Nutrition Officer, NO-B, Herat, Afghanistan, Afghan Nationals Only

Contract

This is a NO-2 contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. More about NO-2 contracts.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, sustenance

Afghanistan is one of the most poorly served countries in the world in terms of WASH services, with more than one-third of people without access to improved drinking water. Nearly 60 per cent of the same population lacks access to improved latrines. Studies also show contamination of water services both at source and household level is significantly high in both urban and rural areas. Safe hygiene practices, such as hand washing, are very low across the country, especially in rural areas. According to UNICEF’s Water Security for All report, 93% of children in Afghanistan (15.6 million children) live in areas of high, or extremely high, water vulnerability. Groundwater overextraction for agriculture and cash crops like poppies is exacerbating water scarcity. Even before taking into consideration the escalating security situation, and rapid collapse of the government during August last year, the 2021 HRP estimated that a total of about 8.8 million people would need safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities and services. Meanwhile the drought has compelled people to temporarily move their families from their places of origin to other nearby communities to seek access to water. Furthermore, the recent escalation in conflict with the resulting upheaval and seizing of power by the de facto authority has further exacerbated the high needs for critical WASH services in urban centres, where a significant number of people moved to seek a safe haven and escape possible clashes. This has placed increased pressure on existing WASH services and on the host communities as they accommodate new arrivals. There are early signs of a ‘brain drain’ occurring in the country, amongst trained WASH experts and officials following the takeover of power and this is already impacting the maintenance of existing WASH systems and services which collapse soon as a result leaving millions in cities, towns and rural communities without water and sanitation services.

The impact of these multifaceted issues is illustrated by the current outbreak of AWD/Cholera, which began in September 2021, less than one month after the regime change. These early warnings that existing WASH systems and utilities may soon collapse particularly in urban areas serving large, overcrowded populations, requires urgent action to stabilize the sector and ensure continuity of safe WASH services. Meanwhile hard to reach areas, which have already been underserved for many years, are now accessible and because of drought, returnees and malnutrition there is a significant potential that AWD/Cholera and other communicable disease outbreaks will occur. At the same time, it is critical that existing health facilities and schools do not become point sources of infection for communicable diseases given the high vulnerability of the population at this time and improving their WASH infrastructure and providing IPC training and materials are critical to mitigate communicable disease outbreaks.

How can you make a difference?

The Nutrition Officer will provide professional technical, operational and administrative assistance throughout the programming process for the nutrition programmes/projects within the Country Programme, from development planning to delivery of results. In doing so, the incumbent implements a variety of technical and administrative programme tasks to facilitate programme development, implementation, programme progress monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of results.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Support to programme development and planning

• Conduct and update the situation analysis for the programme sector(s) for the development, design and management of nutrition related programmes/projects. Research and report on development trends (e.g. political social, economic, nutrition, health) for higher management use to enhance programme management, efficiency and delivery of results.
• Contribute to the development and establishment of sectoral programme goals, objectives, strategies, and results-based planning, through analysis of nutrition needs and areas for intervention; and submission of recommendations for priority and goal setting.
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes by executing and administering a variety of technical programme transactions; preparing materials and documentations, and complying with organizational processes and management systems, to support programme planning, results based planning (RBM), and monitoring and evaluation of results.
• Prepare required documentations and materials to facilitate the programme review and approval process.

2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results.

• Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues and partners to discuss operational and implementation issues. Provide solutions, recommendations and/or alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level intervention and/or decision-making. Keep record of reports and assessments for easy reference and/or to capture and institutionalize lessons learned.

• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual reviews with the government and other counterparts to assess programmes/projects and to report on required action and interventions at the higher level of programme management.

• Monitor and report on the use of sectoral programme resources (financial, administrative and other assets), verifying compliance with approved allocation, goals, organizational rules, regulations/procedures, donor commitments, standards of accountability, and integrity. Report on issues identified to ensure timely resolution by management and stakeholders. Follow up on unresolved issues to ensure resolution.
• Prepare regular and mandated sectoral programme/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.

3. Technical and operational support to programme implementation

• Conduct regular programme field visits and surveys, and exchange information with partners and stakeholders to assess progress and provide technical support. Take appropriate action to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for resolution. Report on critical issues, bottlenecks and potential problems for timely action to achieve results.

• Provide technical and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners, and other country office partners/donors on the application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes, and best practices on nutrition-related issues to support programme implementation, operations and delivery of results.

4. Networking and partnership building

• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with nutrition sector government counterparts and national stakeholders through active sharing of information and knowledge to facilitate programme implementation and build capacity of stakeholders to achieve programme goals on maternal and child rights as well as social justice and equity.

• Draft communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support fund raising for nutrition programmes.

• Participate in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) meetings and events on programming to collaborate with inter-agency partners and colleagues on UNDAF operational planning and preparation of nutrition programmes/projects, and to integrate and harmonize UNICEF’s position and strategies with the UNDAF development and planning process.

• Research information on potential donors and prepare resource mobilization materials and briefs for fund raising and partnership development purposes.

5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Identify, capture, synthesize, and share lessons learned for knowledge development and to build the capacity of stakeholders.

• Apply innovative approaches and promote good practices to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results.

• Research, benchmark and report on best and cutting edge practices for development planning of knowledge products and systems.

• Participate as a resource person in capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients and stakeholder.

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

• A university degree (Bachelor’s) 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, and/or another health-related science field.
• A minimum of two (2) years of professional work 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.
• Prior experience in health/nutrition programme/project development in a UN system agency, or organization is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) and/or the local language is considered an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA). To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

* Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

* Kindly note that this is a non-family duty station.

* Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

* Employment is conditional upon receipt of medical clearance, any clearance required, the grant of a visa, and completion of any other pre-employment criteria that UNICEF may establish. Candidates may not be further considered or offer of employment may be withdrawn if these conditions are unlikely to be met before the date for commencement of service.

* The successful candidate for this emergency recruitment MUST be available to commence work within 31 days of receiving an offer.