Nutrition Officer

Trócaire is one of Ireland’s top International NGOs having over 50 years of experience in international Development. Trócaire works through local partners and is a member of worldwide networks such as Caritas and Cooperation Internationale pour le Development et la Solidarité (CIDSE).

Trócaire has been working in Gedo for the last 32 years. Currently Trócaire implements Health, Nutrition and Education Programme activities and uses local organisations working in Gedo in the livelihoods protection and education sectors as partners.

The role of the Nutrition Officer provides technical leadership, guidance and training as well as providing hands on support to Ministry of Health, District Health Board and community groups to enhance their capacity and skills in the rollout of High Impact Nutrition interventions. The Nutrition Officer has responsibility for ensuring high quality services at static facilities (stabilisation centres) and for outreach activities.

For the candidate with the required experience and passion for the role, Trócaire offers a competitive package of salary and benefits.

Reporting to the Protection Coordinator, this is a Fixed Term contract for a period of one year (renewable) and is based in Gedo, with frequent travel to programme locations in another district within the region.

Key responsibilities:

Project design and implementation.

• Support the design and delivery of high-quality standards of programming and contribute to effective program quality in all nutrition related multifaceted grants.
• Take responsibility for SC/OTP/TSFP service delivery at Trocaire supported health facilities including outreach activities across Gedo.
• Work closely with the BCC & IYCF teams in the implementation of IYCF activities at the health facilities and through Mother-to-Mother Support Groups in targeted community.
• Provide technical support to DHB/MoH staff through structured Trainings, OJT/mentorship on delivery of High Impact Nutrition intervention components at health facilities.
• Work closely with the District Health Board Nurses, Nutrition Officers, Health Officers, BCC supervisors, IYCF focal person and Hospital matron and ensure the development and implementation of monthly work plans for the district.
• Work closely with the resilience team and ensure linkages between the nutrition program and the resilience and WASH programs are applied where feasible.
• While working with the hospital matron and the DHB, support the rural health facilities to establish referral systems and create referral links for access to the nearest in-patient facility and other services beneficial to the beneficiaries not provided by the rural health facilities.
• Play an active role in the operationalization of community mobilization activities; facilitate recruitment, training, and supervision of Community Health/Nutrition Workers.
• Actively provide technical support to teams conducting outreaches across Gedo districts where Trocaire is offering integrated health and nutrition services.

Programme Quality

• Support the Nutrition coordinator in the documentation of the programme implementation process to generate lesson learning as well as case studies.
• Participate in the implementation of nutrition surveillance and the coordination of KAP and coverage surveys to assesses the Nutrition situation of the target population.
• Ensure programme quality control through implementation of monthly and quarterly M&E.
• Work closely with the Coordinator and MEAL team in monitoring the nutrition situation in Trocaire areas of work.
• Writing of monthly reports such as consolidated monthly IMAM and BCC data, submission of monthly ONA/3W matrix and briefs, as well as quarterly reports.
• Conduct joint monthly Support Supervision visits Together with MOH and other partners involved in delivery of nutrition services in the district.
• Work closely with the DHB staff to ensure that all health facilities have adequate supplies of therapeutic commodities, at all times.
• Ensure that supplies pipeline is established and consistency in timely delivery of supplies to health facilities is maintained by developing monthly/Quarterly distribution plans, regularly review consumption reports vis a vis caseload and provide timely updates on stock situation.
• Ensure communities and program participants are aware of Trocaire’s existing feedback, complaints, and response mechanism (FCM) in place and provide programmatic-level support to the implementation and operation of the FCM.
• Organize nutrition programme supplies, ordering, stocking and distribution and monitoring of consumption and monthly reporting on consumption
• Supervise collection and compilation of nutrition programme data in geographic area of responsibility and ensure meticulous and timely reporting.
• Ensure compliance of programmes in terms of achieving results stipulated in current grants.
• Compilation, analysis and feedback on monthly reports from the nutrition programmes
• Submit weekly statistics and monthly narrative report to the Nutrition Coordinator
• Technical input into donor proposal writing and reporting.

Other (10%)

• Liaise closely with MoH at the district level to promote ownership and integration of nutrition services into existing medical systems including the development of a concrete plan of action for the programme at the health facilities.
• Significantly contribute to development of regular donor draft reports; project review (mid/end year) report etc.
• Representing the organization in nutrition stakeholders’ forums and coordination meetings at the various levels through monthly regional and district cluster meetings, Joint assessments where Trocaire is a participant in Nutrition and Health and give/share updates/feedback as appropriate.

Essential Requirements:

• At least three years clinical experience or at least three years’ experience working in nutrition interventions, preferably IMAM
• Experience/knowledge of MoH systems, particularly at the regional and district level
• Knowledge/experience of the challenges of working with and through local partners.
• Familiarity with/experience in the public health approach
• Experience of working in Gedo would be a significant advantage.

Skills:

• Proven strategic thinking and planning skills including ability to think creatively, analyse and be innovative, set priorities, manage work plans and evaluate progress.
• Proven technical skills in data management, M&E and assessments with experience related to monitoring and evaluation of projects
• Demonstrated ability to lead & work in a team.
• Excellent and proven organisational skills.
• Excellent written, oral and presentational communications skills.
• Computer literacy skills in word, excel, PowerPoint and statistical software.
• Strong oral and written communication skills in English.
• Experience of health/nutrition work in an IDP/Refugee setting

Qualities:

• A strong commitment to a social justice agenda
• Empathy with and understanding of the values of Trócaire.
• Strong on participatory work with communities
• Good understanding of financial management systems and budget monitoring and reporting
• Strong understanding of M&E processes
• Fluency in Somali and excellent written/spoken English.
• Computer literacy skills in word, excel and internet/email.
• Ability to work independently and show initiative, while being a strong team player
• Commitment to personal growth and advancing career.

Trócaire is committed to safeguarding people within our programmes from exploitation and abuse and has specific policies on this commitment (including a Global Code of Conduct) which outlines the expected behaviour and the responsibility of all staff, consultants, and other organisational representatives. More information on Trócaire’s safeguarding policies available here.

Diversity and inclusion:

Trócaire is an equal opportunities employer. We are an organisation that embraces diversity and inclusion. We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds to bring their experiences and perspectives to Trócaire.

Diversity and Inclusion statement available here