Save the Children Zambia Recruiting: Nutrition and Child Health Expert – June 2017

Save the Children is currently pursuing a Scaling-Up Nutrition Technical Assistance Project in Zambia funded by USAID over a six-year period. This upcoming contract will focus on an integrated approach to nutrition activity intended to bring to scale a core package of evidence-based interventions that will reduce stunting in a minimum of 30 districts in Zambia. The quality and quantity of dietary intake, access to appropriate health conditions, access to clean water as well as behaviour change for improved livelihoods, nutrition and WASH practices will have a major impact on the sustainability of this project. Save the Children invests in childhood – every day, in times of crisis and for our future. In the United States and around the world, we are dedicated to ensuring every child has the best chance for success. Our pioneering programs give children a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. Our advocacy efforts provide a voice for children who cannot speak for themselves. As the leading expert on children, we inspire and achieve lasting impact for millions of the world’s most vulnerable girls and boys. By transforming children’s lives now, we change the course of their future and ours. Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom Save the Children is in contact. As a humanitarian agency, Save the Children is obliged to create and maintain an environment that aims to prevent the sexual exploitation and abuse of children and promote the implementation of its child safeguarding policy. All representatives of Save the Children – employees, volunteers, interns, consultants, Board members and others who work with children on Save the Children’s behalf – are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this commitment and obligation. Save the Children provides an attractive benefits package including competitive salaries, a matching retirement plan, health and welfare benefits, life insurance, an employee assistance program, generous time off and much more. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Save the Children complies with all applicable laws.

Responsibilities

• The Nutrition and Child Health Advisor for this key program in Zambia will be responsible for the overall strategy development and implementation of the nutrition and behaviour change activities relevant to this project and will provide technical support on how they will be implemented to achieve expected results
• S/he shall provide cross-cutting, strategic and program implementation direction and management to promote demand for key health and nutrition SBCC and service based interventions at community and household level
• The advisor will work closely with the WASH Advisor and Smallholder/Livelihood Advisor to ensure a comprehensive integrated approach to meet the program objectives of reducing stunting
• The Advisor will also work closely with the monitoring and evaluation team to ensure progress is being achieved towards program targets
• S/he will establish and maintain close and effective liaison with relevant ministry and government officials, partners and country stakeholders to facilitate flow of information concerning research, policies, and programs and to stay abreast of current trends
• The focus will be centred around pregnant women and Zambian children under the age of two, as measured by stunting
• In collaboration with the senior technical team, develop an overall strategy for the provision of technical assistance to increase community and household-level activities that foster an integrated approach
• Ensure the smooth, efficient and effective start-up and ongoing implementation of the nutrition components of the project including linkages with other project components
• Ensure development of detailed implementation plans, collection of appropriate baseline and monitoring data, as needed, clear process and impact indicators, and effective project monitoring and evaluation procedures to ensure accountability and make improvements in these target areas
• Guarantee timely and accurate donor reporting
• Provide sectoral leadership for all nutrition and child health activities relevant to this project
• Seek to continuously improve programs, initiate new project implementation strategies as needed, and plan for expansion of project impact, as appropriate
• In partnership with the other key staff, establish and maintain good relationships with project co-implementers; government ministries and departments; NGOs working in the area and other key stakeholders
• Attend coordination meetings as appropriate. Ensure that activities are coordinated with relevant stakeholders, including communities
• Please note that this position will only be filled if the funding is awarded by the donor

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Nutrition, international health, is required
• Demonstrated progressive experience with increasing responsibility focused on integrated programming of nutrition, child health, early childhood development, and SBCC
• Demonstrated progressive experience in providing technical expertise to host government(s) for the areas of care, treatment, and prevention of malnutrition
• Solid experience developing SBCC training tools and materials
• Experience developing and implementing a behaviour change communication strategy for the program, focusing on creating demand for community nutrition services
• Experience working with nutrition-sensitive agriculture and livelihoods programs
• Prior experience developing and managing community-based health programs in developing countries
• Experience working in health systems strengthening
• Extensive experience working in Africa, preferably Zambia
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to lead and work effectively in team situations
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Zambian nationals are encouraged to apply

How to apply
Send your applications to the undersigned: