LOCATION: Gwoza, Borno State
POSITION STATUS: Full time, Regular
QUALIFICATION: Bachelors, MBA/MSC
EXPERIENCE: 4 – 6 years
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.
PROGRAM/ DEPARTMENT SUMMARY
With the insurgency affecting North-East Nigeria and displacing millions of people, Mercy Corps is to implement a multi-sector response that covers Nutrition, Food assistance, Agriculture, WASH, Shelter and Protection to support the conflict-affected population. The nutrition response supports both nutrition-sensitive and specific interventions that contribute to the prevention, detection and management of malnutrition. These include: a). Promotion of Maternal, Infant, Young Child Nutrition (via support groups, one-to-one counselling and community-wide SBC for IYCF); b). Provision of supplemental Nutrition Assistance i.e. the distribution of Fresh Food Vouchers, backyard gardening and poultry production aiming at improving dietary diversity among targeted households; c). Nutrition surveillance activities i.e. community nutrition screening, nutrition surveys and assessments aiming at monitoring the nutrition situation of targeted vulnerable individuals; d). Management of children with uncomplicated Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) through established Outpatient Therapeutic Program (OTP) services, as well as support referral and follow-up of SAM patients with medical complications to Stabilization Centers(SCs) and children with Moderate Acute malnutrition (MAM) to Targeted Supplementary Feeding Program (TSFP).
GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY
The Senior Program Officer – Nutrition provides field-level managerial and technical oversight to the day to day implementation, coordination, supervision and provision of technical support including capacity building to the program team. He/ She is also responsible for ensuring that activities are implemented according to schedule, budget and required quality.
ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
STRATEGY & VISION
- 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
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
- Manage the nutrition and agriculture activities implemented in assigned LGA and ensure that staff are effectively engaged in their tasks.
- Supervise day to day field level implementation of nutrition activities i.e. management of uncomplicated SAM cases through established OTP services, Nutrition surveillance activities i.e. community nutrition screening, nutrition surveys and assessments and IYCF promotion and support.
- Supervise day to day field level implementation of planned food security/ agricultural activities i.e. the distribution of Fresh Food Vouchers, Kitchen gardening and backyard poultry farming.
- Ensure that beneficiaries are effectively targeted according to established vulnerability criteria.
- Raise procurement requests to initiate the procurement process following MC policy and periodically evaluate and update project procurement and supply needs.
- Draft monthly financial forecast and quarterly financial need forecast in line with the detailed project activity plan/Monthly activity plans and send it to Program Manager
- Consolidate and submit quality nutrition and related activity reports (including success stories and lessons learned reports).
- Closely collaborate with other sector teams at the field level to ensure an integrated Nutrition approach internally with MC sectors and externally with complementary activities implemented by other nutrition actors.
- Discuss and follow up on any technical problems related to nutrition and agriculture programming and brainstorm solutions.
- Ensure sound monitoring and joint supervision of program activities in close collaboration with LGA Health/ nutrition Office.
- Actively participate in area-level nutrition, food security and Health sector meetings.
- Serve as technical focal person for all field level engagements.
TEAM MANAGEMENT
- Track project teams’ daily attendance and validate monthly attendance for supervised.
- Communicate with HR for a necessary staff meeting, performance review, appraisals
- Work with the team to develop a detailed project implementation plan and orient the project teams on their roles and responsibilities
- Identify specific technical gaps in project implementation teams and in liaison with the Technical Advisor organize internal training for them.
- Organize LGA level weekly nutrition team meetings and provide feedback on improvements, gaps and standardization of the service provision and reporting
FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT
- Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to emergency programming.
INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION
- Train and support community nutrition Monitors and make sure they transmit/convey messages clearly to the community.
- Creates and maintain a relationship with local health and other authorities to link services with the existing health structure smoothly,
- 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.
- 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.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY
- Nutrition Officer, Clinical Officer, IYCF Counselor, Livelihood Officer & Pharmacist Assistant.
Accountability
Reports Directly to: Field manager, with a dotted line to Nutrition Coordinator/ Advisor.
Works Directly with: The senior program officer will work closely with the Program Manager, CASH
team, MEL team, and operations staff (including finance and operations).
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
- Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition or other related fields, a relevant master’s degree is a plus.
- Minimum (4) years’ experience in nutrition and/or food security and livelihood programming, policy or research, with at least two (2) years’ experience in a resource-challenged setting.
- Substantial hands-on experience in social and Behaviour change programming and or CMAM programming is required.
- Familiarity with the intervention areas
- Knowledge of nutrition assessments and or surveys a plus.
- Microsoft Office Skills (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Word).
- Excellent analytical, written and oral communication skills.
- Willing and able to be based within remote areas, where services are limited.
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work as part of a team, including cross-cultural teams.
- Fluency in Hausa, Kanuri and English.Success Factors
SUCCESS FACTORS
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.
Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours. 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.
How to apply
Interested candidates are requested to click HERE to create an account using your email address. Kindly indicate under the source question that you are a Current (or Former) Mercy Corps Team Member. The application closes on 21 March 2021.
