Nutrition Officer (Supplies and Knowledge Management)

Details

Mission and objectives

UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work to translate that commitment into practical action, especially for the most disadvantaged children.
In the Pacific we work in Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu: These 14 Pacific island countries are home to 2.3 million people, including 1.2 million children and youth, living on more than 660 islands and atolls stretching across 17.2 million square kilometres of the Pacific Ocean, an area comparable to the combined size of the United States of America and Canada.
Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu are classified as Fragile States according to World Bank/OECD criteria. All 14 Pacific island countries have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, but only a third are on track with reporting obligations.

Context

UNICEF’S work in the Pacific includes responding to a triple burden of malnutrition, i.e., undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, overweight and obesity. Above all, UNICEF will accelerate efforts to promote multi-system and multi-stakeholder approaches to reduce stunting and improve the quality of foods, food environments and nutritional practices of children, adolescents and women and ensure household food security. UNICEF will support governments to strengthen the existing legislation and regulatory frameworks, or to develop new ones that support the availability and affordability of nutritious foods and regulate the importations and marketing of unhealthy foods. Given the growing prevalence of obesity in children, UNICEF will invest in multisectoral approaches to promote healthy lifestyles and dietary practices, including social and behavioral change and youth-led advocacy initiatives, engagement with private sector food producers and strengthening school nutrition programmes. This UNV assignment will support the Nutrition Specialist and the team in UNICEF nutrition programming, with special focus on multi-system and youth engagement.

Task description

Withing the delegated authority and under the supervision of Nutrition Specialist or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UN Volunteer Nutrition Officer (Supplies and Knowledge Management) will:
Nutrition Supplies Management
• Provide support in the management of nutrition supplies by following up on ordered nutrition supplies ensuring that any support to dispatch and document is provided on time.
• Support relevant personnel in ensuring that the Ministry of health in various countries have up to date and accurate distribution plans, to avoid expiry of supplies
• Support relevant personnel in ensuring that the Ministry of health is supported to forecast their needs for nutrition supplies
Knowledge Management
• Support monitoring of results to facilitate timely donor report, through liaising with different country teams and supporting them to consolidate reporting ahead of donor and office end year reporting time-line
• Ensure that progress reports and programme data / information are well archived on the Health and Nutrition SharePoint
• Support efforts in selected countries under the Pacific multi-country office to organize nutrition information management system under the Ministry of Health
• Support undertaking a scoping of available social behavior change (SBC) communication materials in use by the Ministry of Health to assist in identifying gaps, and standardization of SBC communication for promotion of optimal nutrition throughout the life cycle.
• Provide back-up support in engaging, mobilizing and mentoring young people to support good nutrition.