Consultant - Health & Nutrition Advisor at Save the Children

Save the Children is a leading international organization helping children in need around the world. First established in the UK in 1919, separate national organizations have been set up in more than twenty-eight countries, sharing the aim of improving the lives of children through education, health care and economic opportunities, as well as emergency aid in cases of natural disasters, war and conflict.


In Nigeria, Save the Children has been working since 2001. The early focus was on getting children actively involved in shaping the decisions that affect their lives. Today, Save the Children is working in seven federal states - Zamfara, Yobe, Jigawa, Katsina, Kano, Bauchi and Kaduna - focusing on providing basic healthcare and protecting children.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Consultant - Health & Nutrition Advisor

Location:
 Zamfara
Duration: Start 16/ May /2016 to 6/Sep./2016

Purpose of Consultancy
To provide technical support to the implementation and monitoring of health and nutrition activities for the DFID-funded cash transfer programme, CDGP, with a particular focus on behaviour change communications for improved nutritional knowledge, attitudes and practices among beneficiaries.

Key Accountabilities

  • Provide technical assistance to state and LGA teams on health and nutrition, with particular focus on the implementation of effective methodologies to improve nutritional knowledge, attitudes and practices of mothers
  • Provide technical support and guidance to LGA teams on management C-IYCF component of nutrition (Support groups and one-on-one counselling, and action oriented groups, health education and community sensitizations)
  • In collaboration with LGA teams, plan sensitisation activities for targeted communities with focus on traditional leaders and other key stakeholders
  • Coordinate LGA teams tosupport health centres to carry out joint community mobilisation activities around nutrition
  • Ensure timely collection, compilation and analysis of quality data as well as production of quantitative and qualitative reports regarding all health and nutrition activities in the State
  • Conduct regular technical monitoring of health and nutrition activities and document findings to inform improvements in programme implementation
  • Ensure regular communication and sharing of lessons learned and challenges with the management and partners to inform implementation
  • Participate in meetings, training and other assessment/events as required
  • Support strengthening of information flow between State and LGA
  • Coordinate learning and best-practice sharing with Jigawa state Program counterpart.

Essential

  • Substantial operational experience and a track record of success on nutrition programming, especially IYCF and BCC
  • Technical expertise and experience in behaviour change communications programming and community mobilisation
  • Significant experience in planning, managing and delivering a programme, including costing, managing and monitoring budgets.
  • Experience in managing diverse HR teams
  • Effective resource planning, including commodities and technical expertise.
  • Computer literate.
  • Sound strategic thinking and planning skills, including ability to think creatively and innovate and to set priorities, manageable work plans and evaluate progress.
  • Ability to build support from staff across teams and across members, and to build the capacity of others.
  • Ability to work in partnership with government and other organizations’ staff.
  • Strong communications skills (both written and verbal) in English and Hausa.
  • Previous experience with local and international NGOs
  • Independence, adaptability and flexibility.
  • Commitment to team working and understanding of how to contribute.
  • Commitment to Save the Children mission, values and approach (includes child protection, equal opportunities and health and safety).

Desirable:

  • Knowledge of Hausa language.
  • Experience in supporting development of national guidelines and policies.
  • Experience working in Northern Nigeria.