JOB TITLE: Consultant on Nutrition Sensitive Programming
TYPE OF CONTRACT: CST
UNIT/DIVISION: OSN (Nutrition-Sensitive Team)
DUTY STATION (City, Country): Rome, Italy
DURATION: 11 months
________________________________________
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
Since the development of its 2012 Nutrition Policy, WFP has strengthened both its internal focus on nutrition and its role within the broader landscape of nutrition actors, including through the Executive Director’s role in the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Lead Group and its championing of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, which includes ending malnutrition in all its forms by 2025.
In addition to the expertise it has in nutrition-specific programming, primarily aimed at addressing nutrient intake as an immediate determinant of nutrition through special nutritious foods (like SuperCereal+ and micronutrient powders). WFP’s 2012 Nutrition Policy also envisioned strengthening of its nutrition-sensitive programming. This programming addresses the underlying determinants of nutrition, those being food security, feeding and caregiving resources, and access to health services and a safe, hygienic environment. Interventions in these areas also improve nutritional status through improvements in nutrient intake and/or reductions in infection.
WFP’s potential in nutrition-sensitive is significant: its programming is relevant to the underlying determinants of nutrition (mainly food security, but also feeding and caregiving resources and health); its programmes can be implemented at large scale and targeted to poor populations with high malnutrition rates; and its programmes can provide platforms for expanding delivery of nutrition-specific interventions (e.g. including SNFs for vulnerable groups in general food distributions, micronutrient powders for adolescent girls in school meals, et cetera).
Global skills and knowledge on nutrition sensitive programming are still in a nascent stage. Some institutions have already developed guidelines on nutrition sensitive programming for their own use which are relevant to WFP, though do not cover the entire scope of WFP’s potential nutrition-sensitive programming and are not tailored to the contexts in which WFP works. At the same time, many of WFP’s programmes have already been working to incorporate nutrition-sensitive considerations, including in their work to support governments and other partners. However, at the agency-level, this has not yet been done in a systematic, organized way, including in the incorporation of nutrition objectives in programme design and indicators in M&E systems and a vision to support national multi-sectoral systems together with partners. WFP has to develop capacity of its staff to enable them to design programmes with a nutrition lens, including specific nutrition objectives and well-articulated impact pathways. To reach this goal, WFP will engage in a consultative process through a recently formed Nutrition Sensitive Working Group, which includes focal points from various divisions and programme areas within WFP, to identify priority actions for improving nutrition-sensitive programming. This process is expected to feed into the development of corporate guidance on nutrition-sensitive programming, which should be comprehensive, easily navigable and context-specific, allowing WFP staff engaged in programme design and management to utilize a variety of nutrition-sensitive approaches with partners to achieve improved nutrition results.
ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Support the identification of priority actions for nutrition-sensitive programming, including by producing a landscape analysis/review of existing nutrition sensitive approaches
a. Work with the WFP Nutrition-Sensitive Working Group to identify ongoing nutrition-sensitive programmes/projects that WFP has engaged in, including with partners.
b. Undertake field missions to examine key programmes that could be nutrition-sensitive more in depth, at country level.
c. Review and systematize external (to WFP) programmes that are identified as nutrition-sensitive and are relevant to SDG2.
d. Produce a landscape review of internal and external nutrition sensitive programmes and findings.
2. Contribute to improvement of programming guidelines with the objective of making relevant programme guidelines nutrition-sensitive
a. Review WFP programming areas and contexts.
b. Identify areas that are relevant to nutrition-sensitive approaches.
c. Review of current guidelines on relevant programme areas and support services with nutrition lens.
d. Identify areas that require updating/revision
e. Coordinate with NS Working Group focal points for updating the guideline, as opportunity arises.
f. Provide inputs for the update of the guidelines as annex to the guidelines which will be updated in due course.
3. Develop corporate guidance on nutrition-sensitive programming, including monitoring and evaluation of nutrition-sensitive interventions
a. Define linkages to existing guidelines in non-nutrition programme areas.
b. Synthesis of findings from the landscape review/analysis (item 1 above & 2) and recommendations from experts to inform programme guidance.
c. Contribute to the impact pathways definition process of the working group through which interventions are likely to impact nutrition.
d. Based on program impact pathways, define related nutrition indicators that can be used to measure the achievement of the objectives.
e. Draft a comprehensive guideline covering relevant programme areas, including monitoring and evaluation of nutrition-sensitive interventions.
f. Facilitate inputs and review from the Nutrition-Sensitive Working Group focal points, as well as Regional Nutrition Advisors, throughout the drafting process.
4. Develop engagement and capacity development strategy for WFP COs to support the National Government in Nutrition Sensitive Programming
a. Review key areas that are relevant to nutrition results of two countries in each six regions.
b. Review national policies and strategies that are relevant to nutrition – related to SDG2.
c. Identify linkages to nutrition results.
d. Draft chapters for national engagement, advocacy, capacity development and support to be incorporated in the guideline.
The consult will work closely with the OSN M&E team and knowledge management team member with communication skills in designing the guideline.
DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:
1. Landscape analysis WFP and external programmes relevant to SDG2 with nutrition lens
2. Written input to relevant programming guidelines in all relevant areas including monitoring indicators and processes
3. A draft comprehensive guideline on NSP including assessment, design, management and monitoring
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
Education: An advanced degree in international nutrition, agriculture, food security, health or other area relevant to nutrition-sensitive programming .
Experience: At least 5 years programming experience, relevant particularly to food-based approaches to nutrition (e.g. nutrition-sensitive agriculture, school feeding, social protection, resilience etc.)
Experience with different types of programmes (e.g. safety nets, asset creation, pro-smallholder programming) desirable related nutrition and food security.
Experience working in emerging areas of nutrition such as adolescent girls, behavior change communication, double burden desirable.
Experience working with national government
Monitoring and evaluation experience required.
Experience working in emergency desirable.
Experience in gender-focused programming desirable.
Experience in capacity development desirable.
Experience generating learning modules/programme guidelines required.
Knowledge & Skills: Knowledge of multisectoral drivers of malnutrition required.
Knowledge of global and country level nutrition architecture required.
Knowledge of scientific methods and ability to critically analyse emerging global evidence for robustness, quality, and relevance.
Ability to work independently.
Good interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work in multicultural setting.
Excellent written and oral communication skills required.
Languages: Fluency in English and excellent writing skills required. Working knowledge of another UN language.
Please sent a page of application reflecting your interest and your CV to Quinn MARSHALL at: quinn.marshall@wfp.org
Deadline: 20th May 2016