Nutrition Officer, Oyo

JOB TITLE: Nutrition Officer

TEAM: Programme Operations

LOCATION: Oyo State

GRADE: 4

POST TYPE: National

CHILD SAFEGUARDING: Level 3- The responsibilities of this post may require the post holder to have regular contact with children and young people. In the overseas context, all posts are considered level 3.

As part of these responsibilities the post holder will support the establishment of child safeguarding systems, promote a culture of keeping children safe, and ensure that potential harm to children (by our own staff and/or as a result of how we do our work) is identified and addressed on an ongoing basis. The post holder should report and respond to interventions as determined by position related responsibilities identified in the Child Safeguarding Policy.

ROLE PURPOSE: Support the implementation and monitoring of nutrition activities in the ANRIN Project in the following cluster of LGAs in the States: Support the implementation and monitoring of nutrition activities in the ANRIN Project in the following cluster of LGAs in the States**: cluster 1**- Orelope, Olorunsogo, Ore-Ire, Ogbomosho-South, Ogbomosho-North, Surulere, Atiba, Irepo, Ogo-Oluwa and cluster 2 – Afijio, Lagelu, Ona-Ara, Oyo-West, Oyo-East, Egbeda, Ibadan-North, Ibadan-South East.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Nutrition Specialist

Staff directly reporting to this post: None

Key Areas of Responsibility:

• With support from the Nutrition Specialist, ensure target beneficiaries (pregnant women, mothers/caregivers of children less than 24months, children 6 – 59months) access and utilize available nutrition services.
• Engage with community health focal points, community volunteers in cluster LGAs to implement quality nutrition interventions/delivery of nutrition services for the programme, which includes:
  • Counselling of mothers/caregivers of children 0-23 months of age on improved behaviors related to maternal, infant and young child feeding, notably early, exclusive and continued breastfeeding, appropriate complementary feeding, and early stimulation.
  • Distribution of micronutrient powders per month among children 6-23 months to improve the quality of complementary feeding.
  • Iron-folic acid (IFA) supplementation for pregnant women by specifically addressing barriers that inhibit women from taking a full course of IFA tablets during pregnancy through counseling during ante-natal care sessions.
  • Intermittent preventive treatment for malaria during ante-natal care by pregnant women.
  • Provision of zinc/oral rehydration solution (ORS) for treatment of diarrhea among children 6-59 months of age.
  • Provision of vitamin A supplementation among children 6-59 months of age.
  • Provision of deworming tablets among children 12-59 months of age.
• Supervise activities of community health focal points, community volunteers in cluster LGAs.
• Work with MEAL team in beneficiary verification and contribute to various project Reports
• Ensure programme approaches and implementation are sensitive to cultural and gender dynamics.
• Provide technical assistance LGA teams and Health Workers on nutrition, with a particular focus on development of effective methodologies to improve health and nutrition knowledge, attitudes and practices.
• Conduct follow up monitoring of nutrition-related activities and document findings to feed into improved programming
• Support strengthening of information flow between State and LGA.

Capacity Building:

• Contribute to the development and/or adaptation of training materials.
• Facilitate on nutrition trainings in project locations for CHFPs and CVs.
• Develop training plans for Health Workers, CHFPs and CVs based on identified needs.

Documentation and reporting:

• Ensure timely collection, compilation and analysis of quality data as well as production of quantitative and qualitative reports regarding nutrition activities in the Programme.
• Provide technical review of programme reports in line with the M&E framework.
• Work closely with the MEAL team to ensure that data are captured in a correct and accurate manner.

Representation & Advocacy & Organisational Learning:

• Represent SCI in relevant LGA level forums for nutrition in coordination with other Partners.
• Contribute to communications and media work as required through correction of data and information and sharing with the Project team.

General:

• Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• accuracy and timeliness in all areas of responsibility
• high level of accuracy in work, and ability to analyse complex sets of relationships and situations
• holds self and others accountable

Ambition

• creating best-in-class EA function
• future-orientated, thinks pro-actively

Collaboration:

• working effectively with stakeholders to achieve common goals

• excellent communication and interpersonal skills

• builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners

• approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• designing more effective admin and value for money systems
• willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency, demonstrates highest levels of integrity.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Health/Public Health/Nutrition or equivalent with minimum of 4years progressive experience post NYSC
• Demonstrable ability at report writing.
• Excellent communication skills and a willingness to be respectful, kind, sensitive and empathise with all beneficiaries and their carers
• Resident in and familiarity with the cluster LGAs is necessary.
• Experience in community based interventions in Western part of Nigeria is an advantage
• Fluency in written and spoken English and local languages.
• Computer literate
• Prepared to live and work in an uncertain security environment
• Willingness and capacity to be flexible and accommodating when faced with difficult and frustrating working conditions.
• Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles.

The Organisation

We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday

All children learn from a quality basic education and that,

Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

Additional job responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Safeguarding our Staff:

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Save the Children does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.