Requisition ID: req49690

Job Title: Nutritionist.

Sector: Health

Employment Category: Fixed Term

Employment Type: Full-Time

Open to Expatriates: Not Applicable

Location: Kibondo, Tanzania

Work Arrangement:

Job Description

Background/IRC Summary:

Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to serious humanitarian crises around the world and helps victims to survive and rebuild their lives.

For over half a century, Tanzania has been a country of asylum, hosting one of the largest refugee populations in Africa. Currently, the country hosts approximately 287,903 Burundian and Congolese refugees, many of whom arrived in 2015 as the crisis in Burundi increased. To date, refugees continue to co-exist with the host communities in Kigoma region expressing multiple reasons and needs. Within this context, IRC provides protection and basic assistance in the areas of Safety (comprises of Protection and Rule of Law, Women Protection and Empowerment, and Child Protection), Health (mental health and psychosocial support services and reproductive health), and Education.

Job Overview:

To support and manage the IYCF-E Counselors in the IYCF-E program and assisting the IYCF-E Program Manager on a day-to-day basis.

To ensure that the all components of the program are functioning properly, providing quality care to all beneficiaries while respecting guidelines and principles of good practice e.g. the Operational Guidance on IYCF-E, the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent relevant resolutions, and SPHERE 2011).

Major Responsibilities

Day-to-day Project Activities:

Manage project site activities and staff (such as IYCF-E activities in Child Friendly Spaces, baby-tents, etc., the IYCF-E staff, Breastfeeding Counsellors and volunteers);
Provide IYCF-E technical support to staff (CMAM, Health, Child Protection, and others as necessary), Ministry of Health (MoH) and other humanitarian actors, as necessary, to promote consistent good practice.
Ensure that all staff understand and implement program guidelines when assessing the mother-child pair and advise the best feeding options and follow-up as appropriate.
Ensure appropriate and consistent education messaging to mothers and other careers at all programming contact points (e.g. Child Friendly Centras, clinics, distributions) and in the community. (Note: the key messages should be agreed by all stakeholders in an emergency to ensure consistency);
Facilitate the development and scheduling of outreach activities (e.g. for IYCF-E Outreach Workers, volunteers);
Develop monthly work plans for the mother-baby areas (e.g. Child Friendly Spaces, corners at health centers, Baby Tents, etc.) with the IYCF-E Counsellors and appropriate staff.
Prepare field visit plans and supervision checklists in advance of trips.
Compile monthly activity reports and assist with stock consumption/distribution plans for outreach and each mother-baby area as required.
Facilitate cross-sectoral programming, particularly to promote excellent communication and referral between IYCF-E, CMAM, FSL and CP programming.
Training and Capacity Building:

Conduct evaluation and appraisal of staff as required.
Conduct orientations and training to build the capacity of staff/volunteers, MoH staff and the community at large.
At field sites, liaise with other humanitarian actors, local authorities, ministries, and the military as appropriate, to maximize collaboration and ensure proper coordination of activities (Note: a key group is the logistics cluster).
Under the guidance of the Program Manager undertake local level advocacy, targeting other humanitarian actors, local authorities, ministries, and the military as appropriate, on assessment and appropriate response to support infant and young child feeding.
Advocacy and Communication:

At field sites, liaise with other humanitarian actors, local authorities, ministries and the military as appropriate, to maximize collaboration and ensure proper coordination of activities (Note: a key group is the logistics cluster);
Under the guidance of the Program Manager undertake local level advocacy, targeting other humanitarian actors, local authorities, ministries, and the military as appropriate, on assessment and appropriate response to support infant and young child feeding.
Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Senior Health Manager

Position directly supervises:

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Qualifications

A bachelor’s degree in Human Nutrition, Dietetics, Food Science, or a related field is often required. Primary health care/community health care experience is an added advantage.
Minimum of 2 years of experience in Emergency programming experience in humanitarian/development contexts.
Demonstrated Skills and Competencies

Demonstrable commitment to promoting and supporting optimal breastfeeding and complementary feeding.
Demonstrable management experience.
Experience of implementation programs (ideally nutrition related), including monitoring and evaluation.
Experience in conducting assessments and an understanding of nutritional data.
Proven capacity to supervise, train and coach staff.
A willingness and capacity to be flexible and accommodating when faced with difficult and frustrating working conditions.
Prepared to live and work in an uncertain security environment.
Ability and willingness to frequently travel and stay in the field.
Demonstrable ability at report writing and excellent communication skills
Computer literate.
Language/Travel: Good written and spoken English and Swahili is required while some knowledge of Kirundi and French will be an added advantage.

Working Environment: Security level yellow – The situation in most of the country is calm. Some parts of Kigoma region experience insecurity-highway banditry.

Partnership: The IRC is committed to working with partners as our preferred operating model and adhering to our six partnership principles: equality, complementarity, mutuality, solidarity, results orientation, and humility.

Commitment to Client Responsiveness: By committing to Client-Centered Programming, at the IRC Tanzania, we place the people we serve – our clients – at the center of our programming and services. The IRC Tanzania Staff have an important role to play in supporting the implementation of client-responsive programming through raising awareness to the community and clients about expected staff behavior, project information, the existing feedback mechanisms and how to use them including the response processes, access, and eligibility to services, and contribute to building an institutional culture that prompts staff to listen to clients and to communicate and respond to their requests, feedback, and complaints.

Professional Standards: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the 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, and Anti-Retaliation.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity: IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.