The World Food Programme's Regional Bureau for West and Central Africa is looking for a P3 level Regional Nutrition Officer to assist the Nutrition Unit in Dakar.
We are looking for a committed and dynamic professional to join our team in providing strategic and technical guidance to countries in the region and developing our nutrition sensitive, resilience and social protection agenda. All the details and requirements for this position can be found in the attached Terms of Reference.
If you wish to apply for this position please send a cover letter reflecting your interest and your CV to Nicolas Joannic (nicolas.joannic@wfp.org) by Wednesday 28th December 2016.
World Food Programme
Position Description
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Title: Regional Nutrition Officer - Social protection and resilience (P3 equivalent)
Duty Station: RBD Regional Bureau, Dakar, Senegal
Duration: 11 months starting as soon as possible
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Justification
Over the decades and worldwide, social protection has provided support to vulnerable and disadvantaged population groups. In effect, Social Protection and Resilience programming has cushioned and, in many instances, prevented vulnerable people from falling into states of abject poverty and undernutrition, while at the same time improving maternal and child nutrition, adult work productivity and food self-sufficiency.
Social protection systems play a major role in fulfilling the international community’s commitment and that of African states to “leave no one behind”, particularly in the fight against short-term and chronic malnutrition. Nutrition and social protection also form the first two pillars of the Global Alliance for Resilience (AGIR) which was launched in the region in December 2012. For this year 32th RPCA/OECD annual session in Abuja, Nutrition and Social protection will be the central theme of this meeting.
WFP Regional Bureau has an important role to play in supporting country-led social protection systems and resilience building framework, ensuring that the nutrition needs of the poorest and most vulnerable are met.
WFP Regional Bureau is also engaged in the provision of strategic and technical assistance for the implementation of large nutrition interventions in response to national and regional nutrition crisis and in the development of national Nutrition Capacity, in twenty countries of West and Central Africa region.
Key accountabilities, specific duties and tasks
Under the technical guidance and supervision of the regional nutrition advisor and in effective coordination with the rest of the Regional Nutrition Unit, other regional staff and country offices, the Regional Nutrition Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
Main objectives
1. Advocate for a better integration of WFP nutrition programmes in Social Protection and Resilience policies and programmes at regional and national level (20 countries in West and Central Africa region).
2. Assist WFP Regional Bureau and Country offices in the design and implementation of nutrition sensitive and specific interventions, according to WFP Nutrition Policy, in the framework of social protection and resilience and, more globally, for WFP’s operations in the coverage of WFP Regional Bureau in Dakar, including WFP’s emergency, relief and development assistance.
Specific tasks
a) Support the design of WFP Regional Bureau Nutrition strategy by ensuring alignment with the 2017- 2021 WFP Nutrition Policy, including enhanced integration of WFP Nutrition in existing Social Protection and Resilience framework.
b) Review existing social protection policies and schemes in the 19 countries covered by WFP Regional Bureau in Dakar and identify potential entry points for WFP Nutrition in regional and country policy, strategy and programmes on Social protection and Resilience, in close collaboration with the relevant Regional Bureau units.
c) Develop nutrition sensitive social protection instruments that can improve diets using existing WFP food assistance mechanisms: food transfers, cash transfers, behaviour change communication, and National nutrition capacity development.
d) Represent WFP Nutrition in key coordination and sectoral inter-agency meetings on Social Protection and Resilience at global, regional and country level and to contribute in technical discussions, exchange experiences, advocate for nutrition sensitive interventions and identify areas of potential collaboration with wide range of stakeholders.
e) Provide technical and strategic guidance to WFP country offices on programme and policy issues including assessment and analysis, nutrition programme design, and implementation modalities for nutrition specific (prevention and treatment of maternal and child malnutrition) and nutrition sensitive interventions (school meals, livelihoods supports programmes, etc.) in line with WFP standards and processes, through field support mission and review of WFP projects related documents.
f) Assist in strengthening information and knowledge management and operational linkages between the Country Offices, Regional Bureau, WFP Headquarters, other United Nations Regional Bureaux, in close collaboration with regional Nutrition Officer for Monitoring &Evaluation and Knowledge Management.
Educational Requirements:
At least a master’s degree in public health nutrition or in other related discipline
Work Experience:
• At least 5 years of experience in international development, preferably with a focus on international public health nutrition programme management
• Previous working experience in the area of social protection and resilience programming is desired.
• Coordination with different actors and participation in thematic meetings;
• Analysis of reports, compilation of information from various sources, and preparation of analytical reports;
• Previous experience in a similar regional support and advisory role.
Other Desirable skills:
• Excellent analysis and drafting skills are required;
• Fluent in English and French (written and oral);
• Ability to engage effectively at working level with a wide range of actors including those in the international humanitarian community and governments;
• Working experience in West and Central Africa is desirable;
• Good computer knowledge and skills;
• Ability to work under tight deadlines and simultaneously manage multiple tasks in an autonomous manner;
• Previous work experience with UN organisations is desirable;
• Maturity, initiative, courtesy, tact and ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with people of different national and cultural backgrounds;
• Ability to handle any other additional tasks as requested by his supervisor.