Nutrition Specialist (Emergency Nutrition Sector Coordinator), NOC, Islamabad, Pakistan (364 days)

Contract

This is a NO-3 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-3 contracts.

UNICEF works in some of the most challenging places in the world to reach the 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: Nutrition!

Pakistan was the sixth country in the world to sign and ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child, less than one year after it was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989. However, children and adolescents living in Pakistan still face acute challenges.

UNICEF supports the Government of Pakistan to accelerate progress for children, work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and help children realize their rights under the Convention on the Rights of Children. This will be made through, among other things, strong partnerships with provincial authorities, teachers and health professionals, frontline workers and social mobilizers, communities and families, and, of course, the children and adolescents themselves.

In particular, UNICEF will work so that:

• Every child survives and thrives by being in good health, immunized, protected from polio, and accessing nutritious food.
• Every child learns.
• Every child is protected from violence and exploitation and registered at birth.
• Every child lives in a safe and clean environment, with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.

To learn more about UNICEF work in Pakistan, please visit the country website, www.unicef.org/pakistan , and videos on YouTube and Vimeo.

The Emergency Nutrition Sector Coordinator will be responsible for strengthening the Nutrition Sector at the National and sub national level.

The Nutrition Specialist will report directly to the UNICEF Nutrition Manager, who will ensure that the post holder is provided with all necessary support and guidance, as well as expected to closely work with the Director General Health and the Nutrition team at the MoNHSR&C, and Nutrition Sector members.

How can you make a difference?

The post holder has joint responsibility with the UNICEF, resourcing partners and all sector participants at the national and sub-national level for the efficient management and functioning of the national emergency nutrition sector encompassing the following:

• Strengthen and maintain an appropriate humanitarian coordination mechanism;
• Strengthen pre-exiting sectoral coordination through increased predictability and accountability;
• Build complementarity of partner actions: avoiding duplication and gaps;
• Ensure adequate resources are mobilized and are equitably allocate for the effective functioning of the sector and its response;
• Effective and comprehensive integration of relevant cross-cutting issues, including age, gender, climate change, and protection;
• Maintain flexibility within the sector to respond to changes in the operating environment, evolving requirements, capacities and participation;
• Effectively use and transfer information to, from and between sector participants and other stakeholders;
• Interact with other sectors (including through inter-sector coordination), humanitarian actors, government counterparts, and relevant authorities for operational planning, engagement, and active contribution of operational partners;
• Be accountable to the affected population through effective and inclusive consultative and feedback mechanisms;
• Monitor performance of the core sector functions.

Following are the core sector functions:

1. Supporting service delivery

1.1. Coordinate for the provision of platform to ensure that service delivery is driven by the agreed strategic priorities

1.2. Develop mechanisms to eliminate duplication of service delivery among humanitarian partners

1.3. Strengthen and support sub technical working groups under the nutrition sector.

2. Informing strategic decision-making of the Humanitarian Coordination Team (HCT) for the humanitarian response

2.1. Coordinating needs assessment and gap analysis (across other sectors and within the sector)

2.2. Facilitate through analysis to identify and address (emerging) gaps, obstacles, duplication, and cross-cutting issues impacting nutrition

2.3. Conduct prioritization of response that is grounded on the situation analysis

3. Planning and Strategy Development

3.1. Develop sectoral plans, objectives and indicators directly support realization of the HCT strategic priorities

3.2. Application and adherence to existing standards and guidelines

3.3. Clarify funding requirements, prioritization, and sector contributions to HC's overall humanitarian funding considerations (Flash Appeal, CAP, ERF/CHF, CERF)

4. Advocacy

4.1. Identify advocacy concerns to contribute to emergency nutrition priorities and HCT messaging and action

4.2. Undertaking advocacy activities on behalf of nutrition sector participants and the affected population

5. Monitoring and reporting the implementation of the sector strategy and results; recommending corrective action where necessary

6. Contingency planning/preparedness for recurrent disasters whenever feasible and relevant.

7. Accountability to affected populations

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s) in health sciences, public health, nutrition, international development or related disciplines.

*A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.

• A minimum of 5 years of progressive and relevant professional 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, in an emergency context with proven coordination capacity.
• Experience in health/nutrition programme/project development and management in UNICEF is an asset.
• Experience in Cluster Coordination and Leadership within the UN system is an asset.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS).

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1) Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2), Works Collaboratively with others (2), Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2), Innovates and Embraces Change (2), Thinks and Acts Strategically (2), Drive to achieve impactful results (2), Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

View our competency framework at Competency Framework Brochure.pdf

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

Life at UNICEF:

Working at UNICEF is highly rewarding. With an attractive remuneration package encompassing competitive pay and benefits, a culture that helps staff thrive, and diverse opportunities for personal and professional development, we aim to help you maintain a fulfilling life both at and outside the office.

We make sure you and your loved ones receive the resources and care that you need to thrive. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. Our contracts, wellbeing policies, and initiatives ensure that you are well equipped to effectively deliver for children such as;

• Tax exemption, family allowances, hardship benefits, 10 UN holidays and annual leave allowance, maternity, paternity, adoption leave, medical and dental insurance, pension, etc.
• Career support, staff wellbeing program, breastfeeding policy, flexible work arrangements, childcare room, family support, policies & initiatives, security, etc.
• UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

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 regulations 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:

• The VA is open to all (internal and external candidates).
• Verified educational certificates/HEC Attested Degrees are a pre-requisite for employment at UNICEF. During the recruitment process, candidates must present HEC-attested degrees/certificates.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
• UNICEF's active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to delivering the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates will be prioritized.
• UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Appointments are also subject to immunization (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees considered for employment with UNICEF are usually required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if medical clearance is not obtained or necessary inoculation requirements are not met within a reasonable period for any reason.