Nutrition Manager

Purpose for the job:

The Nutrition Manager supports the Chief in managing the section, contributing to innovation and knowledge management. S/He is responsible for developing, preparing and managing complex, key and integrated nutrition programmes. Given the unique situation Sudan is in, the nutrition manager leads the design of a novel approach to develop context specific package of humanitarian prevention interventions. Among the contexts are IDPs integrated within host communities, IDPs in camp like setting or in a gathering point, urban population as well as population across conflict lines.

The Nutrition Manager provides authoritative technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes to facilitate the administration and achievement of concrete and sustainable results in maternal, infant and child nutrition programmes/projects. This is carried out according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM), as well as UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance, and accountability framework. The nutrition manager ensures compliance of preventions interventions with the UNICEF Core Commitments for Children in humanitarian action (CCCs).

Key function, accountabilities and related duties/tasks

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

• Management and advisory support to the Chief
• Programme development and planning, including in humanitarian setting
• Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results for prevention of malnutrition in humanitarian settings
• Advisory services and technical support
• Advocacy, networking and partnership building
• Knowledge management and capacity building
• Innovation for prevention interventions at scale in humanitarian setting

Management and advisory support to the Chief

• Provide advice to the Chief in establishing the annual work plan, including developing strategies and determining priorities, targets and performance measurements.
• Coordinate work progress monitoring and ensure results are achieved according to schedule and performance standards, and report to Chief critical issues for timely action.
• Provide technical assistance and advice to colleagues in the section on all aspects of programming and implementation to enable them to achieve performance objectives.
• Perform the full duties of the Chief in his/her absence.

Programme development and planning, including in humanitarian setting.

• Provide technical support and guidance on the preparation, design and updating of the situation analysis for the nutrition sector/s to ensure comprehensive and current data on maternal and child nutrition is available to guide policy development as well as design and management of nutrition programmes/projects.
• Keep abreast of development trends to enhance programme management, efficiency and delivery.
• Participate in strategic programme discussions on the planning of nutrition programmes/projects.
• Formulate, design and prepare a sector of the nutrition programme proposal, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, Country Programme, and coherence/integration with the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), regional strategies, as well as national priorities, plans, and competencies.
• Establish specific goals, objectives, strategies, and implementation plans for the sector(s) based on results-based planning terminology and methodology (RBM). Prepare required documentations for programme review and approval.
• Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues and partners to discuss strategies and methodologies, and to determine national priorities and competencies to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable results.
• Provide authoritative technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes to ensure integration, coherence and harmonization of programmes/projects with other UNICEF sectors and achievement of results as planned and allocated.
• Ensure the Crisis Response Plan, HRP and other country program and UN wide plans are formulated with SMART goals towards prevention of stunting, wasting and micro-nutrient deficiencies among under-fives, during middle childhood and adolescents, as well as among pregnant and breastfeeding women.
• Provide authoritative technical and operational support for designing of context specific prevention actions among communities affected by the Sudan humanitarian crisis, including the incorporation of Humanitarian, Peace, and Development nexus.

Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results for prevention of malnutrition in humanitarian settings.

• Plan and/or collaborate with internal and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators and measurements to assess and strengthen performance accountability, coherence, and delivery of concrete and sustainable results for the assigned sector in nutrition programmes.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual health reviews with the government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required action and interventions to achieve results.
• Prepare and assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths and/or weaknesses in programme management. Identify lessons learned and use knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals.
• Design tools and methods for context specific monitoring, including remote monitoring/ monitoring through a third party, of prevention interventions among under-five, school age children, adolescents, pregnant and breastfeeding women.
• Actively monitor programmes and projects through field visits, surveys and/or exchange of information with partners and stakeholders, third-party monitoring to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems, and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.
• Plan, monitor and verify the optimum and appropriate use of sectoral programme resources (financial, administrative and other assets) confirming compliance with organizational rules, regulations, procedures, donor commitments, and standards of accountability. Ensure timely reporting and liquidation of resources.
• Prepare regular and mandated programme/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.

Advisory services and technical support

• Provide advice to key government officials, NGO partners, UN system partners, and other country office partners/donors on policies, strategies, best practices and approaches on nutrition-related issues to support programme development planning, management, implementation, and delivery of results.
• Participate in strategic programme discussions and planning to provide technical advice, contribute to policy discussions and agendas, and promote health/nutrition interventions, especially in the areas of gender, emergency preparedness and maternal, newborn, and child health and nutrition.
• Provide strategic technical guidance to the nutrition cluster and related relevant forums including the IYCF TWG on the integration of prevention interventions within the humanitarian programming cycle.
• Prepare policy papers, briefs and other strategic programme materials for management use, information and/or consideration.
• Participate in emergency preparedness initiatives for programme development, contingency planning and/or to respond to emergencies

Advocacy, networking and partnership building

• Build and strengthen strategic partnerships with nutrition/health sector government counterparts, national stakeholders, global partners, allies, donors, and academia,
• through active networking, advocacy and effective communication. Build capacity, exchange knowledge and expertise, and/or promote cooperation and alliances to achieve programme goals on maternal and child rights as well as social justice and equity.
• Prepare communication and information materials to highlight programme goals, achievements and/or needs to promote awareness, establish partnerships/alliances and support fund raising for nutrition programmes (maternal, newborn and child survival and development).
• Participate and/or represent UNICEF in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) discussions and planning on nutrition-related issues to ensure organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the UNDAF process in development planning and agenda setting. Collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNDAF planning and preparation of nutrition programmes/projects.

Knowledge management and capacity building

• Keep abreast, research, benchmark, and implement best and cutting edge practices in health management and information systems. Institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned.
• Contribute to the development of policies and procedures and best practices to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programmes and projects.
• Organize, plan and/or implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients and stakeholders to promote sustainable results on health/nutrition related programmes/projects.

Innovation for prevention interventions at scale in humanitarian setting

• Promote critical thinking, innovative approaches and good practices for sustainable nutrition programme/project initiatives through advocacy and technical advisory services.
• Design of novel approaches to develop context specific package of humanitarian prevention interventions. Among the contexts are IDPs integrated within host communities, IDPs in camp like setting or in a gathering point, urban population as well as population across conflict lines.
• Facilitate critical reflection and learning from MCCT+ implementation to design approaches to scale up prevention interventions linked with cash and other social protections interventions.
• Provide strategic initiative for testing and scale up of new approaches for better linkage with WASH, Health, Food and Education interventions that have impacts on the key determinants of malnutrition.
• Design approaches that will maximize the opportunities created by nutrition response platforms to foster peace, and conflict sensitive programming.

Impact of Results

• The efficiency and efficacy of support provided by the Nutrition Manager to the preparation, planning and implementation of nutrition programmes/projects contributes to and accelerates the national development as well as the humanitarian response efforts to improve the nutritional status of mothers, infants and children, and avert further deterioration as a result of the current crisis in the country. This in turn contributes to maintaining and enhancing the credibility and ability of UNICEF to continue to provide programme services to mothers and children that promotes greater social equity in the country.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

The following minimum requirements:

• Education: An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required:  nutrition, public health, nutritional epidemiology, global/international health and nutrition, health/nutrition research, policy and/or management, health sciences, nutritional epidemiology, or another health-related science field.
• Experience: A minimum of eight years of professional experience in a developing country in one or more of the following areas is required: nutrition, public health, nutrition planning and management, or maternal, infant and child health/nutrition care.
• Experience in health/nutrition programme/project development and management in a UN system agency or organization is an asset
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

Source: https://jobs.unicef.org/cw/en-us/job/572184