UNICEF is responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide. UNICEF Health program is designed to support national health priorities with focus on programs that will positively impact on the lives of the most disadvantaged children, such as the prevention and treatment of diseases through establishing community-level efforts and services to promote the health and well-being of children. In line with this strategy, UNICEF supports immunization and health prevention programs for childhood diseases and funding for sustainable health services. UNICEF programs have been guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), which affirms the right of all children to “the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health.”

UNICEF is committed to realizing the rights of all children to help them build a strong foundation and have the best chance of fulfilling their potential. We believe that ensuring a happy and healthy child begins before birth: from ensuring his/her mother has access to good neonatal care and delivering in a clean, safe environment to reaching adulthood as a responsible, healthy and informed parent to the next generation. This journey relies on a child having access to shelter, good nutrition, clean water and sanitation, healthcare and education.

Context
UNICEF promotes the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, advocacy, and operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop, and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias, or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic, and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. UNICEF strives towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

In Nigeria, children are the most deprived of a range of rights, including the right to good nutrition, resulting in all forms of malnutrition. The latter is a consequence of complex interactions between individuals, households, and broader social and economic conditions. The First 1,000 Days of Life, from conception to two years of age, have been identified as a critical window for nutrition and child development, and deprivations during this critical period result in irreversible consequences. Some of the factors responsible for the high rates of malnutrition in Nigeria include poor coverage and quality of nutrition services as well as persistent negative social norms and practices that lead to poor dietary practices for women and children. Consequently, Nigeria has the highest number of malnourished children in Africa and the second highest in the world.

Ensuring that women and children have access to optimal diets, services, and practices is the focus of UNICEF Nigeria’s Country Programme Strategy (2023-2027). The strategy is focused on ensuring that Nigeria, currently off-track to attain the Sustainable Development Goal Nutrition Targets by 2030, is supported to change the current trajectory.

To enable the above to occur, the use of data, analytics, and evidence is a core part of the strategy. The near real-time monitoring of the nutrition situation of children and women, analyses, and reporting of program performance to internal and external stakeholders is critical in influencing decisions on policy, programme effectiveness and resource allocations.

Nigeria is data-rich both in terms of routine data (e.g. DHIS-2, supply chain, etc.) and survey data such as the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2018, Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2021, the National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey 2021, SMART surveys etc. These data need to be analyzed, reported, and used to inform programming.

The volunteer supports the strengthening of nutrition information system components: people, data, technology, processes, and procedures. These UNV assignments are part of UNICEF’s current program cycle, 2023-2027, that seeks to strengthen the nutrition information system across all levels of the data value chain for use within the organization, as well as at the national and subnational levels for decision-making. The UN volunteers will provide technical support specifically to the government at the federal level.

Task description
Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of a designated/mandated representative(s), the UNV Nutrition Data and Logistics Specialists will:
• Provide technical support to the government in nutrition planning, data collection, analysis, and reporting. The data will include routine programme data (programme reports and DHIS2), population-level survey data, and specific research activities as applicable.
• Provide technical support to the government on data visualization using GIS software such as ArcgGis, PowerBi and produce maps and dashboards etc.
• Support management of nutrition databases using applicable tools such as Excel and other internal software.
• Develop programme-appropriate information products based on audience needs, data availability and refine the ideas in consultation with the UNICEF team before embarking on the actual design of the products.
• Provide technical support in strengthening the supply chain and logistics information management system of the government
• Conduct field visits to programme locations to monitor the quality of data collection and reporting and provide supportive supervision as and when needed.
• Support the government nutrition situation analysis needs.
• Participate in nutrition data capacity building activities
• Perform other tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.

– Results/expected outputs
• As an active UNICEF Nigeria team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly, and high-quality support rendered to the Nutrition Section, Government, Donors, and other Stakeholders in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including:

 Quality nutrition data collected and analyzed to meet programme performance monitoring and reporting needs.
 Strengthen the nutrition information system of the government.
 Procedures and processes developed using standard nutrition data methodologies
 Contribution to country and regional reports and updates completed on time.
 Capacity-building activities on nutrition data for the government and partners.
 Capacity-building activities on supply and logistics information management systems for the government and partners.
 Nutrition data communication products produced such as PowerPoint presentations, communication briefs etc.

Eligibility criteria
Age
18 – 80

Nationality
Candidate must be a national or legal resident of the country of assignment.

Requirements
Required experience
5 years of experience in Nutrition, Public health, Nutritional Epidemiology, Geographic Information Systems, Statistics, Data Science, Monitoring and Evaluation or a closely related field.
i. Experience with data analysis and visualization tools – Excel, GIS, Ena for SMART, PowerPoint, PowerBi
ii. Experience with nutrition data methodologies – SMART, coverage methodologies (eg SQUEAC), DHIS2, qualitative data methods, research, evaluations etc.
iii. Experience with supply and logistics management systems.

Area(s) of expertise
Health, Natural and life sciences, Logistics and Inventory

Driving license
–

Languages
English, Level: Fluent, Required

Required education level
Master degree or equivalent in Nutrition, Public health, Nutritional Epidemiology, Geographic Information Systems, Statistics, Data Science, Monitoring and Evaluation or a closely related field.

Competencies and values
A. Core values and competencies

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA)

B. UNICEF competencies required are –
• Builds and maintains partnerships (I)
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (I)
• Drive to achieve results for impact (I)
• Innovates and embraces change (I)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (I)
• Thinks and acts strategically (I)
• Works collaboratively with others (I)