Senior Program Officer at Nutrition International

Job Description

Reporting to the Deputy Country Director- Kenya, the Senior Program Officer, Maternal and Newborn Health and Nutrition will In line with Nl's strategic objectives in Africa, contribute to improved Maternal and Newborn health and nutrition (MNHN) in Kenya by supporting the Ministries of Health at national and county level in the implementation of effective, integrated and sustainable package of MNHN interventions.

Key Duties and responsibilities:

• Project Development:
• Ensure that the landscape analysis for maternal and newborn health and nutrition are regularly updated and available.
• Design of project proposals and plans
• Project Implementation and Management
• Identify, select and contract project implementing partners
• Develop annual work plans and budgets for maternal and newborn health and nutrition projects.
• Ensure that work plan activities are implemented as scheduled and per the approved budgets.
• Carry out site monitoring visits to ensure that implementing partners are implementing project activities according to agreed strategy and contractual commitments.
• Ensure data monitoring plans are timely implemented, project monitoring data is collected, and the data workbooks are regularly updated.
• Develop quality monthly and quarterly and annual performance monitoring (both technical and financial) reports and ensure challenges are identified and recommended corrective actions are timely implemented.
• Draw up on internal Nl expertise in Kenya, the Regional, and Headquarter Offices as necessary to ensure projects are on track.
• Review and analyze technical and financial project reports from implementing partners and ensure that remedial actions are taken to ensure that projects are on track.
• Input into the Nl Contract Database all approved financial commitments and regularly update the Contracts Databases for the two interventions in line with Nl contract management procedures.
• In support of both internal team work and partnership coordination committees, prepare documentation for meetings and conference calls, taking detailed notes on decisions and action points from such meetings and ensuring follow up of same.
• Support the implementing organization in procuring commodities, if needed.

External Relations

• Build and maintain good collaborative relations with MoH, other government agencies, UN agencies, and NGOs, as appropriate to promote information sharing and effective coordination of effort to improve and sustain effective and efficient MNHN program.
• Represent Nl at national and regional fora relevant to MNHN interventions.
• Keep up to date with developments in maternal and new born health, nutrition, as well as behavioral change and communication
• In the event of additional funding opportunities arising for Nl to carry out work in MNHN in Kenya supporting the Deputy Country Program Manager, External Relations team at country and regional levels with gathering of relevant information for proposal development.
• Document and share with the ER team field stories and lessons learned from the MNHN projects.
• Research and Evaluation
• Participate in the design of research and evaluation activities for MNHN projects and work closely with researchers and external evaluators to ensure research and evaluations exercises are feasible, responds to project and MoH needs and is disseminated in timely fashion.
• Support the dissemination of research and program evaluation findings in Kenya and elsewhere with the view to inform available new information and improved practices.

Any other related duties.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Co-supervise one Program Assistant

Education/Professional Designations/Experience:

• At a minimum, a Master’s degree from a recognized university in Public Health, Reproductive Health, Clinical Medicine, Community Health or Nursing/Midwifery.
• Training in epidemiology and research methodologies preferred.
• At least 10 years work experience in maternal health, midwifery, public health and/or related field in Kenya or the Sub Saharan Africa.
• At least 5 years of experience in supervising MNH and Nutrition programs.
• At least 5 years of experience in donor funded program/project implementation/supervision, monitoring and evaluation.
• Experience with micronutrient supplementation programs for pregnant mothers desirable.

Language Skills

Good spoken and written English

Travel Requirements

• Based in Kenya around 25-30% of time will be spent travelling in Kenya with occasional travel outside Kenya.

Other Specific Skill Requirements

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Excellent IT skills
• Very good presentational skills
• Excellent team working skills
• Integrity;