Nutrition Specialist NOC

Job Posting Organization:
UNICEF, established in 1946, is a United Nations agency that works in over 190 countries and territories to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential. The organization is committed to promoting the rights of every child and offers diverse opportunities for professional and personal development to its staff. UNICEF has a strong focus on building careers and fostering a culture of belonging and growth, supported by an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Job Overview:
The Nutrition Specialist position is based at the UNICEF Field Office in Ambovombe and operates under a matrix management structure, reporting to both the Nutrition Chief and the Chief of Field Office Ambovombe. The primary responsibility of the Nutrition Specialist is to manage the nutrition program in the assigned area while coordinating nutrition interventions across the three regions of the Grand Sud: Androy, Anosy, and Atsimo-Andrefana. The role involves providing technical leadership and oversight to sub-national nutrition stakeholders and partners in these regions. The Nutrition Specialist is tasked with supporting the development and preparation of the nutrition program, managing, implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and reporting on the program's progress. This position aims to achieve concrete and sustainable results in maternal, infant, and child nutrition programs/projects, adhering to plans, results-based management approaches, and UNICEF's Strategic Plans and accountability framework.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Nutrition Specialist will be responsible for the following key functions:

• Support to program development and planning, ensuring that nutrition strategies align with UNICEF's goals.
• Program management, monitoring, and delivery of results, including tracking progress and outcomes of nutrition interventions.
• Providing technical and operational support to program implementation, ensuring that best practices are followed.
• Networking and partnership building with local and international stakeholders to enhance program effectiveness.
• Innovation, knowledge management, and capacity building to improve nutrition outcomes in the targeted regions.
• Coordination of nutrition activities in the Grand Sud regions, ensuring that interventions are well-integrated and effectively managed.

Required Qualifications:
To qualify for this position, candidates must possess a Master’s degree or equivalent in fields such as Nutrition and Dietetics, public health, nutritional epidemiology, global health, or related areas. Additionally, candidates should have proven expertise in nutrition planning, monitoring and evaluation, public health, and maternal health. A minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience with progressively increasing responsibilities in nutrition, public health, or maternal and child health/nutrition care is required.

Educational Background:
Candidates must hold a Master’s degree or an equivalent advanced university degree in Nutrition and Dietetics, public health, nutritional epidemiology, global health, or other related fields. This educational background is essential for understanding the complexities of nutrition programs and their implementation.

Experience:
Candidates should have at least 5 years of relevant work experience, demonstrating progressively increasing responsibilities in areas such as nutrition, public health, nutrition planning and management, or maternal, infant, and child health/nutrition care. Experience working in development, fragile settings, and humanitarian contexts is particularly valuable.

Languages:
Proficiency in French and Malagasy is required for this position, along with a working knowledge of English. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, or Spanish) is considered a desirable asset, enhancing communication and collaboration in a diverse work environment.

Additional Notes:
This position is a fixed-term role, and candidates should be aware that UNICEF promotes a diverse and inclusive workforce. The organization offers a wide range of benefits, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. UNICEF is committed to safeguarding the rights of every child and has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its aims and objectives. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and adherence to UNICEF's standards and principles is mandatory. Additionally, candidates may be required to meet medical clearance and vaccination requirements as part of the hiring process.