Technical Advisor I – Nutrition

Job Posting Organization:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Established nearly 60 years ago, CRS operates in more than 100 countries, focusing on saving, protecting, and transforming lives in need without regard to race, religion, or nationality. The organization engages in various relief and development programs, including emergency response, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding. In Ethiopia, CRS has been a leader in responding to both natural and man-made disasters, providing essential support to the most vulnerable communities. Their work extends beyond emergency response to include disaster mitigation and recovery projects, which aim to rebuild individual and community assets through non-food aid, health, nutrition, and water and sanitation assistance. CRS also promotes livelihoods support for farmers and entrepreneurs, equality and inclusion, and addresses the impacts of COVID-19 through its humanitarian efforts.

Job Overview:
The Technical Advisor I – Nutrition position is designed to provide technical leadership and support for the implementation of nutrition interventions within the Joint Emergency Operation (JEOP) emergency nutrition response activities. This role involves collaborating with consortium partners to ensure effective nutrition approaches and protocols are applied for malnourished children and pregnant and lactating women across JEOP operation areas. The advisor will be responsible for enhancing the quality of case management for children suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM) at stabilization centers and other treatment sites. This includes conducting supportive supervision, monitoring, and coaching of health professionals, ensuring the availability of necessary nutrition commodities, and facilitating timely requests for supplies. The advisor will also work to ensure that systems and processes are in place to support high-quality programming, contributing to the overall mission of CRS in serving vulnerable populations. The role requires a commitment to improving the impact of nutrition interventions based on Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) principles and ensuring that all activities align with agreed standards.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the Technical Advisor I – Nutrition include providing technical support to partner staff to ensure quality nutrition interventions based on CMAM implementation. This involves leading rapid health and nutrition assessments to identify malnourished individuals, supporting the implementation of technical strategies and guidelines, and monitoring program effectiveness. The advisor will also be responsible for improving case management of children with SAM through frequent supervision and coaching, ensuring the availability of nutrition commodities, and managing stock levels for distribution. Additionally, the advisor will support capacity strengthening initiatives for partner and government staff, lead performance review meetings, and actively participate in national level nutrition cluster meetings and technical working groups. The role requires collaboration with various stakeholders, including government health structures and other nutrition partners, to ensure program integration and effective referral linkages between different nutrition services.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Master’s degree in health, Nursing, Nutrition, or Public Health. A minimum of three years of relevant work experience is required, ideally with an international NGO, including at least two years of field-based experience in implementing CMAM protocols and interventions. Candidates should have a solid understanding of technical principles in CMAM, experience in conducting assessments, and knowledge of nutritional data systems. Skills in program monitoring and evaluation, networking with donors and partners, and the ability to supervise and train staff are essential. Candidates should also be prepared to work in uncertain security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security environments and be willing to travel frequently to field locations.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a Master’s degree in health, Nursing, Nutrition, or Public Health. This advanced education is crucial for understanding the complexities of nutrition interventions and the management of malnutrition in emergency contexts.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of three years of relevant work experience, with a focus on progressive responsibilities in the field of nutrition, particularly in the implementation of CMAM protocols. Candidates should have experience working with international NGOs and possess field-based experience that demonstrates their ability to manage nutrition programs effectively.

Languages:
Proficiency in spoken and written English is mandatory, along with proficiency in local languages. This linguistic capability is essential for effective communication with local communities and stakeholders involved in nutrition interventions.

Additional Notes:
The employment term for this position is definite, running from November 2025 to February 28, 202

• Candidates selected for this role should be available to start on November 1, 202
• The position is classified at Job Grade 9 and reports to the Program Manager II – Nutrition. The role requires extensive travel (50-80%) to various communities and health facilities within the cluster of woredas responsible for JEOP implementation. CRS offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and a generous retirement savings plan for U.S.-based staff. For candidates employed outside the U.S., benefits packages are based on the country of employment.