The Save the Children Fund, commonly known as Save the Children, was established in the United Kingdom in 1919 to improve the lives of children through better education, health care, and economic opportunities, as well as providing emergency aid in natural disasters, war, and other conflicts. After passing a century, which it celebrated in 2019,[3] it is now a global movement made up of 29 national member organizations which work in 120 countries.

ROLE PURPOSE: The IYCF officer has the responsibility to ensure high quality IYCF activities, closely coordinated an integrated with CMAM program run by SCI in the same Woredas. The IYCF Officer ensures activities fit within the framework of the National Nutrition Program and ensures good relations with local stakeholders and partner in the operational area.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: CMAM Officer

Dimensions: Save the Children works in 9 regions in Ethiopia with a current staff complement of approximately 1,300+ staff and current expenditure of approximately $90+ million each year.

Staff Directly Reporting to this Post: N/A

Dotted line relationship- Nutrition Team

Functional relationship- Woreda IMAM Officer

Job specific roles and responsibilities

• The incumbent will be expected to ensure that all caretakers of the beneficiaries at the distribution sites OTP and TSFP have get the IYCF counselling by the health extension workers of each program.
• ·Accomplish project site activities and supporting of community-based groups – HDAs, mother support groups, local committees, etc.
• ·Participate in providing IYCF technical support to Woredas, SCI and partners CMAM and IYCF staff.
• ·Ensure that all staff understand and implement the IYCF program guidelines.
• ·Ensure appropriate and consistent education messaging to mothers (at PHC, Hospitals, HCs and community levels).
• ·Advise the best feeding options/ practices and follow ups as appropriate.
• ·Participate in the development of mother support groups and mother-baby areas.
• ·Participate in developing regular work plans for the HWS, HEWs, CMAM officer, HDAs, mother support etc.
• ·Spot and address appropriately the violations of the code of marketing of breast-milk substitutes and violations of the MOH guidelines.
• ·The position holder will be expected ensures the availability of teaching aid and IEC materials for program implementation.
• ·Act as an effective member in promoting, supporting and protecting IYCF practices (give IYCF awareness sessions and IYCF individual counselling sessions as necessary).
• · Give support to CMAM team members as necessary.
• · Ensure that IYCF tools are properly utilized and documented; prepare IYCF reports regularly and submit to project coordinators.
• · Link between CMAM team and IYCF team (such as promoting excellent communication and referral between IYCF counsellor, IYCF educator and CMAM).
• · Assist in the development and review of educational material (IEC /BCC).
• · Prepare training materials and conduct IYCF trainings when necessary.
• · With support from M & E officer, make sure all IYCF records are regularly filled and submitted (awareness sessions, database of counselled cases, etc.)
• · Liaise with ZHO, WHO, and Health facilities and ensure the quality of IYCF/Nutrition capacity building activities are technically sound, aligned with proposed implementation plan and adhere to standard guidelines;
• ·Provide mothers with practical advice on correct attachment and positioning when breastfeeding, timely introduction of complementary foods and respond to any concerns or local taboos associated with IYCF.
• · Upholds the image and values of SC at all times.
• ·Assure the availability of IYCF training and counselling materials prior to any training.
• ·Support community assessments related to CMAM & IYCF and strengthen capacity of various health, agriculture, and other sectors’ front line workers to improve the quality of nutrition intervention.
• ·Along with other SCI & partner staffs, conduct regular follow up site visits to provide support quality implementation, and document field all through submission of complete, accurate and timely feedback reports.
• ·Ensure IYCF indicator well captured and adhere to the national protocol guideline by CMAM team.
• ·Make sure that Mothers are counselled with the resource available at HH and proper understand.
• ·Make sure that Mother who need special counselling are identified, linked and followed well for behavior change.
• ·Support the mothers suffering from insufficient milk production with advice on re-lactation.
• ·Perform other extra duties as required

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:  Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

MINIMUM QUALFICATION, EXPEREINCE, COMPETENCIES

QUALIFICATION

•  Bachelors or equivalent degree in Human Nutrition, Midwifery, Public Health, or similar fields.
• Minimum 4 years’ field experience in humanitarian work, including significant experience in managing CMAM & IYCF programs.
• Substantial experience of community-based nutrition projects.
• Demonstrated ability for leadership and independent decision-making.
•  Strong interpersonal skills & excellent team player.
• Willingness and ability to work in hardship environment.
•  Cultural and gender sensitivity.
•  Knowledge of the local language is Mandatory.

EXPEREINCE

• Minimum four years working experience with NGOs out of which two years in Warehouse Officer.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITY 

• The position holder must have excellent interpersonal skills, flexibility and Relations to his team members.
• The position holder must have an ability that he can manage when it comes to reach hard decisions to across the barrier.
• The position holder should have a good interrelation ship with others and must now local language (Somali)

Scope & complexity of decision making (choose the appropriate description and delete the rest)

• Able to work in line with strict adherence of specific policies and supervisor’s order.
• Expected to make decisions on well-established procedures, under close supervision
• Able to make decisions using creativity and some independent judgement within realm of current scope of work; Decisions typically made in order to resolve and adapt current solutions or introduce new procedures and practices