Officer, Health and Nutrition

Job Title: Officer, Health and Nutrition

Reports to: Manager, Health and Nutrition

Job Location: Turkana North Sub County (Candidates must be legally entitled to work in Kenya at the time of application – National Position)

Contract Details: Fixed Term One (1) Year Contract, subject to availability of funds and performance

Job Summary:

The incumbent will provide technical guidance as well as hands on support to the Sub County Health Management Team to strengthen their capacity and skills in the implementation of High Impact Nutrition interventions (HINI) through the integrated health systems strengthening approach and work with community groups to build their resilience and strengthen their knowledge and capacity in health and nutrition services and appropriate care taking.

Main duties & Responsibilities:

• Provide technical support to MoH on delivery of High Impact Nutrition intervention components at health facilities and when need be outreach sites.
• Assist the Programme Manager to provide technical support to partners in the implementation of the project.
• Work with partners to implement work plans as agreed;
• In partnership with the Sub-County Health Management Team (SCHMT) including the Sub County Medical Officer in charge of health (SCMOH), Sub County Public Health Nurse, Sub-County Nutrition Coordinator, Public Health Officers and the hospital nutritionist develop and implement monthly work plans for the Sub-county.
• Ensure programme quality control through implementation of monthly and quarterly M&E.
• Closely monitor the nutrition situation in the programme area.
• While working with the hospital nutritionist and the SCNO, support the rural health facilities to establish referral systems and create referral links for access to in-patient and other services beneficial to the beneficiaries not provided by the rural health facilities.
• Support with operationalizing of community Units and community mobilization activities; plan trainings , routinely engage Community Health Volunteers and Community Health Assistants,
• Support with documentation of the programme implementation process to generate lesson learning as well as case studies.
• Participate in coordination of and data collection for, KPC, SMART and coverage surveys to assess the nutrition situation of the target population.
• Writing of monthly reports and briefs as well as quarterly reports.
• Contribute significantly to the development of regular donor reports.
• Together with MOH and other partners involved in delivery of nutrition services in the Sub-County, conduct joint support supervision visits.
• Oversee and coordinate the implementation of MIYCN activities at the health facilities and at the community.
• Work closely with the UNICEF and WFP contact staff to ensure that all health facilities have adequate supplies of therapeutic commodities at all time.
• Liaising with logistics, IT, Transport, Finance and HR Departments in Nairobi to provide logistical and administrative support to the program.

Responding to Emergencies:

• Participating and contributing towards Concern’s emergency response, as and when necessary
• Complying with Concern’s health, safety and security guidelines during emergencies.

Concern Code of Conduct and Associated Policies:

• Adhering to the standards of conduct outlined in the Concern Code of Conduct & Associated Policies.
• Supporting and promoting the standards outlined in the Code of Conduct & Associated Policies to the team, partner organisations and beneficiaries, and being committed to providing a safe working environment.

Accountability

In line with Concern’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS):

• Actively promote meaningful community participation and consultation at all stages of the project cycle (planning, implementation, M&E).
• Work with relevant colleagues to ensure that the Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) is functional and accessible, that feedback and complaints are welcomed and addressed.
• Work with relevant colleagues to ensure that information about CRM, safeguarding and expected staff behaviour is disseminated among programme participants and communities.

Education, Qualifications & Experience Required:

• A degree in Food, Nutrition and Dietetics, Nursing or relevant field with KNDI Professional certification.
• At least three years (3) experience in maternal and child health and nutrition programming in both a development and emergency context.
• Experience working with and through local partners in ASAL contexts and knowledge of MOH systems, particularly at Sub County level.
• Good understanding of cross cutting issues- gender, HIV and AIDS, DRR, etc. and how to integrate them into public health and nutrition programmes.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and report writing skills and demonstrated ability to work effectively in teams.
• Proficient in Computer applications.
• Fluent in both spoken and written English and Kiswahili. Fluency in local language/s skills is an added advantage.
• An understanding of the local context, prior experience working and/or living in the County is highly desirable.

Competencies

• Aware of self and adapts and uses abilities to work well with others.
• Systematically develops plans, makes clear, informed and timely decisions.
• Acts to inspire others, supports them to achieve excellent results.
• Engages with others inside and outside the organisation, gathers and shares a wider knowledge of issues relevant to Concern’s work
• Focused on continual improvement; seeks out, develops and successfully implements new ideas

Safeguarding at Concern: Code of Conduct and its Associated Policies

Concern has an organisational Code of Conduct (CCoC) with three Associated Policies; the Programme Participant Protection Policy (P4), the Child Safeguarding Policy and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy. These have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation, and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organisation, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context, staff have a responsibility to the organisation to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a consultancy opportunity with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Concern Code of Conduct and Associated Policies as an appendix to their consultancy contract. By signing the Concern Code of Conduct, candidates acknowledge that they have understood the content of both the Concern Code of Conduct and the Associated Policies and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these policies. Additionally, Concern is committed to the safeguarding and protection of vulnerable adults and children in our work. We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to do consultancy work or volunteer with vulnerable adults and children are recruited by us for such roles. Subsequently, being hired as a consultant with Concern is subject to a range of vetting checks, including criminal background checking.

Concern’ is the trading name of ‘Concern Worldwide’, a company limited by guarantee, registered number 39647; registered charity number CHY 5745, registered in Ireland, registered address is 52-55 Lower Camden Street, Dublin 2, Ireland. Follow Concern online: www.concern.net