Nutrition Specific Interventions of Health sector

Contract

This is a UNV National Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Specialist contracts.

Lao PDR suffers from high rates of wasting (acute malnutrition) among children under 5 with the national average at 9%. Levels of stunting is considered to be very high, affecting one out of three (33%) children aged 6-59 months. Most children in Lao PDR are multi-dimensionally poor, with 50 per cent of children suffering from three or more deprivations at the same time. These multiple deprivations can have a long-term impact on their growth and development, including consequences for productivity and human capital development in the country. With this challenging context, UNICEF Lao PDR is at the forefront of nutrition programming in Lao PDR, supporting the Government to improve the delivery of direct nutrition services at the community and health facility levels. UNICEF is the leading advocate and partner on nutrition to the Government of Lao PDR. This UNV assignment is part of UNICEF Lao’s flagship programmes on Nutrition. The overall objective of UNICEF’s nutrition programme is to ensure that more infants, children, adolescents and women utilize equitable high-impact multi-sectoral convergent nutrition interventions through action across three areas: i) enhanced institutional and administrative framework for convergent and equitable scale up of quality multi-sectoral high impact nutrition interventions and services; ii) strengthened capacity to deliver convergent quality and equitable high impact nutrition interventions and services; and iii) strengthened evidence-informed communication approaches to improve their nutrition and their care practices.

UNICEF’s nutrition programme directly contributes to the Lao PDR’s 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) 2021-2025, the new Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH action plan 2021-2025, and the National Plan of Action on Nutrition II (2021-2025). UNICEF’s work in nutrition is in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2021-2025/26 for Laos (UNSDCF), and to the Sustainable Development Goals, most notably SDG 2, but also to SDG 3, 4 and 5 and many other SDGs to which nutrition is a contributor.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Chief of Nutrition or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UNV Nutrition Specific Interventions of Health Sector will:

• Provide support to the Ministry of Health (MoH) and relevant departments for effective coordination, planning, implementing, monitoring and reporting of activities aligned with the rolling workplan of 2022-2023. This might include: • Support in preparation and roll out of Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) trainings and workshops by collaborating multiple departments such as Centre of Nutrition (CN), Directorate of Healthcare and Rehabilitation (DHR), Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion (DHHP), UN agencies, and INGOs to ensure high-quality training preparations. • Support to follow up and facilitate roll out of e-learning training modules on treatment and management of wasted children. • Support Center of Nutrition in coordination and follow up on the implementation of the Breast Feeding Accreditation course so that pool of Breast Feeding Experts may be established. • Support for coordination, networking, and discussion with multiple department and private companies in order to design and pilot new approaches to promote optimal breast-feeding practices e.g. hotline services, m-services, or other innovations. • Support for coordination with MoH departments mainly Mother and Child Health Center (MCHC), DHHP, and CN and across sectors to improve service delivery of micronutrient supplementation programs • Support in coordination and meetings with departments responsible for implementing or overseeing nutrition interventions by drafting or providing inputs for meeting i.e.: Agenda, list of participants, background materials and meeting minutes etc; • Support to update and prepare directory of contact persons for Nutrition Focal points at Center/ Provision & District level for both health and multisectoral departments. • Support for the drafting and translation of letters, formats, correspondences, and other communication materials in both Lao and English. • Accompany Nutrition Specialist in various meeting and support for facilitating discussion with government counterpart. • Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.

The UN Volunteers are expected to work directly from the location of the UNICEF- Office 5 days per week. Due to COVID-19 some expectation of working from home should be required.

• Professionalism • Integrity • Teamwork and respect for diversity • Commitment to continuous learning • Planning and organizing • Communication • Flexibility

relevant professional work experience of which experience with multisectoral coordination or the planning and coordination of interventions for nutrition is an asset. Experience working directly with the National Nutrition Committee Secretariate is highly valued while also experience of working at provincial nutrition committees are an asset. • Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills; • Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing; • Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development; • Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel; • Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment including teams, zoom etc; • Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines; • Have affinity with or interest in strengthening coordination for Nutrition, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System.

• The UNICEF Lao PDR Office is located by the side of the Mekong River, 3km from the center of Vientiane Capital City and easily accessible. The UNICEF Lao PDR Office is a multi-cultural working environment with around 80 staff working to protect and advance the rights of children. Commute is either done by private car, taxis or bicycles. • The Security Level in Vientiane Capital is classified as Minimal (Level 1) as per the UN security management system in Lao PDR. Natural disaster, mainly tropical storms and flooding, is main security challenge to UN operations in Lao PDR.

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials.