Nutrition Officer, (NO-B) at UNICEF

The Nutrition Officer provides 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. In doing so, the incumbent implements a variety of technical and administrative programme tasks to facilitate programme development, implementation, programme progress monitoring, evaluation, knowledge management products, and reporting of results.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

Summary of Key Functions/accountabilities;

• Support the Nutrition section to optimize policies and programmes and raise the salience issue of nutrition as a core part of the human capital development agenda of the government.
• Engage with the National Council on Nutrition and National Committee on Food and Nutrition to support the implementation of the Multi-sectoral Plan on Food and Nutrition.
•  Leveraging the Child Nutrition Fund to support advocacy for increased domestic resource allocation for nutrition at national and sub-national levels.
• Advocate for optimization and scaling up of high-impact nutrition interventions at national and sub-national levels.
• Advocate for high-impact partnerships (e.g. private sector) to deliver for nutrition and strengthen existing networks (e.g. Scaling Up Nutrition, Development Partners Group, Nigeria Governors Forum, etc.) Contribute to knowledge management products for the nutrition program. 

Support to programme development and planning

• Conduct and update the situation analysis for the programme sector(s) for the development, design and management of multi-sectoral nutrition related policies and financing. Research and report on development trends (e.g. political social, economic, nutrition, health) for higher management use to enhance cross-sectoral coordination, efficiency and delivery of results.
• Contribute to the development and establishment of sectoral programme goals, objectives, strategies, and results-based planning, through analysis of nutrition needs and areas for intervention; and submission of recommendations for priority and goal setting.
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes by executing and administering a variety of technical programme transactions; preparing materials and documentation, and complying with organizational processes and management systems, to support programme planning, results-based planning (RBM), and monitoring and evaluation of results.
• Prepare required documentation and materials to facilitate programme review and approval processes.

Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results.

• Provide technical support and analytics on the preparation, design, and financing of the nutrition sector.
• Ensure the availability of comprehensive and current data on maternal and child nutrition to guide policy development as well as design and management of nutrition programmes/projects.
• Participate in strategic programme discussions on the planning of nutrition programmes/projects to ensure increases in domestic resource allocation for nutrition as well as radical improvements in quality and coverage of nutrition interventions.
• Ensure alignment of UNICEF’s Strategic Plans and Country Programme with national priorities, plans, and competencies. and coherence/integration with the UN Joint Development Assistance Framework, regional strategies.
• Establish specific goals, objectives, strategies, and implementation plans for the sector(s) based on results-based planning terminology and methodology (RBM). Prepare required documentation for programme review and approval.
• Work closely and collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable results for nutrition.

Technical and operational support to programme implementation

• Conduct regular programme field visits and exchange information with partners and stakeholders 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, 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 nutritionrelated issues to support programme implementation, operations and delivery of results.
• Support the government to increase financing and coverage of services for nutrition interventions especially prevention services at both national and sub-national levels.
• Support NCN and NCFN to ensure that nutrition goals in the integrated nutrition strategic plan are in line with applicable mid-term development plans, national policies and strategies and that programs in relevant ministries align to address food and Nutrition-specific and Nutrition-sensitive issues adequately to Scale Up.
• Support NCN and NCFN to improve process management skills and facilitate the operationalisation of federal-level multi-stakeholder platforms.

Advocacy, networking, resource mobilization and partnership building

• Build and strengthen strategic partnerships with nutrition/health sector government counterparts, national stakeholders, global partners, allies, donors, and academia, through active networking, advocacy and effective communication.
• Prepare communication and advocacy products to highlight programme goals, achievements and/or needs to promote awareness, establish partnerships/alliances and support fundraising for nutrition programmes.
• Participate and/or represent UNICEF in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) discussions and planning on nutrition-related issues to ensure organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated into the UNDAF process in development planning and agenda-setting. Collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNDAF planning and preparation of nutrition programmes/projects.
• Participate and/or represent UNICEF in engagement with the private sector, SUN movement, DPG, NGF etc. ▪ Research information on potential donors and prepare resource mobilization materials and briefs for fundraising and partnership development purposes.
• Leveraging the Child Nutrition Fund to support advocacy for increased domestic resource allocation for nutrition at national and sub-national levels.

Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Promote critical thinking, innovative approaches and good practices for sustainable nutrition programme/project initiatives through advocacy and technical advisory services.
• Keep abreast, research, benchmark, and implement best and cutting-edge practices in nutrition management and information systems. Institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned.
• Contribute to the development of policies and procedures and introduce innovation and best practices to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programmes and projects.
• Organize, plan and/or implement capacity-building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients and stakeholders to promote transformative and sustainable results on /nutritionrelated programmes/projects

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

Minimum requirements:

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.

Experience: 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 nutrition programme in a UN system agency or other organization is an asset.

Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

Desirables:

• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.