Internal to UN - Programme Policy Officer, Nutrition, Area Office Central, Isiolo, NOB

.

WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes. Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The Nutrition Officer will work under the direct supervision and support of the Area Office Coordinator (Central) based in area office central (Isiolo) with technical guidance from the Head of Nutrition based in Nairobi. World Food Program (WFP) has rolled out its Country Strategic Plan 2023-2027 which has integrated nutrition across the key strategic outcome areas. The key shifts aligned to the strategic plan is focus on healthy diets for preventive measures towards ending all forms of malnutrition.

The Nutrition Officer will provide technical support in the transition to the new WHO guidelines on the management of acute malnutrition, support the analysis of barriers to adequate diet, implementation of different interventions to overcome the barriers, influencing value chains, food transformation interventions, market and retail, social assistance and changing behaviors towards healthy diet. The Nutrition Officer will support with partnerships, advocacy, communication, monitoring and evaluation for healthy diet.

JOB PURPOSE

To provide support to nutrition programmes and activities to contribute to meeting the nutritional needs of WFP beneficiaries.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

• Provide technical advice to the Area Office’s team on programme and policy issues including assessment and analysis, activities, and transfer modalities for nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive programming in line with WFP standards and processes.
• In coordination with the Nutrition Technical Unit, provide support in programme design and implementation of nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions as well as resource mobilization efforts for the area office (Central).
• Carry out regular field visits to the project sites as appropriate and take lead in improving implementation of nutrition programme activities, and prepare reports outlining findings, recommendations, and improvement action plans.
• Lead operational partnerships, including inter-agency collaboration, to ensure a strong multi-sectoral response to nutrition in both emergency and non-emergency settings.
• Lead in knowledge sharing and documentation for the area office staff and stakeholders to build capacity around nutrition integration as well as approaches for supplementation and prevention of acute malnutrition aligned to the new WHO guidelines.

• Work closely with cooperating partners to improve coverage of implementation and quality of nutrition programme including identifying gaps and strengthening their capacity.

• Provide technical guidance and support on transition of nutrition management according to the new WHO recommendations for Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) management aligning with WFP standards and procedures.

• Lead the development and implementation of social behavior change communication activities for nutrition in the area office (Central).
• Collaborate with the monitoring and evaluation unit to assess the food and nutrient gap to identify multisectoral opportunities and entry points that contribute to improving the nutrition situation for households.
• Represent WFP in key nutrition technical forums and other collaborative platforms at the area office that will support the nutrition integration agenda aligned to the Country Strategic Plan and Annual Work Plans developed.
• Other as required.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:

Three (3) years post graduate relevant experience with master’s degree in nutrition, Public Health, Food Systems and Transformation, Social Sciences or other relevant field.

OR

Five (5) years of post-graduate professional experience with a first university degree in nutrition, Public Health, Food Systems and Transformation, Social Sciences or other relevant field.

Language: International Professional: Fluency (level C) in English language.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

↵

• At least four (4) years of experience working in humanitarian contexts.
• Must have operational experience supporting or managing nutrition emergency responses in different contexts, including familiarity with integrated management of acute malnutrition /community-based management of acute malnutrition, simplified approaches, and prevention programming.
• Field experience with the United Nations or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to strategically engage with government and partners, to develop and implement multi-sectoral programmes.
• Experience in transitioning targeted supplementary feeding programme implementation to the government will be an added advantage.

FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES

Capability Name Description of the behaviour expected for the proficiency level Knowledge of Nutrients Utilizes knowledge of vitamins and nutrients to understand the causes of malnutrition, the relationships between the different types of malnutrition, and is able to articulate the UNICEF conceptual model. Situation Analysis and Evidence Assessment Able to appropriately interpret the nutrition situation, analyze primary causes of malnutrition, define limitations to the analysis (e.g. seasonality) and prepare an overview of the food security and nutrition situation in country. Knowledge of Public Health Has foundational knowledge of the core public health sciences (i.e., biostatistics, epidemiology, social science, environmental health, and prevention of chronic and infectious disease and injury) in order to assess a country’s/region’s health situation. Knowledge of Food System Ability to analyze how food systems influence the diets of vulnerable groups and identify how and where food systems may contribute to specific nutrient gaps. Applying Programme & Policy Standards Leverages nutrition knowledge to provide technical advice to governments to design and implement country nutrition programmes that follow international and WFP agency standards and guidance.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Type of Contract: Fixed Term

Duty Station: Isiolo, Kenya

Contract Duration: 1 year with possibility of extension

• Kindly note; Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
• The World Food Programme DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS.
• WFP embraces diversity and equal opportunity. We are committed to building a team that celebrates diversity and inclusivity in all ways.
• All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications and merit.
• Applicants profile MUST match the C.V attached. Any discrepancies between the C.V and the profile will lead to automatic disqualification.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Applications for this position will close at 11:59 p.m. (East African Time) on 3rd December 2023.

.

WFP has a zero-tolerance approach to conduct such as fraud, sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to WFP’s standards of conduct and will therefore undergo rigorous background verification internally or through third parties. Selected candidates will also be required to provide additional information as part of the verification exercise. Misrepresentation of information provided during the recruitment process may lead to disqualification or termination of employment

WFP will not request payment at any stage of the recruitment process including at the offer stage. Any requests for payment should be refused and reported to local law enforcement authorities for appropriate action.