Nutrition Project Coordinator – Islamic Relief Vacancy Announcement

Internal/External

Vacancy Announcement

 

IR/INT/EXT/VN/001.24

            January 02, 2024    

Job Title:                       Nutrition Project Coordinator

Reports to:                   Area Coordinator

Duty Station:               Oromia Regional State, Borena Zone, Dire Woreda

Required:                      One (1)

Duration:                      One year with possible extension based on performance

Salary:                           As per the organizations scale

Introduction

Islamic Relief is an international relief and development charity founded in 1984, headquartered in Birmingham, UK. As well as responding to disasters and emergencies, Islamic Relief promotes sustainable economic and social development by working with local communities – regardless of race, religion, or gender. The office officially started operation in Ethiopia in 2004. Islamic Relief Ethiopia (IRE) is operational in the Somali Regional State with a base office in Jigjiga, Hargelle, Elkere, Bare, GG and Dekasuftu, Afar Regional State; Ewa, Awra and Gulina; Oromia Regional State, West Harergeye, Chiro and Meayso Woredas, Borena zone of Dire, Dubluk, Elewaye and Yabello woredas and an additional operational office in Addis Ababa. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.islamic-relief.org/work-with-us

 

Job Overview

The Nutrition Project Coordinator is responsible for planning, implementing, monitoring, reporting, coordinating and ensuring smooth implementation of program and operations’ activities and adherence to logistic, human resource, administration, and security procedures. At the zonal /woreda level, the Project Coordinator represents Islamic Relief (IR) to relevant stakeholders. He/she develops and implements the district strategy integrating Nutrition, Health, FSL and Protection programs in collaboration with the respective sector officers and technical staff.

Key Responsibilities

1.      Planning, Implementation, Coordination and Management

·       Plan, coordinate and ensure the implementation of the Multiyear Nutrition Response project activities focusing on Nutrition, Nutrition sensitive Agriculture, Nurturing care group and SBCC, targeting PLWs and under five children.

·       Update on current development/humanitarian situation and conducting need assessment, baseline and end line surveys.

·       Ensure programs or projects are planned and designed with a clear management structure, implementation, monitoring plan, phase-out, and sustainability strategies whereby resources are adequately allocated to deliver commitments as planned,

·       Prepare a detailed project implementation plan (i.e. annual, quarterly, monthly and other forms of plans) and ensure these plans are implemented as per stipulated time, quantity, and expected quality.

·       Distribute essential drugs, medical supplies and equipment to health facilities

·       Participate in beneficiary registration, selection and targeting

·       Distribute Agricultural tools, vegetables seeds, poultry, small ruminants and haricot bean to PLWs

·       Organize food cooking demonstration events at village levels in collaboration with HEWs, AEWS and WHDAs

·       Depending on the context and mission needs, the Nutrition Project Coordinator develops and implements the district strategy integrating Agriculture, Protection, and WASH programs in collaboration with the respective sector officers and technical and supporting staff at the field level.

·       Ensure project activities are implemented in line with IR missions and values, and that all policies and procedures are maintained and followed in all functional steps

·       Ensure that all projects are delivered on time; within the scope and within the budget limit

·       Develops appropriate IEC materials related to nutrition in close discussion with the IRE Health and Nutrition Program Coordinator.

·       Gather Health, Nutrition and food security related information from Governmental, Non-Governmental and other appropriate sources at the district level and share it among project staff and IRE.

·       Lead the daily work of the development and emergency response teams, draft weekly work plans, set short-term objectives, and ensure staff performance

·       Provides general support, and guidance, and serves as a focal point during program planning, project implementation, grant writing, and reporting.

·       Oversees opening, closing, and/or regular running of the field base including management of all or part of support staff, program support activities, and administration of the base as well as coordination with program staff at the field base.

·       Ensures that IR procedures and donor regulations applicable to projects implemented in the region or zone or woreda with regards to program, logistics, security, HR, and administration are closely followed.

·       Establish and continuously updates baseline data and information where priority needs are well analyzed to improve program design and provide benchmarks

·       Participating or contributing to initiating different concept notes for project design

2.      Capacity Building and Technical Support

·       Plan, organize, and facilitate/conduct various training and educational sessions on Nurturing care group, SAM/MAM, Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN), F-MUAC, horticulture and poultry management for Nutrition Assistants, health workers, agriculture extension workers, health extension workers and to other key stakeholders.

·       Implement the Care Group Model to reach households with pregnant women and young children to share health and sanitation information and encourage behavior to enhance child wellbeing.

·       Manage staff under his/her supervision and provide technical support for staff under his/her responsibility: hygiene and sanitation facilitators, community health animators and promoters.

·       Work closely with zonal and woreda government officials to create a conducive working environment, free information flow, regulatory support, and greater stakeholder participation. Attend coordination or task force meetings as deemed necessary and report outputs.

·       Ensure that field implementation is based on verifiable needs and observe the highest standards in line with the principles of neutrality and impartiality.

·       Ensure that programs/projects are implemented, monitored and evaluated, and effectively handed over to the relevant government sectors and respective communities as their performance is finalized

·       With the support from Protection and Safeguarding Officer, ensuring that staff, volunteers, and new recruits are inducted and trained regularly on all aspects of safeguarding and protection.

3.       Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

·       Conducts regular monitoring of activities to ensure the effective implementation of the health and Nutrition program, and communicates timely with a possible recommendation in case of any deviation.

·       Facilitates and takes the lead in need assessment, gender, anthropometry, barrier analysis and other surveys conducted at the operational area.

·       Guide staff under the supervision in periodic reporting of activities and results.

·       Ensure that periodic reports are prepared to the required standards and submitted to the immediate supervisor in a timely manner.

·       Review and write monthly, quarterly, annual, and area reports of any form and forward them to the country office or any other parties including government reports.

·       Measure project performance using appropriate systems, tools, and techniques

·       Monitor budget burn rate and proper utilization.

·       Document any experience/learning, achievements, and challenges to CO and donors.

·       Create and maintain comprehensive project documentation.

·       Others: any other task as assigned by the immediate supervisor.

4.      Representation

·       Represents the organization at the Zonal and woreda level including general meetings with humanitarian or development actors, and local authorities as well as sector program meetings when requested by the Country level Nutrition, Health, FSL, Protection and WASH programs Coordinators or program manager.

·       Represents, and manages the visit of donor’s representatives/country office visitors / other stakeholders whenever requested.

5.      Administration/Human Resources/Financial Management

·       The Nutrition Project Coordinator is responsible for overseeing the management of finances and administration on the field level.

·       The Project Coordinator ensures the proper management of finances on the bases including planning, authorization of expenses, and reporting.

·       Ensures the management of Human Resources in accordance with the IR guidelines and the legal requirements in the country.

·       Lead and motivate program, finance, and admin personnel under his/her supervision

·       Identify knowledge, skill, and attitude gaps/ training needs for program area office personnel and prepare career development plans and implement feasible opportunities.

·       Prepares program budget requirements and submit a fund transfer request to the country as per schedule, follow up that fund is transferred and used in a procedural and timely manner for the intended purpose;

·       Make sure that financial resources are managed and utilized in accordance with the pertinent IR and donor regulations

·       Regularly send financial utilization reports as per set policy and procedures of IR and donors

·       Perform other functions as requested by the country program manager or Program Coordinators

6.       Security

·       Project Coordinator is responsible for field security management and ensures the security of staff, premises, materials, and assets.

·       The Project Coordinator monitors the political, economic, and social environment in the area, assesses and analyses the risks, monitors and reports the security situation, and develops security procedures relevant to the context.

Formal Education/Qualification and Work Experience

–          Master’s degree in public health, Nutrition, Nursing, SRH or related fields with four (4) years of demonstrated experience. OR

–          Bachelor’s Degree in Public health, Nutrition, Nursing or any other relevant field including with at least six (6) years working experience in Nutrition, Maternal, infant, young child health and nutrition, Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture, Care group, SBCC and emergency nutrition programing.  NGO experience is preferred.

Skills and Competences

Knowledge Skills and Ability

–          Substantial knowledge regarding the program implementation and management on the field level especially Nutrition, Health, Nutrition sensitive agriculture, SBCC and Protection programs.

–          Significant training experience (e.g. Nurturing care group, MIYCN, Nutrition sensitive Agriculture, SAM/MAM, SBCC, Agriculture, horticulture, etc.) with community mobilization in support of Health and Nutrition related programs. Experience in conducting trainings, training of trainers, and organizational capacity building is an Asset.

–          Experience working with private sector, government agencies and beneficiaries on developmental nutrition programs.

–          Knowledge and learning ability to integrate gender issues in nutrition focused interventions

–          Demonstrated skills in partnership building and interpersonal communication.

–          Existing relationship with woreda Health and Agriculture offices is preferred.

–          Excellent and demonstrated skills in computer Microsoft office applications: Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and outlooks, emails and internet use.

–          Demonstrated experience supervising, managing, and providing technical support and assistance to field-based project staff.

–          Excellent in report writing skills.

Distinguishing competencies and personal skills

–          Proactive personality and self-initiative.

–          Observation, active listening and analysis skills with ability to make sound judgment.

–          Good relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners and community members.

–          Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities.

–          Proactive, results-oriented and service-oriented.

–          Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Language

–          Excellent written and verbal skills in English and Afaan Oromo —Amharic is also a plus.

Safeguarding and Equal Opportunity

Islamic Relief and Islamic Relief staff considers the welfare and protection of children, young people and people at risk to be paramount to the organization. And must adhere the principle of ‘do no harm and leave no one behind.’ It is critical we do not expose communities or staff we work with to the risk of harm through our interventions.  With a zero-tolerance approach Islamic Relief have a number of related policies which also describe standards in behavior expected from the organization, its staff and representatives towards each other and those we serve. Islamic Relief is committed to responding swiftly, appropriately and constructively to any and all information children, young people and people at risk have disclosed.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. We participate in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and child abuse during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment before signing the contract agreement.

Islamic Relief believes everyone has the right to be safe, respected and valued regardless of who they are or their circumstances, and an equal employment opportunity to all candidates and qualified applicants, we do not discriminate on the base of age, sex, race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability status and diversity.