CHARITY JOBS IN AFRICA

Organization: UN Children's Fund
Country: Sierra Leone
Closing date: 23 Sep 2014

Purpose of the Position

Under the general guidance of the Nutrition Manager, support the Nutrition Surveillance System and the development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of UNICEF programme of cooperation in nutrition in Sierra Leone, which aims to improve nutrition programmes and strategies, thereby leading to a reduction of malnutrition among children and women.

Key Expected Results

1. Support the development, implementation monitoring and evaluation of the Nutrition Surveillance system. Work closely with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and other development partners and UN agencies to support the arrival, analysis and dissemination of such data.
2. Participates in the formulation and development of programme goals, strategies and approaches for the UNICEF plan of cooperation. Plans, implements and monitors activities in maternal and child Nutrition as part of an integrated child survival and development approach. Prepares the maternal and child Nutrition component of the Annual Work-plan of the Child Survival and Development.
3. Participates with UNICEF/government/and other partners in the development of strategies, methodologies and identification of new approaches for improving maternal and child Nutrition, with emphasis on programme communication at community and household levels.
4. Provides technical assistance for policy development and strategy formulation and implementation in the area of maternal and child nutrition that reflect child survival and development priorities.
5. Ensures the preparation of the maternal and child Nutrition component of the Situation Analysis and its periodic update clearly identifying programme results. Prepares input of the Nutrition component to the Country Programme related documents, (e.g., Plan of Operations, Project Plans of Action, Country Programme Summary Sheet (CPSS), Programme Summary Sheet (PSS), for assigned programmes/projects.
6. Assists government authorities and partners in planning and organizing training programmes for the purpose of capacity building of service providers, at national and district levels, to deliver nutrition services for children under five years and women of child bearing age, including HIV/AIDS affected children.
7. Coordinates activities and exchanges information/ideas with the other components of the Child Survival and Development programme and with the other programmes, to improve maternal and child Nutrition monitoring, information and reporting systems, and in the development of communication materials and strategies to support advocacy and community participation.
8. Undertakes field visits, and surveys in order to monitor and evaluate project implementation and impact. Identifies problems and proposes remedial actions. Identifies alternative courses of action to accelerate/improve programme delivery.
9. Coordinates with Operations/Supply staff on supply and non- supply assistance activities. Ensures proper utilization of funds disbursed and accountability and those activities are within established plans of action, and the programme budget allotments. Certifies disbursements of funds, monitors and submits financial status reports to the Nutrition Manager or other Senior Programme Officers, as required.
10. Contributes to the mobilization of resources for nutrition activities and participates in the preparation of all programme reports for management, Board, donors, budget reviews, programme analysis, annual reports, etc. Supports nutrition cluster leadership in case of emergency.

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

Education

Advanced university degree in Nutrition, Public Health, Social Sciences, or related technical field.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible professional work experience at the national and international levels in programme management, monitoring and evaluation, in a related field.

Language Proficiency

• Fluency in English and another UN language is required.
• Knowledge of the local working language of the duty station is an asset.

Competencies of Successful Candidate

• Communicates effectively to varied audiences, including during formal public speaking;
• Able to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment;
• Sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals;
• Translates strategic direction into plans and objectives;
• Analyzes and integrates diverse and complex quantitative and qualitative data from a wide range of sources;
• Demonstrates, applies and shares expert technical knowledge across the organization;
• Plans activities and projects well in advance and takes account of possible changing circumstances;
• Rapidly learns new tasks and commits information to memory quickly; gathers comprehensive information to support decision making.

Remarks

The New and Emerging Talent Initiative (NETI) is an entry point for dynamic professionals interested in an international career with UNICEF. Aside from the qualifications indicated in the job description for this post, all NETI programme applicants must also meet the following minimum requirements:

1. Completion of an advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) at the time of application;
2. Proficiency in English and another official language of the United Nations;
3. Readiness to be assigned to any UNICEF office worldwide, including hardship duty stations;
4. At least 2 years of relevant work experience for functions at the P-2 level, and at least 5 years of relevant work experience for functions at the P-3 level. Relevant experience should include work in developing countries and in multicultural environments.

All applicants will be required to complete a technical test questionnaire at the time of application. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified and will therefore advance to the next stage of the competitive selection process, which involves various additional assessments including a language proficiency test.

For more information on the NETI Programme, please visit the UNICEF website: www.unicef.org/neti

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization.

How to apply:

Click here and submit your application through UNICEF's e-recruitment system.