UNICEF Somalia Specialist Job in Kenya

UNICEF Somalia
 

Vacancy Announcement
 

Vacancy Ref No: UNSOM/2012/035
 

Functional Title: Nutrition, Hygiene and Health Promotion Specialist
 

Position Level: NOC
 

Type of Contract: Temporary Appointment
 

Duty Station: Nairobi
 

Duration: 4 months
 

Reporting to: Nutrition Specialist USSC
 

Closing Date: 7th June 2012
 

Background information:
 

Malnutrition in Somalia is affected by a complex multitude of factors. A key underlying cause is sub-optimal nutrition, hygiene and health-seeking behaviour. Nutrition programming in Somalia for the past 15 years has focused on the management of acute malnutrition. 

It is only the past two years that significant strides have been made to focus on the underlying causes and most especially infant and young child feeding and care practices. 

Public Health Promotion in communities and at nutrition sites is a good avenue for tackling sub-optimal behaviours and needs to be expanded. An integrated curriculum for promotion paired with IEC materials was developed in 2011 and piloted at the beginning of 2012. 

What is needed now is to expand competencies in public health promotion among UNICEF partners.
 

An Essential Package of Health Services (EPHS) has been developed for Somalia and implementation is underway in various locations. 

While the EPHS does include description of a community system, it is relatively underdeveloped within the structure. 

Several UNICEF sections and some external partners have gone ahead with support to various community structures. 

However, this complicates the move towards a unified health system and leads to confusion among various partners and the community. Harmonization is needed between the various community systems. 

Discussions within UNICEF has started to take place however needs consistent follow-up and advocacy.
 

Purpose and objectives
 

Under the general supervision of the Nutrition Specialist (based in Nairobi), the consultant will:

• Support establishment of one community approach or strategy within UNICEF technical departments (especially Health, WASH, and Nutrition)
• Support the capacity building of partners and staff to ensure the development of a common Nutrition, Hygiene and Health Promotion (Public health) approach for the partners in the Somali Nutrition Cluster.
• Support partners in integration of hygiene, health and nutrition promotion aspects within the facility based and the community based nutrition treatment programs.
• Provide technical support in advocating for means to reduce malnutrition cases within the target communities in Somalia by addressing underlying causes to malnutrition.

Specific objectives include:

• Coordinate with other UNICEF technical departments to establish one strategy on community systems and community workers
• Support the delivery of necessary capacity building for Nutrition staff and partners to effectively integrate promotional activities in the areas of Nutrition, hygiene and health within the Nutrition treatment programs and communities in the 3 zones in Somalia.
• Help facilitate Training of Trainers in Nutrition, Hygiene and Health Promotion and building a realistic cascade system with the objective to reach out to caretakers within the nutrition treatment programs.
• Support partners and the cluster on strategic public health promotion issues and assist in development of strategies or policies as needed.
• Support the Nutrition section on ensuring integration of nutrition and public health promotion issues across UNICEF departments

Methodology and Technical Approach
 

Establishment of one community system will require ongoing interaction with other UNICEF departments, while also understanding plans from other organizations engaging with the community (MoH, WHO, etc).
 

The training methodology that will be employed will be a cascade system based on participatory and adult learning techniques. 

It shall be influenced by the minimum package on Nutrition, Hygiene and Health Promotion that has been developed by a task force drawn from the partners within the nutrition cluster and pretested for use for partners in Somalia. 

Practical sessions shall be organised for ToTs within various Nutrition treatment centres, various hospitals or health facilities offering nutrition treatment services so as to offer hands-on experience in the promotional work.
Activities/Tasks
 

Main Tasks include:

1. Participate in internal UNICEF discussions on community systems and ensure updating and harmonization of other members of Nutrition team.
2. Advocate for a practical and adaptable community system internal and external to UNICEF
3. Review and familiarise self with the Minimum package for Nutrition, Hygiene and Health promotion package developed by the Task Force drawn from the Nutritional cluster for use in Somalia.
4. Lead ToTs in Puntland, Somaliland and South Central Zones of Somalia.
5. Engage in strategy development for public health promotion as required

Outputs/Deliverables
 

1. Training reports for 3 TOT workshops for 45-60 Nutrition, Hygiene and Health Promoters in the 3 zones in Somalia, detailing strengths and weakness of the operationalized cascade trainings and suggestions to improve on these trainings.
 

2. List of 45-60 ToTs trained in the 3 zones with the action plans developed by each participant. Each participant represents a nutrition partner organisation.
 

3. Identify 12 organisations that can be mentored within the 3 zones to lead in the scaling up of Nutrition, Hygiene and Health Promotion activities within Somalia.
 

Management, Organization and time frame
 

The staff will report directly to UNICEF Nutrition Specialist (Nairobi). Duty station will be in Nairobi with some travel to the field. DSA at UN rates will be provided for travel to Somalia.
 

The overall time frame of the consultancy is 3 month.
 

Remuneration and Payment schedule
 

Remuneration will be made on a monthly basis based on agreed upon rate for level of TA. Targets and delivery will be reviewed by the UNICEF Somalia Nutrition teams in liaison with the staff supervisor.
 

Desired background and experience

• Master’s degree in Nutrition, public health or other closely related field.
• At least 6 years of hands-on relevant professional experience in public health, nutrition and hygiene promotion programs in developing countries.
• Field experience and knowledge on working on Nutrition as well as Sanitation and Hygiene promotion issues in Africa and especially the Horn of Africa.
• Experience in capacity development, especially Training of Trainers kind of cascade trainings, with a focus on utilising adult learning techniques and other participatory training methodologies.
• Solid technical background, analytical, planning and facilitation skills
• Strong writing and reporting skills
• Good communication skills and ability to work in a team and with minimum supervision.
• Fluency in English with excellent facilitation skills.
• Knowledge of Somali operational context and readiness to travel to Somali land, Puntland and South Central zones.
• Knowledge of Somali language is desirable

Conditions of work

• The staff will be provided with office space at USSC (and any other zonal offices visited) as well as other administrative and logistical support, including a computer.
• A working week is defined as 5 working days
• Remuneration is on a monthly basis

Exit and Penalty provision
 

The organization and UNICEF may agree to reschedule deadlines if unforeseen circumstances arise. 

In the event that such rescheduling has not been agreed in advance by exchange of letters, and submission of scheduled drafts should not occur within the deadlines indicated within these ToR and the implementation framework, a fine of two percent of the total value of the contract may be deducted. 

In the event UNICEF is unhappy with the work produced by the organization, they may opt to terminate the contract or mutually agreeable terms. 

Likewise, if the organization is unhappy with new conditions given by its client it may opt to withdraw on mutually agreeable terms.
 

Interested and qualified candidates should send their applications with updated UN Personal History Form (P.11) form, updated CV and copies of academic certificates to the email below. UN staffs are requested to provide the last two Performance Evaluation Reports (PERs). 

Please quote the vacancy number and the post title in the subject line in your application. 

Closing date for applications is 07/06/2012.
 

Email to: somaliahrvacancies@unicef.org
 

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted
 

Qualified female candidates are especially encouraged to apply
 

UNICEF is a non-smoking environment