Position Title Nutrition Specialist – Community Category & Grade P-3 ( TA) Duty Station Nairobi with travel to field stations Duration 6 Months Start Date May 2015 Reporting to Head of Nutrition Section VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT REF: UNICEF-SOM/2015/011 Context and Background: Malnutrition in Somalia is a consistent and chronic problem. Currently 203,000 Somali children are acutely malnourished with most of them living in south and central Somalia. Key contributors to acute and chronic malnutrition in Somalia include poor access to primary health care, poor water and sanitation access and behaviours, and poor infant, child, and maternal nutrition and care practices. Around 70% of the population does not have access to safe water and 53% per cent practice open defecation, diarrhoea prevalence is over 40%, the biggest contributor to the very high infant and under five mortality rates of 107 and 180 respectively. These rates are among the highest in the world. Exclusive breastfeeding is significantly low with only 5.3% of mothers engaging in this important practice. Complementary feeding is also compromised with poor dietary diversity, hygiene and the early introduction of foods. Anemia is high with around 50% of children under 5 affected and over 70% of children under 2 affected. UNICEF continues to provide vital support for the management of acute malnutrition in Somaila through the nutritional centres. However, 2014 saw a significant scale up of community-based programming as part of a resilience agenda. This ensures that public health services are more accessible and acceptable to the most vulnerable populations. The community program focuses not only on service delivery but also on communications for development and local governance for improved stewardship of public health services. 2015 will be a year of review and scale-up ensuring a wider expansion of community programming. In addition the program will focus on continuing to increase capacities in-country for skilled IYCF support and will look to scale up delivery of micronutrient powders to young children through communities and facilities. Purpose and Objectives: Under the supervision of the Chief of Nutrition in the UNICEF SOMALIA SUPPORT CENTER, the incumbent will undertake assignments in support of preventive and promotive nutrition programming. Focus areas of this program include: supporting UNICEF’s resilience agenda through increasing availability and quality of community-based services for public health and improving local stewardship for public health; supporting development and integration of advocacy and monitoring strategies linking the Nutrition and WASH section’s joint agenda on Open Defecation Free communities; increasing access to skilled support for infant and young child feeding; increasing access and quality of micronutrient support programs; and ensuring integration of nutrition with other relevant sectors and UNICEF departments such as WASH and health. Output 1.1: To support the annual work plan output on “Women and Children have access to the Essential Package of Health Service (EPHS) (nutrition) in at least 3 regions.” Specific activities include: • Support the integration of the Basic Nutrition Services Package into EPHS partnerships • Support and monitor home-based fortification with Micronutrient Powders • Ensure adequate micronutrients are available for EPHS partnerships • Support increasing skilled support for IYCF counseling within EPHS partnerships Output 2.1: The support the annual work plan output on “Children and women have improved and sustained access to and utilization of quality basic nutrition services”. Specific activities include: • Support the integration of the Basic Nutrition Services Package into nutrition facilities • Support and monitor home-based fortification with Micronutrient Powders • Ensure adequate micronutrients are available for programming • Support increasing skilled support for IYCF counseling • Support the roll-out of the Nutrition, Hygiene and Health-Seeking Behaviour Promotion Package (NHHP) Output 2.2: The support the annual work plan output on “Households with improved knowledge and practice of essential nutrition behaviours”. Specific activities include: • Support ongoing and expanding Resilience partnerships, ensuring implementation within the agreed upon framework • Support and monitor home-based fortification with Micronutrient Powders within the resilience program partners • Support any C4D activities as required Output 2.3: The support the annual work plan output on “Enabling environment including human resource capacity and management systems for sustainable service delivery and effective leadership, governance and coordination established at all levels”. Specific activities include: • Support the operationalize of the Somali Community Health Strategy • Support and supervise the ProPAN consultant carrying out the assessment in Gedo region • Support and supervise the IYCF assessment contract • Support monitoring and expansion of the local governance component under the resilience program • Support and supervise other consultancies as required Management, Organization and time frame The Nutrition Specialist (Community) will be based in Nairobi at the UNICEF Somalia Support Centre. Travel to field locations will be required. The incumbent will report to the Head of Nutrition Section at USSC. The overall time frame of the mission is six (6) months. Outputs/Deliverables • Resilience – Ensuring ongoing programming for resilience in the target areas as well as supporting new partnerships to implement within the agreed upon framework • Operationalization of the Somali Community Health Strategy – Participate and contribute to the WHO/MoH led process to operationalize the Somali CHS • ProPAN – Support and supervise the ProPAN consultant carrying out the assessment in Gedo region • Home fortification – Support and monitor the new and existing partnerships rolling out home-based fortification with Micronutrient Powders • Skilled IYCF counselling – support a round of ToTs in each zone to increase the availability of skilled support for IYCF • Partnerships – monitor program implementation and funding/liquidation of key partnerships • IYCF Assessment – support and supervise the IYCF Assessment contract • AOB – Perform any other function as requested by the Chief of Nutrition or as required by the program Qualification and Experience: • An advanced degree in Nutrition or Public Health • At least 5 years of previous experience in Nutrition or Public Health programming • Previous experience of Community-based, IYCF and micronutrient programming (especially home fortification) • Knowledge of global strategies, policies, and tools for IYCF, micronutrients and Community-led total sanitation, as well as other preventive and promotive programs for nutrition • Demonstrated understanding of integrated programming • Experience with Somali populations is desirable • Strong communication, facilitation and writing skills required • Ability to work independently with minimum experience • Knowledge of Somalia operational context and willingness to travel to Somalia • Fluency in English is required • Competencies` i) Core Values (Required) • Commitment • Diversity and Inclusion • Integrity ii) Core Competencies (Required) • Communication [ II ] • Working with People [ II ] • Drive for Result [ II ] iii) Functional Competencies (Required) • Leading and Supervising [ I ] • Formulating Strategies and Concepts [ II ] • Analyzing [ II ] • Relating and Networking [ II ] • Persuading and Influencing [ II ] • Creating and Innovating [ II ] • Interested and qualified candidates should send their applications with updated UN Personal History Form (P.11) form, updated CV attaching copies of academic certificates to the email below. UN staff are requested to provide the last two Performance Evaluation Reports (PERs). Please quote the vacancy number and post title in the subject line of your application subject. Applications should be received by 28 February 2015. Email to: somaliahrvacancies@unicef.org Only short-listed applicants will be contacted