Nutritionist Consutant Level II

Job Title: Nutritionist
Type of contract: International Consultancy (Level II)

Unit: Programme
Duration: 11 months
Duty Station: Bhutan
Vacancy Number: 831457
Date of Publication: Tuesday 30 January 2024
Deadline of Application: Monday 12 February 2024

JOB PURPOSE
The World Food Programme (WFP) has been in Bhutan since 1974. After almost 50 years of support to Bhutan, WFP in its country strategic plan (2024–2028) will strengthen and support government efforts to deliver equitable and inclusive economic growth and support human capital development. All WFP activities operate with and through WFP’s partnerships with the Government. A prominent feature of the country strategic plan will be expanding WFP’s capacity strengthening of government institutions and engagement of private sector partners while adopting a sharper gender focus.
Diets in Bhutan are characterized by low dietary diversity and high consumption of staple and processed foods. Food preferences and the high cost of a nutritious diet are key drivers of inadequate diets. It costs more than four times as much to meet nutrient needs as energy needs making it unaffordable to 27 percent of the population. The country faces a triple burden of malnutrition involving micronutrient deficiencies, undernutrition and overnutrition. Stunting affects 21 percent of children under 5, with 34 percent of women and 33 percent of men aged 15–69 years overweight. Anaemia affects 35 percent of non-pregnant women and girls, 31 percent of adolescent girls and 44 percent of children aged 6–59 months. The Government’s 13th five-year plan introduces strategies for a more nutrition-sensitive and shock-responsive social protection system and the promotion of healthy, nutrient-dense diets that address the triple burden of malnutrition.

WFP, IFAD and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock are implementing a Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme called “Building resilient commercial smallholder agriculture” or BRECSA. The project aims to to catalyze a 30 percent increase in resilient commercial agricultural production and improve food and nutrition security in the four target districts by 2030. The total beneficiaries are 12,074 farmer’s households (47,088 beneficiaries), of which 60 percent will be women and 30 percent young people. BRECSA will also target vulnerable households to promote nutrition-sensitive agriculture interventions, including home gardens, small-scale poultry production, selected on-farm and off-farm activities, and awareness raising on food-based nutrition.

WFP seeks an international nutritionist to support the country office in both its school nutrition activities and with integration of nutrition into the BRECSA project. The nutritionist will provide technical support to BRECSA in the development of a social and behaviour change (SBC) package for agriculture, including a package of training manuals, knowledge products, field-based SBC materials and social media campaigns to create nutrition awareness among vulnerable rural households. The nutritionist will also provide technical assistance to Bhutan’s national school feeding and nutrition programme (NSFNP), SBC towards ensuring that NSFNP beneficiaries and the public consume safe, healthy and nutrient-dense diets, and integrating nutrition considerations in emergency preparedness and response planning.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

• Provide technical assistance for Bhutan’s national school feeding and nutrition programme:
  • Strengthen menu design capacities of partners for school nutrition programme including monastic schools and early childhood care and development centres.
  • Support improved storage, preparation, and handling of food in schools to ensure food quality and safety standards.
  • Support joint nutrition analysis and evidence generation with government and UN partners.
• Provide technical assistance in areas of SBC for the promotion of fortified food products and consumption of safe, healthy, and nutrient-dense diets:
  • Support government partners in planning, implementing, and monitoring a package of targeted and evidence-based SBC materials and activities.
  • Support government partners for mass media campaign(s) to improve the dietary knowledge, attitudes, norms and practices of students, smallholder farmers, and other consumers.
  • Support initiatives for the advancement of national fortification efforts, including the involvement of private sector.
• BRECSA project specific activities:
  • Review of the baseline, data collection, survey methodology and questionnaires to ensure indicators for the minimum dietary diversity of women (MDD-W) and other key nutrition indicators are included.
  • Support in in identifying key nutrition problems and underlying causes, and nutritionally vulnerable beneficiaries, by group. The Nutritionist will support the PMU and WFP Nutrition Officer to analyze the data and disseminate the research findings.
  • Contribute to the development of an SBC action plan and related activities. Participate in the development and implementation of a monitoring plan to ensure the SBC package is implemented in the four districts.
  • Support the development of a nutrition-sensitive agriculture SBC training package for extension agents and Sanam Jabjorpa for young people, women, and persons with disabilities on nutrition, promotion of cultivation, processing and consumption of healthier foods and effective communication techniques.
  • Support training of trainers (ToT) on the SBC package for nutrition officers, extension workers and Sanam Jabjorpa who will train young people, women, and persons with disabilities.
  • Support capacity strengthening of BRECSA partners on nutrition-sensitive agriculture and SBC. Identify needs and develop and share resources through formal and informal activities.
  • Support the development of a social inclusion strategy for effective implementation of inclusive and nutrition-sensitive agriculture development in the project areas.

DELIVERABLES under BRECSA:

1. A quantitative baseline protocol for qualitative research developed and submitted for implementation.
2. Data analysis of the research and development of nutrition sensitive interventions including SBC action plan along with a M&E plan.
3. Nutrition sensitive interventions including SBC training package finalized and TOT conducted. Monitoring report of the implementation of the SBC package in at least 2 districts.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Master’s degree in the field of nutrition, public health, communication, agronomy or agriculture as well as training in nutrition, public health, communication, or related field

Experience:

• At least 6 years of professional experience implementing or supervising nutrition interventions, especially those involving nutrition-sensitive activities.
• Experience planning and implementing SBC programmes in nutrition or public health including advocacy and interpersonal communication.
• Experience in designing and conducting formative research and monitoring and evaluation related to nutrition, nutrition-sensitive agriculture and rural development programmes.
• Experience developing and implementing relevant training packages.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Excellent interpersonal skills required, including strong professional communication skills.
• Understanding of food systems and drivers of the triple burden of malnutrition in a nutrition transition context
• Knowledge of formative research methods, including qualitative methods
• Strong analytical and report writing skills.
• Ability to work within tight deadlines and independently manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Proven ability to conceptualize, develop, plan, and manage SBC interventions.
• Excellent leadership, teamwork, negotiation and advocacy skills.
• Ability to work in a team and establish effective working relationships with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Advanced computer skills and experience with relevant nutrition databases and software.
• General knowledge or experience of WFP programmes is an advantage.

Languages:

• English fluency (written and spoken)

All WFP Employees are expected to demonstrate the competencies and standards of behavior aligned with our core values and defined in the WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK, namely:
Leading by example with integrity,
Driving results and delivering on commitments,
Fostering inclusive and collaborative teamwork,
Applying strategic thinking,
Building and maintaining sustainable partnerships.