IYCF officer – Mercy Corps Ethiopia Vacancy Announcement

Position Title:  IYCF officer

Duty Station: Abakorow woreda Shabelle zone

Open Position:  1

About Mercy Corps:-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 has been operating in Ethiopia since 2004. In partnership with civil society organizations, academic institutions, private sector, and the government, Mercy Corps Ethiopia has reached more than five million Ethiopians with interventions to save lives and build secure livelihoods. Our programs emphasize market-driven solutions, reinforce social bonds, and help communities build resilience to the impacts of climate change. Currently in six regional states – Afar, Amhara, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, and South Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region (SNNPR), and in Dire Dawa Administration and the capital city of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa – Mercy Corps Ethiopia is driven by the mission to contribute the emergence of a peaceful, resilient, and prosperous Ethiopia which is inclusive of youth and women. Our strategic directions focus in promoting inclusive and dynamic markets; promoting peace and social cohesion through strengthening formal/informal governance structures and citizen engagement; improved natural resource governance; and integrated humanitarian response.

PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

The project is intended to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with under nutrition and increased illnesses of conflict induced communities who do not have access to primary health care services and basic nutrition services.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision

• Collaborate with other team member 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 the changing situation and context.

Program Management

• Plan and organize TSF and IYCF counseling and education at the designated distribution sites in collaboration with other nutrition teams.
• Prepare plan of action for effective TSFP and IYCF implementation in consultation with the health officer.
• Provide supportive supervision to the Health Extension Workers (HEWs) and Food Distribution Agents (FDAs) at the TSFP sites.
• Work closely with the HEWs and FDAs to ensure all children are measured correctly.
• Ensure all criteria are respected and understood by the HEWs and HWs, including admission, discharge and transfer to and from the OTP.
• Review the forms completed by the HEWs to ensure completion, accuracy and coherence.
• Ensure HEWs and FDAs follow and respect the national protocols.
• Ensure adequate availability of all medical and food supplies and ensure stock is pre-positioned as planned by discussing with logistics.
• Work closely with OTP/SC Nurse to ensure all aspects of the programme are understood and agreed and appropriate referrals take place to and from the OTP.
• Follow-up and provide feedback to Project Coordinator on the amount and quality of the supplementary foods if it does not comply with specified quality standards.
• Report on progress and any problems in a timely manner.
• Ensure cases not meeting admission criteria return home as early as possible and care takers understand why their child is not admitted.
• Through liaison with the HEWs and FDAs, provide effective follow up of all cases: particularly tracing of children who are absent from the programme, sick children, children not gaining weight, and children with social problems etc.
• Provide On-the-Job training to HEWs and FDAs on the provision of key health and education messages to beneficiaries based the acceptable protocol and guidelines
• Respond to HEWs and FDAs inquiries regarding the technical aspects of the program admission and discharge whenever necessary at the TFP sites.
• Providing Woreda Health Office staffs with technical support in convening meetings and answering questions on topics relevant to the project as necessary.
• Assist HEWs to compile the statistical data.
• Establish good relationship with the local authorities and community leaders.
• Establish link and meetings with the community leaders and different group existing in the working
• Perform any other duties requested by the immediate supervisor
• Organize and ensure the documentation of Health education and capacity building activities.
• Participate in dissemination of appropriate hygiene educational materials.
• Support the CMAM nurse and Project coordinators in Organizing and facilitating CMAM trainings

Team Management

• Ensure health workers and HEWs follow and respect the national protocols
• Providing technical support for MC mobile and zonal/ woreda government health staffs on management of moderate acute malnutrition
• Inform the Project Coordinator s for any professional problems encountered
• Provided formal and on job training for health workers and HEWs and supportive MC Nutrition field workers and community mobilizers.

Influence & Representation

• Liaise with concerned government authorities and ensure the programme strategy, objectives and activities are understood, agreed and appropriate communication channel is in place
• Participating in the Zonal/ Regional health and Nutrition Technical Working Group meetings, develop meeting agendas, documentation and dissemination of the technical working group meetings action point and recommendations.
• Liaise and coordinate with local stakeholders and MoH personnel regularly, reporting to them and giving them updates on activities.
• Collaborate with the potential partners on the field (health centres, health posts, committee leaders) to improve the coverage and the efficiency of the programs.
• Collaborate with partners where possible (e.g. UNICEF and WHO in nutrition/health assessments in the area that may have an impact on our programs).

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 program participants 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.
• Mercy Corps team members are expected to implement community accountability reporting Mechanism (CARM) effectively
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

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.

Knowledge and Experience

• Diploma or BSC in Public health or Nursing, with Minimum four years working experience in NGOs environment as MHNT out of which two years in clinical setup.
• Solid technical skill on management acute malnutrition and technical support for health workers and HEWs.
• Knowledge and experience in management of moderately malnourished children and PLWs
• Demonstrated skills in program planning, implementation, and monitoring.
• Ability to lead mobile teams and able to create good team sprit among the group.
• Strong computer (Microsoft skills), and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Good command in written and spoken English and Local language.
• Good human relation skills.
• Willingness to work under pressure and extra hours.

Success Factors

• Willingness and capacity to be flexible and accommodating when faced with difficult and frustrating working conditions like long distance.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills
• Experience in closely working with regional, Zonal and Woreda Health
• Ability to prepare program reports Knowledge in local language.
• Communication skill, good human relations
• Firm belief in teamwork, gender equality

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 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, color, 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.

GEDSI (GENDER, EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION)

• Understand and aware GDI related priorities of the country office and contribute for the
• realization of priorities (continually work to understand and be aware of the gender diversity and inclusion priorities of the country office and contribute in the execution)
• Promote gender equal and inclusive workplace culture in a day-to-day interaction with a team member, partners and program participants.

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.

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 prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to theInteragency 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 to adhere to 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.