NUTRITION SPECIALIST JOB: Abuja, Bauchi, Nigeria

UN Children's Fund is seeking for nutrition specialists who are going to serve in the following two states: Abuja and Bauchi.

The candidate will be accountable for formulation, design, planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluation of Nutrition project(s) in the Abuja or Bauchi Field Offices ( to ensure overall efficiency and effectiveness of the project management, delivery and accomplishment of project goals and objectives of the Nigeria Country programme.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree in one of the disciplines relevant to the following areas:
• Public Health & Nutrition, Health Sciences, International Health & Nutrition, Family Health & Nutrition, Nutritional Epidemiology, Health & Nutrition Education, Health & Nutrition Promotion and Disease Prevention, Public Health, Health Emergency Preparedness, or other relevant discipline(s).
• Five years of relevant professional work experience. Developing country work experience or field work experience.
• Fluency in English and another UN language is required.
• Background/familiarity with Emergency.
• Knowledge of the local working language of the duty station is an asset.
• A first level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Required Skills: He must

• Be able communicates effectively to varied audiences, including during formal public speaking.
• Be able to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
• Be able to sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals.
• Have good leadership and supervisory skills; co-ordinates group activities, ensuring that roles within the team are clear.
• Be able to Translates strategic direction into plans and objectives.
• Be able to analyzes and integrates diverse and complex quantitative and qualitative data from a wide range of sources.
• Have capacity for quickly building rapport with individuals and groups; maintaining an effective network of individuals across organizational departments.
• Be able to identify urgent and potentially difficult decisions and act on them promptly; initiates and generates team- and department-wide activities.
• Demonstrate, apply and share expert technical knowledge across the organization.

Key Expected Results:

• Project Planning, Development and Management. Enhance effective project, sectoral or inter-sectoral planning, development and management by coordinating and supporting the timely completion of the Situational Analysis and its periodic update through accurate and complete monitoring and analysis, and the timely preparation or finalization of sectoral input.
• Knowledge Management: Further promote knowledge management by drafting sectoral documents and reports such as the Country Programme Recommendation and Plans of Action as well as through orientation and training programmes targeted to Government authorities. Ensure exchange of knowledge, information, experience or lessons learned; provides solid technical recommendations on major programme directions and on introduction of new initiatives in the country.
• Rights-Based Projects through Results-Based Approach:Promote the quality of rights-based Nutrition projects and programmes through participation in the formulation of programme/project goals, strategies and approaches. Bring coherence, synergy and added value to sectoral or project management processes using a results-based management approach to planning and design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
• Sectoral Work Plan Development, Implementation, and Monitoring:Support the development of the sectoral work plan and technical decisions as well as for project management, implementation and monitoring of assigned project/sectoral activity, in compliance with the defined project strategies and approaches. Ensure the appropriateness of financial, administrative and supply documentation; verify that Nutrition project expenditures are within allotments and that data is consistent with the project information and database (e.g., FLS, ProMS). Follow up on queries or initiate corrective action on discrepancies
• Project Delivery, Evaluation and Reporting: Ensure project, sectoral or inter-sectoral efficiency and delivery through transparent evaluation. Participate in major evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sector review meetings with government counterparts. Ensure the preparation of annual Nutrition sector status reports.
• Promotion of UNICEF’s Global Goals: Promote the organization goals of UNICEF through advocacy dialogue, communication, networking and participation at every opportunity inside and outside UNICEF, leveraging the strength of UNICEF mission, goals and programmes.
• UNICEF and Government Accountability: Coordinates with Operations and Supply staff on supply and non-supply assistance activities ensuring proper and timely UNICEF and Government accountability. Certifies disbursements of funds, monitors and submits financial status reports to management in compliance with the regulations and guidelines.
• Communication, Collaboration, Networking and Partnership: Ensure exchange of information, experience, identify new strategies and courses of action to accelerate/improve delivery of services and achieve Nutrition programme requirements and objectives. Conduct field visits to monitor programmes and conduct periodic programme reviews with Government counterparts and other partners. Collaborate with Communication and Programme Communication groups to ensure development of effective communication materials and strategies to support advocacy and social mobilization efforts. Coordinate with Regional Advisers and HQ Officers. Collaborate with other Project or Programme Officers to ensure the integration of the project/sectoral programme with other sectors. Collaborate with the Operations and Supply Sections and Government authorities to establish and maintain sound internal controls supportive of Nutrition project or sectoral planning and implementation, to coordinate financial and supply management requirements as well as to ensure accountability. Interact with Government and other partners, NGOs, UN and bilateral agencies in the different stages of Health programme/project implementation to follow up on agreements and recommendations. Provide technical support and guidance on appropriate technical, financial and institutional capacity building measures to achieve Nutrition programme goals.

In the selection of its staff, UNICEF is committed to gender balance and diversity without distinction as to race, sex or religion, and without discrimination of persons with disabilities. If you know you are qualified candidate, you are strongly encouraged to apply.

CLICK HERE FOR E-REGISTRATION to register in our new e-Recruitment system and apply to this and other vacancies, quoting E-VN-2011-001542. Applications must be received by 6 October 2011.

Only candidates who are under consideration will be contacted.


Deadline: 06 Oct 2011