Technical Officer – Nutrition and Food Safety in Emergencies

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.

This UNV assignment is part of WHO’s project on resilience and recovery from COVID-19 pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, efforts to reduce transmission and adopt Public Health Measures were compromised by factors including crowded housing, lack of water and sanitation facilities in homes and public places (including health facilities), lack of relevant information for adoption of appropriate behaviours, and lack of community cohesion. Defeating COVID-19 and future pandemics requires a more holistic approach to public health emergency preparedness, building response capacities, strengthening health systems, tackling the risk factors that drive infection (environmental degradation, climate change, air pollution, cross-border threats, unplanned urbanization, trade, food and nutrition insecurity, population density and other structural factors). Another risk factor exposed by COVID-19 is the management of waste accruing from the preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic tools used to control the pandemic. All these issues require a holistic view of population health and wellbeing beyond medical care. Climate change, environmental and air pollution, unhealthy living conditions that weaken people’s immune systems and wellbeing, rising non-communicable diseases caused by poor diet, physical inactivity, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption contribute to poor health and increase susceptibility to infectious diseases like COVID-19. Recovery from this pandemic and preparing for the next, requires emphasizing an ecological approach to disease treatment, prevention of epidemics and health promotion including a deliberate engagement between health and the sectors that are home to the social, environmental, and economic determinants of health. The unfinished agenda of implementing the humanitarian-development nexus remains central to true preparedness, with resilient individuals, households, and communities as a critical complement to resilient health systems. Therefore, investments in disease prevention and decentralized primary health care will ensure that health systems are not overwhelmed when outbreaks do occur. The Emergency Response Framework highlights the key role played by WHO during emergencies response to ensure a more effective and predictable response to and recovery from natural disasters, conflict, food insecurity, epidemics, environmental, chemical, food and nuclear incidents, including political or economic crises and all other types of emergencies with public health consequences. WHO supports Member States and local health authorities to lead a coordinated and effective health sector response together with the national and international community, in order to save lives, minimize adverse health effects and preserve dignity, with specific attention to vulnerable and marginalized populations. Risk communication and Community engagement (RCCE) is a key component and integral to successful response to health emergencies and WHO and partners have been supporting Members States to implement an effective RCCE. This involves communicating in real time with affected communities, to ensure community involvement and to promote accountability and cohesion to affected communities.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Nutrition and food safety team lead or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UN Volunteer Technical Officer - Nutrition and food safety in Emergencies will support the integration of nutrition and food safety activities in AFRO’s Emergency Preparedness and Response activities through performing the following tasks: • Monitor sources of early warning information, based on weather patterns, disease outbreaks, food security trends, etc, and contribute to AFRO WHE’s preparedness and response planning; • Support integration of nutrition and food safety indicators in tools used in the emergency context (e.g., Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR), Health Resources Availability Monitoring System (HeRAMS), etc), and support capacity building for their application in nutrition monitoring and response; • Participate in interagency dialogue during the development and implementation of preparedness and response plans to address specific nutritional and food safety emergencies; • Support epidemiological and risk assessment, and propose responses to nutritional and foodborne disease outbreaks; • Support strengthening of surveillance: identify constraints and gaps in existing surveillance systems and provide technical solutions to improve nutrition/food safety integration in broader health information systems (DHIS2, IDSR, HeRAMS); • Support country capacity building for age-appropriate nutritional assessment and the prevention and management of wasting, other forms of malnutrition and diet/nutrition-related diseases in humanitarian settings. • Provide nutrition and food safety content and support its integration and implementation within the humanitarian response, in collaboration with the EPR (health) cluster and the partner agencies working in food security, nutrition, food safety, water and sanitation, disease control, etc.; • Undertake field assignments during emergencies when needed; • Support the regional office to communicate science information/recommendations promptly that address critical risks and counter misinformation. • Support regional and country offices to accelerate priority research and innovation in social sciences to support the implementation of public health measures and to ensure participation of at-risk and affected communities. • Support countries to enhance country-level capacity to roll out effective and coordinated RCCE approaches through the identification of capacity needs. • Supporting AFRO/Hubs and COs Offices to effectively counter and manage rumors and infodemic.

• Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers; • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

1. Communication
   2. Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond
   3. Promoting WHO’s position in health leadership.
   4. Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
   5. Teamwork

a) Qualifications, skills, experience: Functional Knowledge and Skills • Expert knowledge and ability to provide training in the management of malnutrition with medical complications; • Proven experience in nutrition in emergencies; • Capacity to translate scientific evidence for clinical and public health application; • Proven experience in multisectoral action. • Proven ability to innovate and to motivate, guide and foster national capacity building and partnership

Education: Essential: An advanced university degree in Clinical or Public Nutrition, Public Health, International Health, Epidemiology, Food Science and Technology or related fields. Desirable: University degree in Medicine, Public Health or Food and Nutrition

Experience Essential: i) A minimum of five years’ experience managing the development and implementation of national programmes in nutrition or food safety, including nutrition monitoring and surveillance, especially in the African Region; ii) Track record of delivering nutrition actions in routine health care services or in foodborne disease surveillance and screening. Desirable: Work experiences that are diverse, incorporating private sector, NGOs, other UN, or governmental Health-related agencies will be an advantage.

Other Skills (e.g. IT): Working level of computer literacy with proven ability to use standard office software packages, including eHealth tools.

This is a family-duty station for most UN staff despite the limited operationality of health facilities; there is an American International school, a French Lycee and several other private institutions of education. All major cards can be used through a network of automated teller machines (ATMs) throughout the city. There is a wide range of housing options including what WHO offers in its multiple compounds (houses and apartments). An entry visa to the Republic of Congo is mandatory. Visas can be obtained at the Embassy or Consulate of the Republic of Congo in your country of nationality or residence. If there is no diplomatic representation of the Republic of Congo in your country, it is mandatory to please bring the following: • The waiver provided by WHO, with the circular in French; • A copy of your travel authorization or official letter of invitation.

Congo 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 potentially difficult conditions, involving physical hardship and limited comfort, are essential.