Nutrition Specialist

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

UNICEF works in the world’s toughest places to reach the most disadvantaged children and adolescents – and to protect the rights of every child, everywhere. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we do whatever it takes to help children survive, thrive and fulfil their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, safe water and sanitation, quality education and skill building, HIV prevention and treatment for mothers and babies, and the protection of children and adolescents from violence and exploitation. Before, during and after humanitarian emergencies, UNICEF is on the ground, providing lifesaving support and hope to children and families. Non-political and impartial, UNICEF is never neutral when it comes to defending children’s rights and safeguarding their lives and futures.

In South Sudan, continues to grapple with persistent nutrition insecurity stemming largely from disabling socio-economic and political conditions, exacerbated by a long history of shocks. These include years of conflict, droughts, flooding, suboptimal maternal and childcare practices, gender disparities, and widespread repeated episodes of childhood illnesses. The post COVID pandemic and global events have affected South Sudan, which has negatively impacted food security and the nutrition situation. Following South Sudan’s Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM, 2017) guidelines, UNICEF and World Food Programme (WFP), jointly provide technical guidance and lifesaving commodities to ensure that more children and women benefit from equitable access to integrated and quality curative services for the management of wasting, including in emergencies. South Sudan’s Nutrition Cluster Strategy provides guidance to implement different strategies by county priority. The cluster guidance includes the implementation of the recently released the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) global guidelines on the prevention and management of wasting and nutritional oedema (acute malnutrition) in infants and children under five (5) years. . The guideline comes with a new result area to manage High Risk Moderate Acute Malnutrition (HRM) with Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), alongside the usual Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) burden. For this new approach, South Sudan is among the 5 frontrunner countries globally and will be piloted in 13 counties in 2 states with medium deprivations and malnutrition levels that resulted from a multiple deprivation longitudinal analysis. For operational reasons, a purposive selection was undertaken and agreed with MOH, UNICEF and WFP to come up with these 13 counties for the anticipated pilot.

Based in Juba, the IUNV Nutrition Specialist will be dedicated to the operationalisation of the new WHO global guidelines on the prevention and management of wasting and nutritional oedema pilot in the 13 counties in South Sudan.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of Nutrition Manager (Wasting) or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UN Volunteer Nutrition Specialist will ensure that: • South Sudan’s Ministry of Health develops and disseminates a country roadmap towards the operationalization of the updated guideline on the Prevention and Management of Wasting and Nutritional Oedema – that includes the pilot in the 13 counties, learning and inform post pilot at-scale timelines. • Further, the country has supplemental operations guideline on the Prevention and Management of Wasting and Nutritional Oedema will also include digitalized data collection and reporting plan, alongside the CMAM training package, job aids, and supporting supervision tools, for the initial 13 counties. • With these in place, that Implementing Partners and communities are engaged and sensitized on the new approach in the 13 counties, to ensure execution.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers; • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Results/expected outputs

• As an active UNICEF team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to Ministry of Health and Implementing Partners and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including: • Success of a test pilot for the operational training materials operations guideline on the Prevention and Management of Wasting and Nutritional Oedema that will also include the use of the four-color band new MUACs, digitalized data collection and reporting. • Completion of a Training of Trainers on the developed operational materials. • Appropriate capacity enhancements, followed by implementation in the 13 pilot counties. • Supplementation of all children 6-59 months classified as HRM with RUTF, as with SAM. • Supporting the documentation of all stages of the implementation for purposes of internal and subsequent regional and global learning; alongside, supporting periodic publications/ case studies. • Finally, draw a road map for national scale beyond the initial 13 counties. • Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment. • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed.

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1) • Works Collaboratively with others (1) • Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1) • Innovates and Embraces Change (1) • Thinks and Acts Strategically (1) • Drive to achieve impactful results (1) • Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNICEF; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNICEF procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; • Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and UNICEF in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making. • Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity. • Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment. • Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner. • Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely. • Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods. • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNICEF’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

working with Government and Non-Government Implementing Partners, with a focus on health outcomes; experience in CMAM is an asset, as is experience working in the UN or other international development organization; • Experience in localizing new WHO or other global health/ nutrition related guidelines will be an added advantage. • Excellent oral and written skills in English; with excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills is required; • Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing is also required; • Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with the UN or other international system, Government and a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development are necessary; • Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel; • Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/ internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment; • Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines; • Sound security awareness; • Have affinity with or interest in humanitarian work for children, women and other vulnerable groups including refugees, asylum seekers and people with disabilities, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System.

Juba is the capital city of South Sudan and is home to the main political parties and national Government Line Ministries. Embassy of countries represented in South Sudan/country offices of the Humanitarian community, including the UN, resides in Juba. Juba is also the capital of the Central Equatorian State.

Accommodation for UNICEF international personnel in Juba is limited to two locations – Classique and Naivasha compounds. Both locations are cleared by the UN Security Management System and follow mandated measures defined under the Security Risk Management (SRM) Area documentation.

South Sudan is a unique country with a unique humanitarian operation. It provides for an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness, as well as more stamina and commitment than elsewhere to make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort, are essential.