Vacancy Announcement - Nutrition Officer, NOB, TA, Abuja, Nigeria

Contract

This is a NO-2 contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. More about NO-2 contracts.

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****, access

In Nigeria, UNICEF works in a complex humanitarian and development setting to fulfill and protect children's rights in partnership with government, civil society, children, and families. UNICEF Nigeria is one of the largest UNICEF Country Offices globally.

Click the link to learn more about UNICEF in Nigeria: https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/.

Organizational Context and Purpose for the Job

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, advocacy, and operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop, and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias, or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic, and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, nutrition, education, and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. Therefore, the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

In Nigeria, the nutrition situation of children under five has recorded minimal change over the past decade and currently, Nigeria is off track to achieve the World Health Assembly 2025 Sustainable Development Goal nutrition targets by 2030. Nigeria’s high burden of malnutrition is a cause for public health concerns. One in three children is stunted and one of every ten children is wasted. As a result, close to 17 million Nigerian children are undernourished (stunted and/ or wasted), giving Nigeria the highest burden of stunting in Africa and the second highest in the world. Measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated inequalities in nutrition status. In addition to an increased risk of sickness and death, malnutrition is also linked to poor cognitive development, a lowered performance in education, and low productivity in adulthood – and consequently on human capital development.

To change the narrative, UNICEF, in partnership with the government and other stakeholders aims to implement a robust Strategic Behavior Change Communication Strategy (SBCC) for various audiences including providers, caregivers, and influencers. To enable UNICEF to plan for and execute this strategy there is an immediate need to gather evidence (both primary and secondary) to inform the SBCC strategy. Consequently, the UNICEF Nigeria Office is seeking a Nutrition Officer (NOB) to be based in Abuja, Nigeria.

How can you make a difference?

Supported by a Nutrition Manager, the Nutrition Officer will support the development and preparation of the SBCC strategy and costed plan aimed to contribute to enhancing dietary intake, preventing common childhood illnesses and improving MIYCN and care practices and will be responsible for initiating, and implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and reporting the progress of key

deliverables of the nutrition programme within the country programme. The Nutrition Officer will provide technical guidance throughout the programming processes to facilitate the administration and achievement of concrete and sustainable results in maternal, infant, and child nutrition programmes/ projects. This will be 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

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS

Summary of key functions/ accountabilities

1. Support to programme development and planning

2. Programme management, monitoring, and delivery of results

3. Technical and operational support to programme implementation

4. Networking and partnership-building

5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

1. Support to programme development and planning

• Contribute to and support the preparation, design, and development of a robust gender transformative behavior change communication strategy to improve maternal, infant, and young child nutrition.
• Participate in strategic programme discussions on the planning of gender-sensitive nutrition programmes/ projects, on behavior change communication, with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Formulate, design, and contribute to the development of high-quality nutrition programme proposals, 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 based on results-based planning terminology and methodology (RBM). Prepare high-quality documentation for programme review and approval.
• Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues and partners to discuss gender and nutrition transformative 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.

2. Programme management, monitoring, and delivery of results

• Plan and/ or collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to establish gender transformative 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 stakeholders 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 the knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals.
• Actively monitor programmes and projects through field visits, surveys and/ or exchange of information with partners and stakeholders to assess progress. Identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/ or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.
• 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 high-quality programme/ project reports and databases for management, donors, and partners to keep them informed of programme progress

3. Technical and operational support to programme implementation

• Supported by the Nutrition Manager, develop high-quality user-centered formative research to inform programme strategies across the country.
• Oversee implementation of gender transformative behavior change communication strategies for nutrition, working in partnership with government, development partners and the private sector.
• Work with nutrition stakeholders to build consensus on a harmonized national behavior change communication strategy.
• 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 behavior change communication approaches on nutrition and related issues to support programme development planning, management, implementation, and delivery of results.
• Participate in discussions with national and sub-national stakeholders to promote nutrition and development issues, especially in the areas of behavior change communication
• Draft policy papers, briefs, and other strategic programme materials for management use, information and/ or consideration.

4. 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.
• Represent UNICEF in external meetings as appropriate
• Facilitate programme implementation and build the capacity of stakeholders to achieve programme goals on maternal and child rights as well as social justice and equity.
• Prepare high-quality communication and information materials for Country Office programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships/ alliances and support fundraising 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.

5. 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 normative change.
• 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 projects.

Education:

A university degree 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. An advanced university degree in the social/ behavioural sciences (Communication, Sociology, Media, Nutrition, Health Education) with proven experience in SBCC strategy and plan development for specific programmes is an asset.

Experience:

A minimum 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 in a UN system agency or organization is an asset. Prior experience developing SBCC strategies and costed operational plans. Knowledge and prior experience working on MIYCN/IYCF is a plus. Experience in conducting qualitative interviews with stakeholders.

Language Requirements:

Nigerian National, fluency in English. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as 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...
• Builds and maintains partnerships (II)
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (II)
• Drive to achieve results (II)
• Innovates and embraces change (II)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (II)
• Thinks and acts strategically (II)
• Works collaboratively with others (II)
• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (II)

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.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.

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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.