IR/INT/EXT/VN/039.21

Post Title:                 Nutrition and IYCF-E Officer

Report to:                 Senior Project Officer

Duty Station:            Afar Regional State, Logia

Salary:                       As per the organizations scale

Required:                 One

Duration:                 Five months    

Introduction

Islamic Relief is an international relief and development charity founded in 1984 with its headquarters in Birmingham, UK. As well as responding to disasters and emergencies, Islamic Relief promotes sustainable economic and social development by working with local communities – regardless of race, religion or gender. The office officially started operation in Ethiopia in 2004. Islamic Relief Ethiopia (IRE) is operational in the Somali Regional State with a base office in Hargelle, Elkere, Bare, Dekasuftu, Jigjiga, Afar Regional State; Ewa & Gulina and an additional operational office in Addis Ababa. For more information please visit our website: http://www.islamic-relief.org/work-with-us

Overall Objective:

The Nutrition and IYCF-E officer has the responsibility to ensure high-quality IYCF-E activities, closely coordinated an integrated with the Emergency Response project. The Officer ensures the project’s activities fit within the framework of the National Nutrition Program and ensures good relations with local stakeholders.

KEY Roles and Responsibilities

·         Accomplish project site activities and supporting of community-based groups – HDAs, mother support groups, local committees, etc.)

·         Participate in providing IYCF-E  technical support to Woredas and  IR  staff

·         Ensure that all staff understand and implement the IYCF-E  program guidelines

·          Ensure appropriate and consistent education messaging to mothers provided  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 HEWs, 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

·         Act as an effective member in promoting; supporting and protecting IYCF-E practices (give IYCF-E awareness sessions and IYCF individual counseling sessions as necessary).

·          Give support to IR  team members as necessary

·         Assist in the development and review of educational material

·          Prepare training materials and conduct IYCF-E  training when necessary

·         Ensure at each  food distribution sites or nutrition sites are breast feeding corners established and activated for IYCF-E promotion

·         Plan and implements for IYCF-E  promotion with Health care provider at health centers

·         Provide weekly/monthly reports on time for the IYCF-E and behavioral change activities

·         Ensure the key IYCF-E message promotion is conducted at each Food distribution sites  regularly and in good quality

·         Ensure that malnourished children from food distribution  sites are referred and enrolled to respective appropriate nutrition program

·         Ensure that all the target community (pregnant women and mothers those have a child under 2 years) are benefited IYCF-E promotion from project

·         Liaise with ZHB, WHB, and Health facilities and ensure the quality of IYCF-E /Nutrition capacity building activities are technically sound, aligned with proposed implementation plan and adhere to standard guidelines;

·         Assure the availability of IYCF-E training and counselling materials prior to any training;

·          Support community assessments related to CMAM & IYCF-E and strengthen capacity of various health, agriculture, and other sectors’ front line workers to improve the quality of nutrition intervention

·         Along with other IR  & 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;

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Nutrition, Public Health, Nursing or similar fields
• Minimum 3 years field experience in humanitarian work, including significant experience in managing CMAM & IYCF programs
• Excellent writing skills with the ability to produce project reports
• Ability to plan and organize work independently with appropriate follow through while paying close attention to detail and show initiative in completing tasks and projects in a timely manner
• 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
• Familiarity of the area is highly desirable
•  Fluency in written and spoken English and  Afar language  (Mandatory)
• Previous experience working for NGOs an asset

Additional responsibilities

• This job description is not intended to be all inclusive and the employee will also perform other related tasks as required and responsible for reporting and communication of progress and achievement of the specific assigned task

• Inform the Health and Nutrition Coordinator  of any professional problems encountered
• Conduct all duties in a professional manner following Islamic Relief staff regulations
• Ability to handle multiple tasks on an on-going basis, and adapt to a shift or change in priorities, including the ability to work a flexible work schedule as needed to meet deliverable deadlines
• Organize training courses
• Draft agendas and record minutes of staffs meetings and answer office correspondence

Safeguarding and Equal Opportunity

Islamic Relief and Islamic Relief staff considers the welfare and protection of children, young people and people at risk to be paramount to the organization. And must adhere the principle of ‘do no harm and leave no one behind.’ It is critical we do not expose communities or staff we work with to the risk of harm through our interventions.  With a zero tolerance approach Islamic Relief have a number of related policies which also describe standards in behavior expected from the organization, its staff and representatives towards each other and those we serve. Islamic Relief is committed to responding swiftly, appropriately and constructively to any and all information children, young people and people at risk have disclosed.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. We participate in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and child abuse during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment before signing the contract agreement.

Islamic Relief believes everyone has the right to be safe, respected and valued regardless of who they are or their circumstances, and an equal employment opportunity  to all candidates and qualified applicants, we do not discriminate on the base of age, sex, race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability status and diversity.