Project Officer - Nutrition ( Nyandarua) at CARE

JOB SUMMARY

• The Project Officer - Nutrition will support the Project Manager in the implementation of the CASCADE project,which aims to improve food security and reduce malnutrition for millions of women and children in six Africancountries. The Project Officer will be responsible for ensuring that project activities related to nutrition are implemented effectively and efficiently and will work closely with the Project Manager to ensure that project objectives are met. Specifically, the project officer will play a crucial role in contributing to nutrition-sensitive programming and adopting a multisectoral approach with a gender lens to address malnutrition.
• The Project Officer will be under the supervision of the CASCADE Project Manager. S/he will work closely with the project team to support the development and implementation of evidence-based policies aimed at promoting healthy diets and improving food security in Nakuru, Nairobi & Nyandarua counties.

ROLES AND RESPOSIBILITIES
Project Design, Planning and Implementation:

• Work with the Project Manager to develop project plans and budgets in line with organizational strategic priorities and donor requirements.
• Conduct assessments and research to inform project design and implementation.
• Develop project implementation plans and ensure that they are aligned with national and county government modalities.
• Monitor the context dynamics and adapt project activities and implementation modalities accordingly.
• Facilitate project review meetings at regular cycles and ensure documentation of findings and recommendations.
• Support the Project Manager in the management and implementation of project activities.
• Monitor project progress and ensure that project activities are implemented on time, within budget, and to a high standard of quality.
• Identify, track, and resolve project issues on an ongoing basis, and proactively seek support where issues require wider attention and resolution.
• Monitor risks and develop contingency plans to respond to emergencies. Escalate issues when appropriate.
• Work with relevant environment, gender, and safeguarding specialists to ensure that they are integrated into project designs and implementation plans.

Partnership and Stakeholder Management:

• Establish, manage, and maintain relationships with relevant partners and stakeholders, including national and county government officials, donors, and other organizations.
• Represent the project in meetings with government officials, donors, and other stakeholders asrequired.
• Work closely with project partners to ensure that project activities are implemented effectively and efficiently.
• Facilitate communication and collaboration among project partners and stakeholders. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning:
• Contribute to the development and implementation of the project monitoring and evaluation plan in line with donor requirements and organizational standards.
• Collect and analyze project data to inform project decision-making and learning.
• Contrinute to the preparation of regular project progress reports, including progress against indicators and targets.
• Facilitate project learning and knowledge management, including documentation of best practices and lessons learned.
• Ensure that project activities are aligned with organizational standards for monitoring, evaluation, and learning.

Capacity Building and Technical Assistance:

• Provide technical assistance and capacity building support to project staff and partners on relevant nutrition technical areas.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of training and capacity building activities for project staff and partners.
• Work closely with project staff and partners to ensure that project activities are implemented effectively and efficiently.
• Facilitate communication and collaboration among project staff and partners to ensure that technical assistance and capacity building needs are met.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in nutrition, public health, food security or a related field.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in nutrition, and collaborating with national and/or countygovernment entities.
• Strong knowledge of nutrition-sensitive programming, multisectoral approaches, and gender transformative approaches to addressing malnutrition
• Familiarity with relevant policies, guidelines, and frameworks related to food security, nutrition, and resilience.
• Proficiency in data collection, analysis, and interpretation using a gender lens.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to effectively communicate gender-related & technical concepts to diverse stakeholders.
• Strong organizational and time management abilities, with the capacity to work independently and as part of a team.
• Demonstrated commitment to promoting community development and improving food security and nutrition outcomes.
• Fluency in written and spoken English and Swahili.