Nutrition Officer at Plan International

Role Purpose

• The Nutrition Officer is responsible to ensure that the nutrition activities including BSFP are functioning properly, providing quality care to all targeted beneficiaries, and respecting protocols and principles of good practice.

Dimensions of the Role

• The nutrition officer will lead the implementation of Nutrition activities including BSFP activities in LGA. Liaising with government ministries offices and bureaus at LGAs levels.
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with organizational and statutory policies and laws on People and Culture legality matters and also has the responsibility to ensure compliance with the design and implementation of emergency/recovery and resilience-focused nutrition responses in line with applicable government policies, guidelines, and procedures.

Accountabilities

Plan and organize BSFP at designated distribution sites in liaison with the project coordinator:

• Work with LGA officials to ensure all aspects of the program are understood and agreements signed by all partner bodies
• Ensure the collection of all relevant background information on the area has been amassed prior to project implementation
• Complete order forms for logistics for both materials and estimated medicine & food requirements for each site in advance, plus confirm transport schedule
• Conduct screening in targeted areas to collect total beneficiary figures and confirm/amend log requests as necessary.
• Schedule the distribution plan with the LGA and Wards administrative and health officials.
• Work with the community nutrition mobilizers, and ensure the engagement of community leaders, key community figures, and community groups.
• Work with community nutrition mobilizers to improve their ability to recognize signs of malnutrition, provide appropriate education to beneficiaries to help prevent Micro Nutrient deficiency, on Optimal IYCF, and refer individuals as appropriate.
• Teach community nutrition mobilizers how to disseminate key education messages within their communities and propagate messaging through other community channels.
• Ensure appropriate referrals take place to and from other MoH-supported CMAM sites.
• Ensure cases not meeting admission criteria understand why their child is not admitted.
• Supervise the activities of the SFP team at the distribution points.
• Ensure all SFP team members are familiar with their posts.
• Re-define team composition as necessary – either during distributions (to avoid bottle-necks) or after discussion during team meetings.
• Work closely with the teams to ensure all children are screened for malnutrition correctly.
• Ensure all criteria are respected and understood by the teams, including admission, discharge, and transfer to and from the various components of the CMAM programme.
• Ensure comprehensive health checks and treatment according to the agreed protocols.
• Monitor supplementary feeding rations and ensure they are distributed fairly and equally between beneficiaries.
• Facilitate cooking demonstrations using locally available food.
• Review the forms completed by staff to ensure completion, accuracy, and coherence.
• Undertake individual evaluations with the team.
• Ensure adequate availability of supplementary food supplies for each distribution, input into the creation and maintenance of a monthly distribution plan, and ensure stock is pre-positioned as planned with the project coordinator and logistics team.
• Submit weekly reports including tally forms for the SFP statistics for each site.
• Report any progress and any problems in a timely manner.
• Through liaison with the community mobilizers, provide effective follow-up of all cases - particularly:
• Ensure the prompt tracing of children who are absent from the program.
• Request specific children to be followed up as required (newly enrolled children, sick children, children not gaining weight, children with social problems, etc.).

Liaise with the community mobilizers to ensure comprehensive community outreach and mobilization, health education, and treatment. Check that all messages to carers, community groups, leaders, and authorities are consistent and fully understood:

• Respect the dignity of the beneficiaries, carers, and members of the community
• Perform any other duty that may be assigned from time to time

Technical Experties, Skills and Knowledge

Essential:

• Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in a discipline such as Nutrition, Food Science, Nursing, Public Health, or any other relevant discipline, and/or a Diploma in Nursing with at least 3 years of experience in the field of nutrition at the community level.
• Previous experience in a related position for at least 2 years, including managing BSFP & Nutrition projects.
• Fluent in written and spoken English and Hausa.
• Commitment to and understanding of PLAN’S aims, values, and principles.
• Applicants from Yobe State are encouraged to apply

Desirable:

• Managing UNWFP-funded projects is preferable.
• Experience in working on “In-kind Distributions” projects is preferable.
• Strong communication skills: oral, written, and presentation skills.
• Strong leadership, team building, conflict resolution, and ability to deliver PLAN’s strategic objectives.
• Extremely flexible, and have the ability to cope with stressful situations
• Facilitate the development and scheduling of volunteer outreach activities