Vacancy Ref No: UNSOM/2012/003 Functional Title: Learning, Training and Development Unit Coordinator Position Level: P3/NOC Type of Contract: Temporary Appointment Post of Duty: Nairobi Duration: A total of 364 days Reporting to: Senior Nutrition Manager I Rationale Somalia is a country that has continuously suffered nutritional problems due to insecurity, drought, high food prices and poor food availability, disease outbreak and poor breastfeeding practices. Nutrition indictors, measured by the Food Security and Nutrition Unit (FSNAU), frequently portray Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) levels of above 15%. For the past 2 decades humanitarian access has been extremely limited and programme reach inadequate. Experienced International Nongovernmental Organisations (INGOs) are few in number and have often experienced difficulty in achieving geographical coverage or maintaining strong supervision. In recent years a number of local Nongovernmental organisations (LNGOs) have either started operations or expanded health activities to include nutrition. This has more than doubled in the recent famine of 2011. Experience and knowledge of these actors is extremely variable and with the repeated emergencies UNICEF has been without sufficient opportunity to guide them technically. The Somali Nutrition Strategy 2011-2013 lists “Improved capacity and means in country to deliver essential nutrition services” as one of its six key outcomes. For years UNICEF has focused on Training of Trainers (TOT) as a key way to increase knowledge and skills in the management of acute malnutrition, often resorting to bringing staff out of Somalia or away from their areas of work. This methodology has not produced sustainable results, nor have the short-term results ever been evaluated. It is evident, however, that general experience and quality of programmes requires extensive and systematic improvement. A more comprehensive approach to building and maintaining capacities of nutrition partners urgently needs to be explored. Subsequently UNICEF Somalia, Nutrition Department is developing a 5 year plan that will involve creation of a Learning, Training, and Development (LTD) Unit. The primary focus is to increase the quality of interventions of nutrition partners, and indirectly this will increase the quality of the nutrition sector as a whole and of individual health workers within those organisations. This will be by moving the focus to “Learning” and “Development” and away from “Training” per se. Both a Strategic Framework and a Strategy will be developed, ensuring there is measurable impact of the LTD on raising the technical level of nutritional partners and the quality of their nutrition programming. The need for innovative ways to capacity build and improve monitoring and evaluation of IMAM programmes was also highlighted by many Ministry of Health staff at the recent 4-day CMAM conference held in Addis, November 2011. The development of a unit to try to address some of these issues is therefore a timely intervention and one that could be relevant to the region as well as Somalia. II Objective of the Temporary Appointment The main objective of the temporary appointment is to lead the strategic development of the LTD Unit objectives. The specific objectives are: - To conduct a nutrition technical skills needs assessment of UNICEF Somalia partners - To establish a 2 year strategy and action plan for LTD in Somalia - To support development of innovative techniques for LTD in Somalia for UNICEF partners and staff considering the context and based on best practice in adult education - To address technical needs/training content and gaps in protocols/guidelines and ensure any protocols are evidence-based, adapted to the Somalia context and adhere to international standards - Development ways to improve the “learning environment” through provision of non-technical skills building, including management and supportive supervision III Methodology and Technical Approach Several opportunities exist for diversifying the learning environment of UNICEF partners and staff in Somalia. The work of the LTD Unit and its Coordinator must consider the complex and varied environment in country. Additionally the best practices and evidence-based approaches for optimal adult learning must be taken into consideration. There is a need for a more coordinated, systematic, timely, effective and coherent way of training organisations, with a greater focus placed on increasing “learning” and “development” and on training delivery methods. Delivery methods of training need improving as well as the updating, simplifying and translating the content of trainings. Technical areas needing to be covered have been explored through various formal and informal assessments. Certainly the essential components covered in the Basic Nutrition Services Package (BNSP) should be prioritized along with general programme cycle management skills. IV Deliverables Deliverables of this assignment are: ? A nutrition technical skills needs assessment of UNICEF Somalia partners ? A 2 year strategy and plan of action for the LTD Unit ? Development of LTD techniques and tools for partners and staff ? Monitoring of the various techniques developed for effectiveness and acceptability ? Establishment of key partnerships for LTD ? Guidance and management of Unit staff as well as consultants or seconded staff ? Guidance and management of Unit staff as well as consultants or seconded staff V Scope of Work The work of the LTD unit will consist of strengthening response for the following areas: o Curative Nutrition Activities: Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM), comprised of community mobilisation/outreach, Stabilisation Centre (SC)/inpatient care for management of complicated Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), Outpatient Therapeutic Programme (OTP) for management of uncomplicated SAM and management of Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) through Supplementary Feeding Programmes (SFP), targeted and blanket. o Preventative Activities: Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) and routine micronutrient delivery. Both areas will also involve incorporation of aspects of the Basic Nutrition Services Package (BNSP). In addition the unit will respond to other identified needs: o Additional Technical Guidance: In such a complex context as Somalia, gaps and requests for information and guidance that is not in the routine material often arise, especially in times of emergency. Existing protocols and material may require updating or modifying to be able to respond to the needs identified on the ground. Recent examples include the management of children over 5 years in famine months and nutrition management during specific disease outbreaks or epidemics (e.g. measles, cholera). o Non-Nutritional Areas: it has also been identified that many of the NGOs require support in developing skills in areas that include programme cycle management issues, budgeting, proposal writing. Management skills are also required to help make the NGO environment more conducive to learning. VI Methodology to Achieve Objectives Multiple innovative approaches are required to help achieve development and learning across the many nutritional stakeholders in Somalia. There is a need for a more coordinated, systematic, timely, effective and coherent way of training organisations, with a greater focus placed on measuring “learning” and “development” and on training delivery methods rather than delivering training per se. Delivery methods of training need improving as well as the updating, simplifying and translating the content of trainings. The following is not exhaustive but proposes some of the current ideas of activities within the LTD unit with the aim of exploring improved learning through a variety of traditional and more innovative techniques that will involve both “on the job” and “off the job” and distant learning. o CALL CENTRE: For 6 months the LTD Unit is establishing and trialling a Call Centre made up of technical and logistical staff who will both actively call staff in the field and also receive calls. From logs of the incoming calls and queries, commonly occurring questions and issues will be used to create “Frequently Asked Questions” factsheets that will be translated and disseminated to all partners. o MENTORSHIP & INTERNSHIP UNICEF aims to facilitate a mentorship and internship programme to build practical and technical skills. Encouragement of stronger nutrition agencies to help mentor/capacity build either MoH departments (north) or newer NGOs (central south) has already started by UNICEF. o DISTANCE CURRICULUM-BASED LEARNING Formal Curriculum-based Learning Techniques (distance and in-person) will be developed, piloted and implemented. These will be very visual with small video chapters developed to correspond to specific protocols and topics and available on dvd/flashdrive and through website connections. o TRAINING OF TRAINERS (TOT) AND SUPERVISION SKILLS PROGRAMME There is a need for Somali speaking staff who are strong in: - providing effective TOTs - technically sound (especially in IMAM and IYCF components) - monitoring and evaluation, problem solving and supportive supervision With partners UNICEF is developing a one year curriculum which would involve 3 intensive off-site training/tutorial weeks to address each of the 3 areas outlined above, with ongoing tasks and distance mentoring in-between each of the training weeks. To be piloted with 7 agencies. o SUPERVISION/MANAGEMENT TRAINING o UPDATE UNIVERSITY AND TRAINING COLLEGE SYLLABUSES The majority of the Somali speaking technical staff come from universities and medical and nursing schools within Somalia. Some of these o NON-TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF PROGRAMMING Support skill building and experience in non-technical aspects of programming such as programme cycle management, and logistical and administrative skills and systems. VII Management, Organization, and Timeframe The LTD Coordinator will report directly to the Senior Nutrition Manager. Duty station will be Nairobi with travel to the field when required. DSA at UN applicable rates will be provided for travel to Somalia. VIII Qualification and Specialized Knowledge The following qualifications are required: ? Advanced degree in Education, Public Health, Nutrition or a related field ? At least 6 years of relevant Humanitarian Aid experience in developing countries ? Relevant professional work experience in learning, training and development ? Understanding of nutrition and its underlying causes ? Demonstrated previous experience in developing LTD techniques and tools. ? Experience with Somali populations desired, willingness to travel to Somalia necessary ? Strong communication and facilitation skills ? Ability to work independently with minimum supervision ? Ability to work in multicultural and multiethnic environments Interested and qualified candidates should send their applications with updated UN Personal History Form (P.11) form, updated CV and copies of academic certificates to the email below. UN staffs are requested to provide the last two Performance Evaluation Reports (PERs). Please quote the vacancy number and the post title in the subject line in your application. Closing date for applications is 31/01/2012. Email to: somaliahrvacancies@unicef.org Only short-listed applicants will be contacted QUALIFIED FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE ESPECIALLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY UNICEF IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT