Nutrition Officer, NOB, Temporary Assignment, Kenya Country Office, Garissa at UNICEF

How can you make a difference?

The Nutrition Officer will provide professional technical, operational, and administrative assistance throughout the programming process for the nutrition programmes/projects within the Country Programme, from development planning to delivery of results. Specific focus will be on strengthening nutritional interventions in maternal infant and young child nutrition (MIYCN) and micronutrient deficiency control (MNDC) efforts at a zonal level.

• Programme management, monitoring, and delivery of results. 
  • Ensure the availability of accurate, complete, and up-to-date information required for an effective nutrition programme and project design, addressing gender inequalities and determinants of gender equality where relevant implementation, management, monitoring, and evaluation. Additional technical support to focus on the integration of High Impact Nutrition Interventions into zonal office efforts (particularly MIYCN and MNDC). Draft sound Nutrition programme budgets for review by the supervisor.
  • Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues and partners at National and County levels to discuss operational and implementation issues. Provide solutions, and recommendations and/or alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level intervention and/or decision-making. Keep a record of reports and assessments for easy reference and/or to capture and institutionalize lessons learned.
  • Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews, and annual reviews with the government (National and County) and other counterparts to assess programmes/projects and to report on required action and interventions at the higher level of programme management. 
  • Monitor and report on the use of sectoral programme resources (financial, administrative, and other assets), verifying compliance with approved allocation, goals, organizational rules, regulations/procedures, donor commitments, standards of accountability, and integrity. Report on issues identified to ensure timely resolution by management and stakeholders. Follow up on unresolved issues to ensure resolution. 
  • Prepare regular and mandated sectoral programme/project reports for management, donors, and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.
• Technical and operational support to programme implementation: 
  • Conduct regular programme field visits and surveys, and exchange information with partners and stakeholders in counties supported by the Garissa Field office to assess progress and provide technical support. Take appropriate action to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for resolution. Report on critical issues, bottlenecks, and potential problems for timely action to achieve results. 
  • Provide technical and operational support to government counterparts at the national and county level, NGO partners, UN system partners, and other country office partners/donors on the application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes, and best practices on nutrition-related issues to support programme implementation, operations and delivery of results. 
• 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 to 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.
  • Draft communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships/alliances and support fundraising for nutrition programmes.
  • Participate in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) meetings and events on programming to collaborate with inter-agency partners and colleagues on UNDAF operational planning and preparation of nutrition programmes/projects, and to integrate and harmonize UNICEF’s position and strategies with the UNDAF development and planning process.
  • Research information on potential donors and prepare resource mobilization materials and briefs for fundraising and partnership development purposes.
• Innovation, knowledge management, and capacity building
  • Identify, capture, synthesize, and share lessons learned for knowledge development and to build the capacity of stakeholders.
  • Apply innovative approaches and promote good practices to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results.
  • Research, benchmark, and report on best and cutting-edge practices for development planning of knowledge products and systems.
  • Participate as a resource person in capacity-building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients and stakeholders.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• 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, or another health-related science field.
• A minimum of two 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.
• Fluency in English.  Knowledge of another official UN language or the local language of the duty station is considered an asset.

For Every Child, You Demonstrate...

• UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF Competencies Required for this Post are…

• Builds and maintains partnerships 
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness 
• Drive to achieve results for impact 
• Innovates and embraces change 
• Manages ambiguity and complexity 
• Thinks and acts strategically 
• Works collaboratively with others. 

Deadline: 07 May 2024