Nutrition Specialist, Sub cluster Coordinator

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.

Humanitarian action is of fundamental importance to UNICEF and encompasses interventions aimed at saving lives, alleviating suffering, maintaining human dignity, and protecting the rights of affected populations wherever there are humanitarian needs, as well as interventions addressing underlying risks and causes of vulnerability to disasters, fragility and conflict. UNICEF’s humanitarian action is guided by the Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action (CCCs) which set organizational, programmatic and operational commitments and benchmarks against which UNICEF holds itself accountable for the coverage, quality and equity of its humanitarian action and advocacy and which are mandatory for all UNICEF personnel.

Furthermore, UNICEF is committed to support humanitarian coordination through the cluster approach. Introduced as part of the humanitarian reform, the cluster approach, aims at ensuring clear leadership, predictability and accountability in international responses to humanitarian emergencies by clarifying the division of labor among organizations and better defining their roles and responsibilities within the different sectors involved in the response. As a member of the IASC, UNICEF work along with national and local stakeholders (including national and local authorities, CSOs, and communities) to support humanitarian coordination and to improve the collective impact of humanitarian response. Whether the cluster approach is activated or not, UNICEF plays a key role in both global and country-level interagency coordination for its areas of programmatic responsibility. As Cluster Lead Agency (CLA) for Nutrition, WASH, Education (co-led), and Child Protection Area of Responsibility (AoR) within the Protection Cluster, UNICEF is committed to fulfil the core functions defined by the IASC when the clusters are activated or when UNICEF is asked to support sectoral coordination.

A well-run Cluster/Working Group coordination team is a formal deliverable of the Cluster Lead Agency and forms a part of the agency’s work.

Job organizational context:

The post holder will be based in a sub-national Cluster in Goma to cover two provinces (North Kivu and South Kivu) and will report to the Nutrition Specialist Cluster Coordinator at National level for general guidance and direction.

Purpose of the job:

Under the overall direction and guidance of the Nutrition Specialist Cluster Coordinator at national level, the international UNV, Nutrition Specialist Sub-Cluster Coordinator will provide leadership and representation of the Cluster/ Working Group at sub-national level. They will facilitate the processes that will ensure a well-coordinated, strategic, adequate, coherent, and effective response by participants in the sub-national Cluster/ Working Group that is accountable to those who are affected by the emergency. In their effort to provide an efficient and effective response to the humanitarian crisis, the Nutrition Specialist Cluster Coordinator is responsible for building relationships with stakeholders, for securing the overall coordination of sectoral responses and for ensuring inter-sectoral collaboration at the sub-national level and for ensuring adequate coordination with the national level.

The post holder is responsible for providing predictable, timely and strategic leadership and representation for the Cluster at sub-national level to ensure a timely and effective sub-national Cluster response. The post holder is responsible for leading a range of stakeholders, beyond their immediate direct reports, to work collectively towards the realization of a shared goal based on evidence. The post holder's main tasks and responsibilities will include but not be limited to:

Coordination, representation and leadership

• Ensure and maintain a coordination mechanism that facilitates the effective achievement of the cluster functions (as outlined by the IASC Reference Module) and the requirements of the HPC (HNO, HRP and CCPM) and which builds on pre-existing coordination structures where appropriate and furthers the development of current or future national and subnational capacities, • Coordinate with the national Cluster, ensuring alignment of work and priorities, effective communication, reporting and engagement between the levels, • Supervise the sub-national Cluster coordination team, • Ensure appropriate coordination and build partnerships with all relevant sector stakeholders at sub-national level including government counterparts and national authorities, local, national and international organizations, other AoRs/ Clusters/Sectors/ Working Groups and affected populations as appropriate, • Build complementarity of partner actions within the sub-national Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group, pro-actively negotiating with partners to avoid and resolve duplication and gaps, • Coordinate, collaborate and represent the sub-national Cluster with stakeholders across all sectors, including through inter-cluster coordination fora, developing cross-sectoral relationships as appropriate.

Needs assessment and analysis

• Contribute to the planning and implementation of needs assessment and analysis, including contributing to multi-sectoral needs assessments and joint analysis of need, at sub-national levels, • Analyse needs assessment data and work collaboratively with the sub-national Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group partners to create analytical products, including an HNO based on evidence-based information.

Strategic response planning

• Contribute to national level strategic planning, response prioritization and the development of the sectoral response plan that is based on the HNO and aligned with national priorities, policies and plans, • Ensure all programme delivery modalities (in-kind, cash, voucher and services) are given equal consideration in the strategic response planning and establish and implement systematic measures for supporting their consideration and use, • Provide technical support to sub-national Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group partners to ensure activities are aligned with national priorities and communities' needs, • Ensure that sub-national Cluster response planning is regularly updated according to evolving needs and that it establishes indicators by which performance of the sub-national Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group can be measured, • Engage with OCHA and other AoRs/ Clusters/ Sectors/ Working Groups to contribute to the development of the HRP, representing the concerns of the Cluster at sub-national level.

Resource mobilization and advocacy

• Support partners' resource mobilization to promote the effective functioning of the sub-national Cluster and its response, • Monitor, analyse and communicate information about the sub-national Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group’s financial situation and resource mobilization and identify appropriate actions to address gaps or constraints, • Advocate for improved sectoral outcomes, network with advocacy allies and influence stakeholders' decision-making.

Implementation and monitoring

• Monitor, evaluate and report on the coverage, equity, quality and progress of the response against the Cluster strategy, priorities and agreed results at sub-national level, • Contribute to gap and coverage analysis to identify spatial and temporal gaps, overlaps and coverage of the Cluster humanitarian response, • Monitor the sub-national Cluster adherence to IASC cluster approach principles, relevant humanitarian and sectoral agreements, standards, initiatives, and guidelines and encourage partners to make improvements.

Operational peer review and evaluation

• Participate in the annual cluster coordination performance monitoring (CCPM) exercise and annual review and contribute to other sectoral and humanitarian evaluations as appropriate.

Accountability to affected populations

• Be accountable to the affected population by establishing inclusive and consultative feedback mechanisms and encouraging the involvement of affected population in the response, • Ensure the inclusion of cross cutting issues (age, child protection, disability, gender, gender-based violence (GBV) mitigation and response and HIV & AIDS) in sub-national Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group activities throughout the HPC, • Encourage partners to demonstrate a positive and systematic approach to inclusion and diversity, • Adhere to child safeguarding and PSEA policies including procedures for challenging and reporting incidents and ensure other members of the coordination team comply.

Strengthen national and local capacity

• Encourage participation of local and national actors in sub-national Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group activities and strategic decision-making, removing barriers to access, • Contribute to the development of a capacity assessment and capacity strengthening strategy for Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group members and oversee implementation and harmonization of initiatives, • Lead early warning, contingency planning, and emergency preparedness efforts for the sub-national Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group, ensuring adequate cluster participation in inter-cluster early warning, contingency planning and emergency preparedness activities.

Results/Expected Outputs:

Working in partnership with sub-national Cluster participants, the Nutrition Specialist Cluster Coordinator provides leadership and representation for the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group at sub-national level. This contributes to the predictability and accountability of humanitarian action, in line with the aims of the cluster approach and IASC principles, and ensures that the humanitarian response is well-coordinated, strategic, adequate, coherent, effective and builds the resilience of the affected population. It also contributes to maintaining and enhancing the credibility and ability of UNICEF to fulfil its commitments as Cluster Lead Agency, in line with the CCCs.

Computer skills: good experience in the use of computers, MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, etc.). Competencies

Core Values • Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, Sustainability

Core Competencies for Staff with Supervisory Responsibilities • Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1) • 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) • Drives to Achieve Impactful Results (1) • Manages Ambiguity and Complexity (1)

Core Competencies for Staff without Supervisory Responsibilities · 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) · Drives to Achieve Impactful Results (1) · Manages Ambiguity and Complexity (1)

Coordination Competencies • Applies Humanitarian Principles, Standards and Guidelines (1) • Applies Key NiE Concepts and Tools (1) • Operates Safely and Securely (1) • Demonstrates Commitment to a Coordinated Response (1) • Promotes Cooperation and Collaboration (1) • Demonstrates Accountability (1) • Promotes Inclusion (1) • Provides Influential and Strategic Leadership (1) • Analyses and Communicates Information (1) • Supports Resource Mobilization (1) • Advocates for Improved Nutritional Outcomes (1) • Monitors the Response (1) • Strengthens National Capacity to Respond and Lead (1)

one of the following areas is required: nutrition, public health, nutrition planning and management, or maternal, infant and child health/nutrition care. Relevant experience in health/nutrition programme/project development and management in a UN system agency or organization is considered an asset. • Experience of working in the humanitarian coordination system is required. • Experience in humanitarian contexts is required. Experience in development contexts is an added advantage. • Direct, practical experience in the design, implementation and/ or coordination of nutrition interventions through community-based platforms, and effective intersectoral collaboration is strongly desired. • Prior experience in partnership development and management, including bilateral donors, foundations and civil society is an asset. • Experience in effective management of human resources/teams in high stress/risk environments is an advantage.

UNICEF office in Goma has a staff of about 64 personnel, including permanent, fixed term, temporary staff, consultants, and volunteers. The office environment is friendly and promotes multicultural integration and learning. The DRC is a complex and challenging country and Eastern DRC in particular is 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. Eastern DRC Road infrastructure is poor and therefore air travel is necessary to get to many of the sites where UNICEF’s implementing partners operate. Mobile phones and cellular service are widely available. Internet is limited, but available in all UNICEF’s offices. Travel to field sites will be required where living conditions are basic. There are a number of health services available with several evacuation options for serious illnesses. There is reasonable access to most consumer goods.

Goma is a non-family duty station in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The city has a relatively good infrastructure, from safe water, electricity, and sanitation to housing. Given recent security events related to M23 attacks in the region, it is imperative that all UN Volunteers familiarize themselves with the security guidelines and the situation upon arrival in the country. UN Volunteers should be aware that they are exposed to several tropical diseases. Yellow fever vaccination is mandatory for entry into DRC. Other non-mandatory by strongly advised vaccinations are hepatitis A, B and tetanus, which are available at the medical services in Goma. All UN Volunteers have 24-hour access to a medical services clinic.