Submit Your CV Now at PATH Zambia: Nutrition Technical Officer, MCSP


  • Company: PATH
  • Location: Lusaka, Lusaka Province, Zambia
  • State: Lusaka
  • Job type: Full-Time
  • Job category: NGO Jobs in Zambia

PATH is an international organization that drives transformative innovation to save lives and improve health, especially among women and children. We accelerate innovation across five platforms—vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, devices, and system and service innovations—that harness our entrepreneurial insight, scientific and public health expertise, and passion for health equity. By mobilizing partners around the world, we take innovation to scale, working alongside countries primarily in Africa and Asia to tackle their greatest health needs. Together, we deliver measurable results that disrupt the cycle of poor health.The Maternal and Child Survival Program (MCSP) is a global, USAID Cooperative Agreement to introduce and support high-impact health interventions with a focus on 25 high-priority countries with the ultimate goal of ending preventable child and maternal deaths within a generation. The Program is focused on ensuring that all women, newborns and children most in need have equitable access to quality health care services to save lives. MCSP supports programming in maternal, newborn and child health, immunization, family planning and reproductive health, nutrition, health systems strengthening, water/sanitation/hygiene, malaria, prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, and pediatric HIV care and treatment.MCSP Will Contribute To Improving Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child And Adolescent Health & Nutrition (RMNCHA&N) In Zambia Through The Following ObjectivesThe goal of MCSP in Zambia is to provide technical assistance to strengthen the Government of Zambia (GRZ)-led service provision along the RMNCAH&N continuum of care, complementing a grant from the Swedish International Development Corporation Agency (SIDA) and USAID Zambia.

  • Provide demand-driven technical assistance for sustainable scale-up of RMNCHA&N intervention across the four focus provinces of Zambia through routine mentorship, troubleshooting and implementation support on the technical aspects of the continuum of care with a minimum of 80% level of effort at the district level and 20% level of effort at the provincial and central level.
  • Develop institutional collaboration to strengthen the provision of local technical support to the MOH in RMNCAH&N.

Position OverviewThe Nutrition Technical Officer, will be responsible for two provinces out of four MCSP provinces. She/he will work closely with the Senior Nutrition Advisor in collaboration with technical teams in MCSP (Child Health, Maternal Health, Newborn Health, Community and Adolescent Health) and other implementing partners to plan, implement and evaluate maternal child health and nutrition interventions in target districts in Eastern, Luapula, Muchinga, Southern provinces. He/she will be based at the province. He/she will represent MCSP on provincial or district technical working groups and committees. The Technical officer will work on a day-to-day basis with the MCSP Provincial Coordinator under the overall guidance of the Senior Nutrition Advisor.This position will be funded through September 30, 2018. Employment after that date will be subject to availability of funds.ResponsibilitiesSupport districts to strengthen planning and quality implementation of Maternal and Adolescent nutrition, Infant and Young Child Feeding (MAIYCF) including breastfeeding and revitalization of the baby friendly hospital initiative (BFHI) and management of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). The position will also provide technical assistance to strengthen the routine supplementation of vitamin A and deworming treatment for children 6 – 59 months as well as pregnant and lactating women for deworming. In addition, the Technical Officer will support the strengthening of the 1000 most critical days program including Iron/Folic Acid supplementation as part of antenatal care. Specifically, the position will:

  • Develop monthly implementation plans in collaboration with district health teams and health facilities based on MCSP nutrition priorities areas such as infant and young child feeding nutrition assessment, counseling and support and IMAM/CMAM
  • Work closely with health facilities to identify clinical and nonclinical staff for orientation and mentoring on the WHO 20 hour course on BFHI including monitoring and supervision of the implementation of the ten steps of successful breastfeeding
  • Work in collaboration with the district the health teams and health facilities to provide orientation, mentoring and coaching to health staff on infant and infant and young child feeding nutrition assessment, counseling and support (NACS) and IMAM/CMAM
  • Integrate NACS in routine services across the continuum of care in targeted health facilities up to the community level
  • Foster strong two-way referral linkages between health facilities and communities
  • Prepare reports monthly, quarterly and annual reports and document lessons learned and best practices
  • Support health facilities to collect and record nutrition data accurately
  • Organize and facilitate quarterly nutrition status review meetings with district nutritionists and facility staff

Required Skills

  • Degree in Public Health, Nutrition, Midwifery, Nursing, Social Sciences or other relevant areas
  • Minimum three (03) years of relevant work experience in successful implementation of district level nutrition and health sector programs
  • Demonstrated ability to work within a multi-faceted health development program in collaboration with provincial and district MOH personnel as well as other key partners
  • A demonstrated track record in providing mentorship and supervision to strengthen healthcare services; training and use of quality improvement approaches
  • Ability to work in a complex environment with multiple tasks, short deadlines and intense pressure to perform
  • Ability to work independently and also as a member with diverse team of partners and counterparts
  • Proven capacity to plan, analyze and ensure routine monitoring of work plans.
  • Strong change management, results-oriented and decision-making skills.
  • Excellent (English) to include written, interpersonal and oral communication/presentation skills.
  • Must have legal authorization to work in Zambia

PATH is dedicated to building an inclusive workforce where diversity is valued.PATH is an equal opportunity employer. Every qualified applicant will be considered for employment. PATH does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or orientation, genetic information, age, national origin, marital status, disability status, political ideology, military or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.