Nutrition Specialist, NOC - TA, Ouagadougou UNICEF, Burkina Faso (Burkinabe Nationals Only)

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 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, a Hope!

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, nutrition, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

The CPD 2018-2020 and its extension until 2022 of the Burkina Faso CO was developed in 2017. The nature and scope of strategies led to the current staffing structure of the CO and of the nutrition section.

UNICEF Burkina Faso is looking for motivated, and energetic Nutrition specialist (NO-C) responsible for infant and young child feeding (IYCF) program, with a wide nutrition competence and experience to help achieve further nutrition goals in the country, join the Health and Nutrition Section team in Ouagadougou and help create a better world for every child.

The nutrition situation in Burkina Faso remains alarming with a prevalence of stunting of 25 per cent in 2020, a rate of global acute malnutrition of 9.1 per cent and high prevalence of anaemia among children under five and women. This situation is attributable to several factors including poor infant and child feeding and hygiene practices. Indeed about 36 per cent of infants aged less than 6 months are not exclusively breastfeed, 79 per cent of children 6 – 24 months do not access the minimum acceptable diet and 71 per cent of children in this same age group do not access diets that is diversified enough to meet their nutrient needs

In 2020, the deteriorating security situation in Burkina Faso was further compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through CPD, UNICEF BF had committed to encourage adolescent girls, women of childbearing age, especially pregnant and breastfeeding women, and their children under 2 years old to adopt optimal nutrition practices and improve equitable use of nutrition-sensitive and specific services. The component will accelerate reduction of the various forms of malnutrition. These interventions will contribute to accelerate stunting reduction, one of the regional key results for children, in a country affected by humanitarian context.

The Nutrition Specialist NO C IYCF, under recruitment will be part of the UNICEF Office in Ouagadougou.

Therefore, through this GJP, UNICEF Burkina Faso CO wants to recruit a Nutrition Specialist in a TA position that focusses on situation analysis, nutrition surveillance in the emergency context.

For Every Children, a Champion!

Under the supervision of the Nutrition Manager P-4 based in UNICEF Ouagadougou, the Nutrition Specialist in charge of Infant and young child feeding program (IYCF) supports the development and preparation of the nutrition programme and is responsible for managing, implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and reporting the programme progress of the sector of maternal, infant and young child feeding programme within the country programme. The Nutrition Specialist will be accountable for implementation of maternal, and infant and young child feeding programme. provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes to facilitate the administration and achievement of concrete and sustainable results in maternal, infant and child nutrition programmes/projects. This is carried out according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM), as well as UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance, and accountability framework.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Support to programme development and planning

• Contribute to and support the preparation, design and updating of the situation analysis for the nutrition sector(s) to ensure comprehensive and current data on maternal and child nutrition is available to guide policy development, and the design and management of nutrition programmes/projects.
• Keep abreast of development trends to enhance programme management, efficiency and delivery.
• Participate in strategic programme discussions on the planning of nutrition programmes/projects.
• Formulate, design and prepare a sector of the nutrition programme proposal, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, Country Programme, and coherence/integration with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), regional strategies, as well as national priorities, plans and competencies.
• Establish specific goals, objectives, strategies, and implementation plans for the nutrition sector(s) based on results-based planning terminology and methodology (RBM). Prepare required documentations for programme review and approval.
• Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues and partners to discuss strategies and methodologies, and to determine national priorities/competencies to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable results.
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes to ensure integration, coherence and harmonization of programmes/projects with other UNICEF sectors and achievement of results as planned and allocated.

Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results

• Plan and/or collaborate with internal and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators, and UNICEF/UN system indicators and measurements, to assess and strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results for the assigned sector in nutrition programmes.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual reviews with government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required action and interventions to achieve results.
• Prepare and assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths and/or weaknesses in programme management. Identify lessons learned and use knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals.
• Actively monitor programmes and projects through field visits, surveys and/or exchange of information with partners and stakeholders to assess progress. Identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.
• Monitor and verify the optimum and appropriate use of sectoral programme resources (financial, administrative and other assets) confirming compliance with organizational rules, regulations, procedures, donor commitments, and standards of accountability. Ensure timely reporting and liquidation of resources.
• Prepare regular and mandated programme/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.

Technical and operational support to programme implementation

• Provide technical guidance and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on the interpretation, application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes, best practices, and approaches on nutrition and related issues to support programme development planning, management, implementation, and delivery of results.
• Participate in discussions with national partners, clients and stakeholders to promote nutrition and development issues especially in the areas of emergency preparedness and maternal, newborn and child survival and development.
• Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic programme materials for management use, information and/or consideration.

• Participate in emergency preparedness initiatives for programme development, contingency planning and/or to respond to emergencies in country or where designated.

  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.

• Facilitate programme implementation and build capacity of stakeholders to achieve programme goals on maternal and child rights as well as social justice and equity.
• Prepare communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support fund raising for nutrition programmes (maternal, newborn and child survival and development).

• Participate and/or represent UNICEF in inter-agency discussions, ensuring that UNICEF’s position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the UNSDCF development planning and agenda setting.

  Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Apply and introduce innovative approaches and good practices to build the capacity of partners and stakeholders, and to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results.

• Keep abreast, research, benchmark, and implement best and cutting-edge practices in nutrition management and information systems. Assess, institutionalize, and share best practices and knowledge learned.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programmes and projects.
• Organize and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients and stakeholders to promote sustainable results on nutrition related programmes and projects.

To be qualified as a champion for every Child, you must….

• Have an advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: nutrition, public health and Nutrition, nutritional epidemiology, global/international health and nutrition, health/nutrition research, Health and Nutrition promotion, Family Health and Nutrition, Policy and/or management, health sciences, nutritional epidemiology, or another health-related science field.
• Have a minimum of five years of professional experience in a developing country in infant and child nutrition care. nutrition or more of the following areas is required: nutrition, public health, nutrition planning and management, or maternal, infant and child health/nutrition care.
• Have a Background in working in emergency context.
• Experience in nutrition programme/project development and management in a UN system agency or organization is an asset
• Be fluent in French and good working knowledge in English. Knowledge of a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

Core Values

• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust

• Accountability

  Core Competencies

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (2)

• 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)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

Functional Competencies:

• Analyzing (3)
• Deciding and Initiating action (2)
• Applying technical expertise (3)

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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.

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

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