Nutrition Specialist, P3, TA, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

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 101,224 USD and 132,545 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, a Hope

The 2021-2022 UNICEF Programme of Cooperation with the Government is designed to support national efforts to improve service delivery in the key areas of child health, HIV/AIDS, nutrition, quality basic education, water, sanitation and hygiene, child protection, social inclusion, gender equality, humanitarian actions, and advocacy.

The nutrition component of the Country Programme is built in line with the country commitment for Nutrition and current regional and global guidance. The programme focuses on increasing coverage of nutrition-specific priority interventions, such as infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices promotion and support, control of micronutrient deficiencies, Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM), as well as the mainstreaming of nutrition-sensitive interventions in relevant sectors.

Since January 2019, Burkina Faso is facing an aggravation of the security situation affecting mostly six regions of the country (Sahel, Centre North, North, East, Boucle du Mouhoun and Centre Est) with increasing of the total number of displaced population from 93,000 to 1,423,378 since January 2019 to 31th August 2021. Most of them are located in Sahel (35,04%) and Centre North regions (34,71%).

The estimated severely acute malnourished children to be treated during year 2021 is 151,214 in the 13 regions of the country with almost 75% in the six most affected regions by insecurity. The deterioration of security situation, closure of health facilities in some areas, limit access to social services, displacement of population and the occurrence of COVID-19 pandemic are aggravating factors of the nutrition situation.

Since January 2019, OCHA had activated sectoral coordination groups to reinforce humanitarian response considering increased insecurity. The nutrition sectoral humanitarian group had been working, under UNICEF leadership, on improving capacities of response to save lives of children at risk of mortality due to malnutrition.

Over the last five years, management of acute malnutrition had been integrated in all public health facilities of Burkina Faso, but the coverage of the program remains low varying between 75% to 51%. The exercise of bottlenecks analysis of the CMAM program conducted in March 2018 had shown that the main factors affecting this program are the follows: 1) insufficient trained human resources, 2) low initial utilization due to weak referral system and lack of communication around the CMAM program; 3) geographical access due to the fact that 44% of the population is leaving 5 km far from health facilities; 4) occasional shortages of therapeutic products at health facilities.

Considering the current humanitarian situation in Burkina Faso, added on already identified bottlenecks that affected quality and coverage of management of malnutrition program, there is a need to reinforce UNICEF nutrition team. The Temporary Assignment Nutrition Specialist P-3 will reinforce technical support to the MoH and partners to improve emergency nutrition response and address bottlenecks that are affecting management of acute malnutrition program.

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 Child, a champion!

The Nutrition Specialist, P3/TA (CMAM and Emergency), will report to the Nutrition Manager P-4, in the Health and Nutrition Section. S/he will provide technical guidance and support to improve quality and coverage of management of acute malnutrition programme, prevention of malnutrition in emergency settings and coordination of the nutrition sectoral group. The Nutrition P3/TA will support the Responsible of nutrition program in continuous evaluation of the nutrition situation, implementation of corrective actions to address bottlenecks identified to improve performances of the CMAM program, ensure availability of timely nutrition information and monitoring and evaluation.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities

• Provide technical guidance for analysis, assessment, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of community management of acute malnutrition program to improve performances and prevention of malnutrition with focus on emergency affected areas.
• Participate in the evaluation of the emergency Provide technical support to the MoH for implementation of corrective actions plans developed by health regions to address bottlenecks identified in the area of CMAM program.
• Contribute to the development of the humanitarian needs overview (HNO) and the humanitarian response plan (HRP) in the framework of nutrition cluster coordination. .
• Facilitate development of partnership for nutrition emergency response in affected areas.
• Provide technical support on introduction of new approaches, methods and practices to ensure community participation and ownership of the nutrition problems and solutions (ex.: approach MUAC at household level, and simplified protocol).
• Undertake field visits to monitor programme implementation, provide assistance to the field teams as requested and travel to the field to fill gaps as required.
• Identify training needs of national health and nutrition staff in terms of management of acute malnutrition. Support the development/revision of relevant training modules and follow-up tools. Develop plans for capacity reinforcement, facilitate and coordinate the implementation of these plans.
• Prepare mandated and key program/ project reports for donors and other partners to keep them informed of program progress.
• Ensure timely and monthly availability of updated nutrition information.
• Participates in evaluation exercises and program review. Analyses and assesses data to ensure achievement of objectives and recommends corrective measures as appropriate as well as preparing reports to donors as may be required.
• Undertake any other assignments as provided by in charge of the nutrition program.

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

• Have a minimum of 5 years of professional experience in public health/nutrition planning and management and/or in relevant areas of community management of acute malnutrition program, and nutrition emergency response, at the international level some of which preferably in a developing country is required. Relevant experience in health/nutrition program/project development and management in any UN system agency or organization is an asset
• Background/familiarity with emergency operations and staff security.
• Excellent report writing and strong facilitation skills.
• Good communication and negotiation skills.
• Ability to work with minimum supervision.

• Developing country work experience and good computer skills.

• 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)

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.