Nutrition Officer, NOB SSA at World Health Organization

Purpose:

• The mission of WHO's Health Emergencies Programme (The Programme) is to build the capacity of Member States to manage health emergency risks and, when national capacities are overwhelmed, to lead and coordinate the international health response to contain outbreaks and to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations.
• An exceptional three-season drought sequence has struck the Eastern Horn of Africa due to the poor rains in October-December 2020 and March-May 2021 followed by an extremely dry October-December 2021 season. To reduce excess morbidity and mortality resulting from the public health consequences of the drought- related humanitarian crisis in Kenya. WHO will be working with the Ministry of Health and health partners to respond to this emergency while building on existing health sector development programmes, enhancing preparedness for further deterioration of the humanitarian situation, boosting capacities and integrating risk reduction and resilience building components to foster long-term development solutions to the crisis.

 Job Description

• Reporting to the EPR team Lead, under the overall guidance of the Head of WHO Country Office, and in close collaboration with the respective technical leads, the Technical Officer will have the responsibility for managing and implementing operations to ensure the timely delivery, effective and efficient implementation of the activities, and the expansion of WHO-assisted nutrition interventions, to achieve the best attainable health status for the populations served by WHO. The incumbent will closely coordinate activities with Ministry of Health (MOH), United Nations (UN) partners, implementing Health/Nutrition partners, including Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), other stakeholders and development partners.

 Duties:

• Support strengthening nutrition surveillance, identify the constraints and gaps and provide technical solutions to improve the system
• Facilitate and advise on the planning, formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of nutrition programmes and activities, in compliance with WHO's overall strategy, and guidelines.
• Develop response strategies and action plans based on the nutrition situation in the affected areas, in collaboration with partners.
• Develop and implement strategies to improve capacity of health staff on the inpatient management of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) with medical complications.
• Develop and implement measures to improve capacity of health staff on appropriate infant and young child feeding to prevent relapse.
• Ensure necessary supplies for the inpatient treatment of SAM.
• Facilitate measures to improve identification of those in need of nutrition interventions and appropriate referrals such as integrate nutrition screening at all levels of the health system (community, PHC, tertiary) including mobile clinics/Mobile health and nutrition teams;
• Ensure key nutrition interventions are conducted in the health facilities where appropriate (e.g. iron-folic acid supplementation/micronutrient supplementation in antenatal care, inpatient management of SAM) and that referral is conducted for nutrition interventions where needed (e.g. outpatient SAM, supplementary feeding programmes for MAM and pregnant and lactating women).
• Monitor and evaluate inpatient management of Severe acute malnutrition in health facilities.
• Provide technical support to monitor the implementation of specific activities related to nutrition to improve data collection and reporting at all levels.
• Strengthen the coordination of the prevention and control of malnutrition, including enhanced support to government systems, and referral systems.
• Ensure the nutrition programme pursues equitable access to emergency assistance particularly for affected and vulnerable populations, with a view to integrating gender equality and equity across all aspects of the incident nutrition programme, including supplementation and food fortification with essential micronutrients, IYCF, treatment cases of severe acute malnutrition, and other community nutrition programmes.
• Represent WHO in the interagency Nutrition Cluster and strengthen inter-cluster collaboration and coordination with health and WaSH 
• Perform other related responsibilities as assigned in his/her area of expertise, including replacing and backstopping others as required.

Education Qualifications

Essential:

• A university degree in one of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: Public Health & Nutrition, pediatrics and child health, medicine, Health & Nutrition Education, Nutrition Promotion and Disease Prevention, or other closely related field of study to nutritional issues.

Desirable

• specialized training in emergency management, international aid or humanitarian principles, medicine

 Experience

Essential

• At least five years of relevant experience, at the national levels, in development and management of nutrition programmes. Related working experience in outbreaks and/or health emergency operations in the area of nutrition. Experience in developing and promoting collaborative actions with national authorities.

Desirable

• Experience and skills in providing in-country technical support and building capacity in national Health and nutrition programing, preferably in developing countries. Relevant work experience in WHO, other UN agencies, relevant non-governmental, health cluster partners or recognized humanitarian organizations.

Use of Language Skills

• Excellent knowledge of English or French (depending on the country of assignment). Working knowledge of another WHO official language would be an asset (depending on the country of assignment). Other Skills (e.g. IT) Knowledge of office software applications.

 Skills

• Technical knowledge of health emergency response operations (at least basic level)
• Theoretical and practical knowledge in results-based management in the health sector.
• Technical, analytical, conceptual and inter-personal skills
• Coordination
• Strategic and Operational Planning
• Monitoring & Evaluation