Nutritionist Jobs Vacancy at Concern Worldwide in Uganda

Job Title: Senior Nutritionist MYAP, Nakapiripirit, Uganda
Closing Date: Tuesday, 28 August 2012

Reference: ES/SN/UG Country: Uganda Job Title: Senior Nutritionist MYAP

Contract Grade: B Contract Length: 2 years Date Needed By: September 2012 New Post or Replacement: New Accompanied / Unaccompanied: Unaccompanied Exact Job Location: Nakapiripirit District, Karamoja region, Uganda. This is not finalized as in initial months the position may be based from Moroto, also in Karamoja. This is dependent on the strategy for programme roll-out and will be finalized in July/August. Reports To: Health & Nutrition Director MYAP Responsible For: S/he will have 3 direct reports including one Nutrition Counterpart, a junior Nutritionist and a Behavior Change Specialist. (National Positions) Liaises With: Support Nutritionist (Kampala), Concern Technical staff (USA and Dublin), Karamoja region Nutrition Stakeholders at government, UN and NGO level Job Purpose: The Senior Nutritionist is responsible for technical oversight of all nutrition components of RWANU, implemented by Concern. RWANU takes a preventive approach to reducing malnutrition, focusing on the first 1,000 days of life. The health and nutrition component of the program will provide basic health care for women and children; social and behavior change (SBC) activities for key health, nutrition, and hygiene behaviors, as well as blanket preventative food rations for pregnant and lactating women and children 6-23 months of age. The Senior Nutritionist manages and builds the capacity of the local nutrition team and designs and supports the implementation technical inputs.

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

    Line management and mentoring of Nutrition Counterpart , Junior nutritionist and SBC specialist
    Responsibility for the delivery of Nutrition related project components in line with RWANU technical narrative and quarterly and annual work plans & targets
    Supervising technical components of the project including all nutrition related training, food basket monitoring process, community level nutrition training and surveillance and technical support to Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) services. This will include mentoring and training of project staff (8 Health Educators and approximately 26 Health Promoters) and health facility staff.
    Liaise with local government, District Health Teams and nutrition stakeholders for the smooth implementation of nutrition related project components.
    Keeping the team and project partners up to date with new innovations in the delivery of nutrition programmes, negotiating with stakeholders' adjustments to programme plans or new interventions as necessary.
    Managing, supervising, providing ongoing technical support and leadership to nutrition staff located across the Karamoja region
    Leads on the operational research, in conjunction with the Health and Nutrition Director, including developing ToRs, supervising the consultants and ensuring the report findings are disseminated and adopted in the programme.
    Manage the compilation of nutritional or other related data, analyze and lead on all nutrition related reporting.
    Represent Concern at Nutrition related meetings/events in Karamoja region.
    Deputize for Health and Nutrition Director- MYAP in their absence from project area.
    Ensure gender and HIV and AIDS are mainstreamed into all project activities
    As required attends partner and other stakeholders meetings and undertakes joint project supervision with relevant stakeholders

    PERSON SPECIFICATION ESSENTIAL Masters' degree in Nutrition Desirable: Medical/ Nursing/ Health Education background 2. Experience Required: Essential: - Five years' experience in nutrition field with minimum 2 years working on applied nutrition issues including household-level consumption, nutrition related behavior change & care group models. - Two years' experience in programme/team management - Understanding of the first 1000 days approach for the prevention of malnutrition. - Experience in clinical supportive supervision for CMAM/IMAM - -Experience in managing and building capacity of diverse teams - Experience in negotiating project technical inputs with a variety of government and non-government stakeholders - Experience in managing projects in challenging environments - Familiarity with working on nutrition in development & Emergency related contexts. Desirable: -Prior Experience with USAID projects, procedures, and prior experience with USAID Title II projects is highly preferred. 3. Special Skills, Aptitude or Personality Requirements: Essential characters:
    Leadership and people management skills
    Analytical thinking
    Ability to work and live in difficult environments
    Curious and seeking to understand various perspectives (beneficiary, community, local government, staff)
    Cultural awareness and flexibility
    Ability to manage oneself, a large team and deliver results
    Proactive and problem solver
    Essential Skills
    Technical skills nutrition programming in a development context
    Good participatory planning skills
    Excellent Relationship building and communication skills
    Ability to analyze data writes project reports to a high standard 4. Any Other Special Requirements (e.g. international driving license, specific computer skills etc.) Proficiency in MS Office, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint Presentation, Outlook express and internet) and Nutrition data analysis packages.

    Concern Worldwide is an Irish-based non-governmental, international, humanitarian organization dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world's poorest countries. Concern has a Staff Code of Conduct and a Programme Participant Protection Policy which have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organization, and the standards of behavior expected of them. In this context staff have a responsibility to the organization to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern's core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Programme Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Programme Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct candidates acknowledge that they have understood the contents of both the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and the Programme Participant Protection Policy and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these two documents. Concern receives a substantial amount of funding from external donors each year. Increasingly donors are introducing requirements whereby future funding is conditional on Concern ensuring that the names of any new employee or volunteer do not appear on terrorism lists generated by the European Union (List of person, groups and entities to which Regulation (EC No. 2580/2001 applies), the US Government (Office of Foreign Assets Control list of specially designated Nationals and Blocked Persons) and the United Nations (Consolidated List). Any offer of employment (either paid or voluntary) with Concern Worldwide will not be made pending a clearance check being conducted on the applicant. For additional information please consult our web site or contact the Human Resource Division in our Head Office. Concern Worldwide is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

    COUNTRY & ROLE SPECIFIC INFORMATION (AS PER PREVIOUS JOB REQUISITION) to be removed for Empower version of JD Brief outline of country programme: The Concern Uganda Country Programme strives towards a Uganda where absolute poverty is eliminated and social equality exists. Efforts are made to ensure that programme locations are in the poorest areas of the country and that the most vulnerable benefit from programme activities. Concern aims to develop and utilize right's based and capacity building approaches in all programme areas, by working with and through groups of civil society and where appropriate local government structures.
    At the time of writing Concern is currently operating in three areas, Amuria and Pader in Northern Uganda and Karamoja Region in Northeast Uganda. In total Concern is working with 9 CSO partners, one private sector organisation and local government partners in the WASH and Nutrition sectors.
    Karamoja: Karamoja is the least developed region in Uganda. Populated primarily by pastoralist and agro pastoralist communities the region has the highest levels of poverty, poorest health and nutrition indices and lowest level of literacy in Uganda. Concern has two programmes in the Karamoja region, Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) and Vocational skills and training (VST) and is increasing its programming with the introduction of RWANU, a five year programme in 4 districts focussing 1000 days approach for mothers and children.

    IMAM. The IMAM programme works with 4 District health teams in Abim, Kotido, Amudat and Nakapiripirit Districts in Karamoja. Concern's team of 4 technical staff work with district health teams and staff of over 50 health facilities building capacity and providing technical oversight for integrating management of acute child malnutrition. In addition, Concern trains Community Health teams in nutrition components of the National VST syllabus and support them to screen and refer children suffering from severe malnutrition. The programme team is based in Nakapiripirit district with a sub-office in Abim district. This programme is co-funded by UNICEF and is due to be completed by November 2012 VST The VST programme is implemented in partnership with four local NGOs namely Matheniko Development Forum (MADEFO), Karamoja Women Umbrella Organisation (KAWUO), Action for Poverty Reduction and Livestock Modernisation in Karamoja (ARELIMOK) and HAPPY COW in the districts of Moroto, Nakapiripirit and Napak. The project seeks to improve livelihood security for 1,880 women and warriors (Karachunas) through expanding income generating options through vocational training, business skills development and improved literacy. The programme is managed from Concern's regional office in Moroto but a component of Functional Adult Literacy is managed from Nakapiripirit and targets women in the IMAM programme. Resiliency through Wealth, Agriculture and Nutrition (RWANU)- the programme for which the position is being recruited. An anticipated Title II Development Food Aid Program in Uganda. This non-emergency program will be implemented in partnership with ACDI/VOCA and WHH (Alliance partner German Agro Action) . The five–year Resiliency through Wealth, Agriculture, and Nutrition in Karamoja (RWANU) program focuses on two strategic objectives to reduce food insecurity among vulnerable rural populations: (1) improved availability and access to food; and (2) reduced malnutrition in pregnant and lactating mothers and children under five. The programme takes a preventive approach to reducing malnutrition, focusing on the first 1,000 days of life when conditional food rations will have the highest impact. Meanwhile, the program will promote diversified livelihoods strategies to ensure long-term food security and resilience to shocks. Through technical oversight and guidance, RWANU activities will strengthen the capacity of households and communities as well as public and private stakeholders five. Concern is responsible for the delivery of Strategic Objective (2). The health and nutrition component of the program will provide basic health care for women and children, social and behavior change (SBC) activities for key health, nutrition, and hygiene behaviors, as well as blanket preventative food rations(distributed by ACDI-VOCA) for pregnant and lactating women and children 6-23 months of age. The programme will use the Care group model as a central plank for delivery of programme activities in 4 districts.

    Pader: Pader, in the North of Uganda was severely affected by over 30 years of conflict and internal displacement as a result of the activities of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). Concern has been working in Pader since 2005, initially providing water in the IDP and transit camps servicing displaced people. Since 2008 programming is focussed on assisting people to return to villages of origin and restart livelihood activities and capacity building for water provision at district and community level. Current programmes are as follows: Support to Returnees Settlement and Livelihood Recovery. This project is implemented in partnership with local NGOs (VEDCO, WORUDET and Uganda Land Alliance) as well as private sector companies (Shares!). The project is supporting early and long term livelihood recovery for the retuning and resettling population through supporting these households to increase agricultural production, improve food consumption and access to income. Farmers are supported with seeds, livestock, and farm tools; they receive extension services and learn new technologies through farmer field schools. The project also supports equitable access to and utilisation of land and supports initiatives to resolve land disputes, create awareness on land rights and increase more access to and utilisation of land among women. It also seeks to address gender based violence through counselling services, information and referral and support services for victims. Sustainable Water and sanitation Service Delivery. This project implemented in partnership with the Pader Local Government District Water Office. The aim is to ensure sustainable access to safe water supply and basic sanitation or formerly displaced persons in six sub counties in Pader district. This is being achieved through building accountable and sustainable mechanisms for effective service delivery for water, sanitation and hygiene. The project directly targets 3,615 people in local government structures at village, parish, sub-county and district levels. The project is co-funded by Austrian Development Cooperation and will operate till mid-2013. Amuria: Similar to Pader, people in Amuria were severely affected by LRA activity in addition to experiencing cattle raids from neighbouring Karamojong tribes and frequent episodes of flooding and drought. In Amuria Concern has one programme focussing of livelihoods. Sustainable and Equitable Wealth Creation in Amuria: This project is implemented through local NGO partners (VEDCO, CIDI and Uganda Debt Network) as well as collaborating with a private sector company (Shares!). It targets 4,800 vulnerable households in 4 sub-counties in Amuria District. The aim is to increase food security through the diversification of and increase in household agricultural production. There is a specific focus in enabling better, more equitable access to market. Marketing committees have been formed and trained, bulking stores have been constructed and farmer groups are already selling produce through the store and getting better returns on their products. The project also supports marginal farmers to take part in local government planning and budgeting processes. The project is co-funded by Comic Relief UK and runs until 2014. Brief outline of political situation: The present government of Uganda is the elected government of the National Resistance Movement under President Museveni. Since Museveni came to power in 1986 the country has enjoyed a period of relative stability. The major power brokers are the NRM, headed by Museveni and Forum for Democratic Change – FDC headed by Dr Kiiza Besigye. Since 2011 elections there have been frequent walk to work protects lead by opposition members protesting about high cost of living. Police tend to use strong-armed tactics in controlling public demonstrations and protests often result in violence, arrest and detention. Uganda has an active civil society and a reasonably free media, though this freedom is occasionally curtailed when the government perceives a conflict with national interest. High levels of poverty, high cost of living, a large youth population with low employment opportunities continue to be obstacles to development within Uganda. Uganda is also affected by regional instability in neighbouring Sudan and DRC and has approximately 190,000 refugees as a result of various conflicts in the region. Oil has been discovered recently in western Uganda; revenues to the exchequer are expected to eventually match levels currently contributed by development Aid. However there are justifiable fears over accountability, transparency and responsible utilisation which could impact on the goal of Uganda reaching middle income status. Description and location of accommodation: Will be accommodated in Concern field accommodation and sharing with one other international staff, Health & Nutrition Director. The location is in a hardship area (Karamoja) and will have a Hardship allowance. The accommodation will be furnished, have solar/ generator power, fridge, TV with satellite link. Description and location of workplace: Karamoja is classified as a hardship area (Concern classification). The area is relatively isolated with a small international community. There are few amenities, travel times to the capital Kampala is approximately 10 hrs. and the location is not suitable for dependents. Security has improved significantly in the last few years though security considerations are still a primary consideration for travel purposes. Off duty transport available: Yes within, Nakapiripirit or Moroto, the project base. Will have to take and pass Concern driving test. Required documentation for visa/work permit: 1. Copy of appointment / offer letter (Signed copy – Dublin HR) 2. Copy of contract (Signed copy – Dublin HR) 3. Copies of academic certificates (only higher degree – employee + Dublin HR) 4. 6 passport size photos (employee + Dublin HR) 5. Copy of passport including entry page and the page with photo and details (employee + Dublin HR) 6. Cover letter from Concern Uganda (Uganda) 7. A copy of concern's registration with the NGO board in Uganda (Uganda) 8. A copy of Concern's registration with the registrar of companies in Uganda (Uganda) 9. Police letter (police clearance) from home country (employee + Dublin HR) 10. Filled application forms (original) (you'll manage locally) (Uganda) 11. Curriculum vitae (CV) (employee + Dublin HR) Anticipated wait for visa/permit (weeks): 2-6 months. This can be applied for once an appointment is made and will not affect ability to work while being processed. Why expatriate necessary: To develop and train Project Nutrition team tasked with the delivery of a large and complex programme. National counterpart to be trained: Yes, a Nutrition Counterpart, National position, will be identified.

    Any health, safety & security risks associated with this post: Please record the noted risks to health & safety (including security) associated with this post, its location and the recommended preparation/training. PREPARATION/TRAINING

    HEALTH RISKS PREDEPARTURE IN COUNTRY

    Most will be covered during induction: 1. CWW general health and safety Yes Yes 2. CWW Critical Illness policy Yes Yes 3. CWW other policies (4Ps, Equality, CTP) Yes Yes 4. CWW Systems related policies and procedures Yes Yes Project funding confirmed: Awaiting funding decision From whom: USAID For what period: 5 years starting Sept 2012 Government approval: Yes If not, when anticipated: Once Funding decision is received Recommended pre-departure training: . Are there pre departure training courses which in your opinion would be particularly useful for this post? CWW policies and procedures in relation to Health & Nutrition programming 2. Are there any particular topics the assignee could be researching during pre-departure phase? 3. What language(s) will be most relevant in carrying out this job? English 5. Would pre-departure language training (if available) be desirable? Not needed 6. Is there any other relevant information we should be aware of in recruiting for this position? None 1. What in country training arrangements have been made for the assignee? There will be in-depth induction on arrival on the overall programme implementation and roles/responsibilities of the post. 2. Is specific language knowledge essential for this post? If yes, please give details? Not needed 3. What facilities are available in country for Language Training? Uganda is English speaking country. Therefore, there is no need for language training Any other relevant information: Concern receives a substantial amount of funding from external donors each year. Increasingly donors are introducing requirements whereby future funding is conditional on Concern ensuring that the names of any new employee or volunteer do not appear on terrorism lists generated by the European Union (List of person, groups and entities to which Regulation (EC No. 2580/2001 applies), the US Government (Office of Foreign Assets Control list of specially designated Nationals and Blocked Persons) and the United Nations (Consolidated List). By submitting a formal application for paid or voluntary employment to Concern, you agree to Concern carrying out a clearance check as outlined above and that Concern will not proceed to recruit you should your name appear on any of the aforementioned lists.

How to apply:

All applications should be submitted through our website at https://jobs.concern.net by closing date…. CV's should be no more than 4 pages in length. All candidates who are short-listed for a first round interview will be notified via email after the application deadline OR Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis and we may offer posts before the closing date.


Deadline: 28th August 2012