Extensive experience in in stakeholders’ management, participation in TWGs, and other coordination meetings.
• Significant knowledge of humanitarian and development systems, institutions and donors and best practices in emergency management
• Ability to analyze information, evaluate options and to think and plan strategically.
• Excellent interpersonal communication and presentation skills
• Fluency in written and spoken English and at least one major Nigerian Language
• Ability and willingness to travel frequently, live and work in difficult physical conditions in an area of potential insecurity.
• Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s Vision, Mission, Values and Practices

Skills:

• Demonstrable experience in data analytics. 
• Experience in coordination of workshops and meetings. 
• Good presentation and facilitation skills
• Proven conceptual skills and an ability to think and plan strategically.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills and an ability to train and mentor staff.
• Proven ability to manage a complex and demanding workload.
• Excellent spoken and written English and local language
• Good computer skills (particularly Excel, Word, and databases)

Behaviours (Values in Practice):
Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity.

Application Closing Date
4th April, 2025.

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