Nutrition Specialist P3, Bamako, Mali

Contract

This is a P-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 115,781 USD and 151,606 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

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, Hope

Mali is a Sahelian landlocked west African country with an estimated population of 20,5 million people in 2020 (INSTAT, 2022) with more than half of them (57.3%) living in rural areas. Its economy is classified as low income with half of the population (50.3%) living below poverty line and a low human development index of 0.434 (UNDP, 2022) positioning the country on a rank of 184 out of 189 countries and territories of the world.

The nutritional situation in Mali has not much improved during the last decade. Prevalences of undernutrition are still high with stunting above 20% and wasting around 10%. The most recent SMART survey conducted in September 2021 shows elevated levels of global acute malnutrition (GAM), with a national prevalences of GAM of 10% and SAM of 1.8% compared to the previous year (GAM: 7.3% and SAM 1.3%) although the timing of the two surveys is not the same. Big disparities among the regions were also noticed with Ménaka (GAM: 17.9% and SAM: 3.9%) surpassing the emergency threshold of 15%. Five regions have a GAM prevalence of 10% and above which indicates a precarious nutritional situation namely Gao, Kayes, Koulikoro, Timbuktu and Segou. The prevalence of severe acute malnutrition is above 2% in Ménaka and Mopti regions. Only four regions (Sikasso, Mopti, Kidal and Bamako) reported a GAM of less than 10%.

How can you make a difference?

Purpose for the job:

The Nutrition Specialist supports the development and preparation of the nutrition programme and is responsible for managing, implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and reporting the programme progress of a sector of the nutrition programme within the country programme. The Nutrition Specialist 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.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

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 Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), 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.
• 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.

• 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 UNDAF 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 project

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) 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, or another health-related science field *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 of five years of 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
• Experience in health/nutrition programme/project development and management in a UN system agency or organization 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, and Accountability (CRITA).

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

Core Competencies *

• 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)

Functional Competencies

• Applying Technical Expertise (2)
• Deciding and Initiating Actions (2) ·
• Analyzing (2) ·
• Planning and Organizing (2)
• Leading and Supervising (2)
• Adapting and responding to change (2)
• Follows instructions and Procedure (2)

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:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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

** Bamako is a Category D. Non-Family duty station. The Rest and Recuperation Cycle is 8 weeks.