Sr Health & Nutrition Manager

Background/IRC Summary:  

• The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to the displaced and refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.
• IRC has been working in Pakistan for over 40 years and manages and delivers large complex programs to meet needs in health, education, protection, environmental health, and livelihoods for displaced, poor & affected communities. IRC works in partnership with local government and non-governmental organizations and currently working across the country.

About the Project:

• The IRC is implementing  a nutrition specific EU funded project in five districts of Sindh. The project serves the malnourished children and women through capacity building of local organizations and nutrition service delivery through collaboration with the public health facilities. Community mobilization and advocacy initiatives are the  integral part of the project for addressing the malnutrition along with strengthening of nutrition services. The project is being  implemented in collaboration with local partners.

 Job Overview/Summary:  

The Sr. Health and Nutrition Manager will be responsible for technical support to partners, management and field implementation of the nutrition service delivery component of EU funded nutrition project in Sindh. S/he will lead in collaboration with partner the designing, execution and monitoring of nutrition service delivery interventions of the project and will support the Program Coordinator position in field implementation. The position is also responsible for ensuring a close coordination with project partners at field level so that program interventions are implemented in coordination and as per IRC policy and practices.

Project Startup

• In collaboration with the Program Coordinator and partners relevant managers support teams in conducting joint provincial and district planning meetings
• Support the Program coordinator in executing program activities in collaboration with the relevant provincial and district stakeholders including UNICEF, WFP and WHO.
• Lead the Training Need Assessment and develop training and capacity building work plans if required for staff to improve their technical capacity and skills development in nutrition.
• Liaise with Program Coordinator to ensure all team members including partners are       oriented and supported for the nutrition related services delivery model and clearly know their roles and responsibilities and deliverables.
• Support in all  project related activities including project  workshops, orientations, etc.

Project Management and Implementation

• Lead the implementation (conceptualization, designing, procurement, execution) of the thematic and competency-based training for staff and stakeholders  on key nutrition thematic areas of the in coordination with project partners and ensure that all interventions are in line with the global and national best practices and guidelines.
• Give technical support in making tools and capacity building plans to strengthen nutrition information management  system at community, facility and district level to ensure nutrition related information is collected, shared, analyzed and used for decision making.
• Technically lead the roll out of the CMAM /simplified guidelines for screening and treatment of SAM through capacity building of LHWs, CMWs & CBO, volunteers, activation of Community Health Committees and Peer Support Groups.
• Provide mentoring support in day-to-day implementation of trainings to IRC and partners teams (where needed)
• Close coordination with the Supervisor and Grants department to ensure effective component budget management, grant utilization and compliance with donor requirements.
• Develop and utilize regularly updated training management tools, including workplans, implementation plans, procurement plans, and accurate financial forecasts.
• Develop TORs, process hiring consultants for different training, review nutrition training IEC and training materials and monitor nutrition related training events.
• Provide technical support to the project leads and Supply Chain department for procurement of nutrition supplies for the project.
• Review and contribute to the policy and advocacy materials and provide technical backstopping to the partner on advocacy initiatives.

 Project Monitoring and Reporting

• Conduct field monitoring visits to provide supervision monitoring and technical oversight to nutrition delivery sites including OTP, SFP and SC
• Provide feedback to the consultants, trainers, partners and IRC staff on the service delivery, quality of training events, quality, and standards.
• Prepare high quality internal and external reports within agreed deadlines, review training reports, prepare field visit reports and any other periodic updates for management and project.
• Coordinate closely with the MEAL department to develop monitoring tools and collect high-quality data for nutrition service delivery component.
• Participate in all grant meetings, mid-term and closing meetings.
• Contribute to IRC and donor reports as per set schedules (monthly, quarterly, and annually)
• Monitor and ensure the quality of supply chain system to avoid stock outs of nutrition supplies at OTP, SFP and SC

Representation and Coordination

• Build strong relationships with partners teams, relevant government departments, and other stakeholders regarding capacity building initiatives, especially simplified guidelines.
• Participate and contribute to the working groups of the project.
• Represent IRC in relevant stakeholder meetings at provincial level such as working groups, district nutrition advisory committee, UN structures, coordination forums, other I/NGOs, Govt, local stakeholders etc.
• Perform any other tasks as may be assigned by the supervisor.

  Position Reports to:  Program Coordinator

The position closely coordinates with IRC and field managers of partners. In the execution of the training and events the position will closely collaborate with support functions including supply chain, finance, security etc. The position will also coordinate with country pharmacist of IRC and MERF in nutrition supplies procurement, distribution, and utilization.

Job Requirements:

Education: Master’s degree Nutrition, preferably with Public Health or related field

Work Experience:  Minimum 5 years of post-qualification and management experience in community health and nutrition context or relevant field preferably with an international development sector organization. Knowledge and experience of nutrition principles and management. Experience of designing and managing capacity building (preferably with NGOs. /INGOs or donor agencies) programme for communities on nutrition promotion and malnutrition prevention approaches. Able to impart comprehensive nutrition-based knowledge to communities through identification and transfer of best practices and lessons learned. Experience of working in Sindh will be preferred.

Languages: Must be fluent in Urdu, English languages. Sindhi is preferred.

Skills and Competencies:

• Excellent and fluent spoken English is essential and good knowledge of Local language will be considered.
• Excellent communication and analytical skills
• Proficient in qualitative analysis and documenting them into high quality analytical reports.
• Computer skills including MS- Office, Excel, Power point, Outlook.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks, proven self-initiative and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent presentation skills.
• Ability to meet short deadlines.
• Ability to work under pressure, tight deadlines and extensive field travel including overnight stays at remote and out of home locations.

 The IRC Core Values and Commitments.

• The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity Anti-Retaliation and Combating Trafficking in Persons.
•  IRC is committed to ensuring that IRC staff is suitable to work with children and have the knowledge s/he needs to uphold and abide by the IRC’s Child Safeguarding Policy.
• IRC ensures that its staff must actively practice the roles and responsibilities related to client responsiveness, accountability to people in affected communities and must have competencies to solicits and listens to feedback and other’s perspectives, responds to feedback with maturity and sensitivity and takes appropriate decisions and makes changes to behavior or actions in response to feedback.
• IRC recognizes that gender equality is fundamental to the achievement of our organizational mission. As such, IRC is committed to the promotion of gender equality in all aspects of our operations and programs. Our organizational policies, procedures and actions demonstrate this commitment.
• Differently abled and female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.