Nutrition Officer

Job Posting Organization:
UNICEF, established in 1946, operates in over 190 countries and territories with a mission 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, ensuring that they have the opportunity to survive, develop, and reach their full potential without discrimination. UNICEF is known for its diverse opportunities for professional and personal development, fostering a culture of belonging and growth, and providing an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Job Overview:
The Nutrition Officer position at UNICEF is crucial for improving the nutritional well-being of children, women, and vulnerable populations in Sri Lanka. The role involves providing professional technical, operational, and administrative assistance throughout the programming process for nutrition programs/projects within the Country Programme. This includes development planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of results. The incumbent will be responsible for implementing various technical and administrative tasks to facilitate program development and ensure effective delivery of results. The position emphasizes the importance of equity in nutrition, focusing on the most disadvantaged and excluded populations, and aims to translate UNICEF's commitment to children's rights into actionable programs.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support the development and planning of nutrition programs, ensuring alignment with UNICEF's mission and objectives.
• Manage and monitor program implementation, ensuring timely delivery of results and adherence to quality standards.
• Provide technical and operational support for effective program implementation, addressing challenges and bottlenecks as they arise.
• Build and maintain partnerships with stakeholders, including government institutions, NGOs, and community organizations, to enhance program effectiveness.
• Foster innovation and knowledge management within the team, facilitating capacity building and learning opportunities for staff and partners.
• Conduct regular evaluations and assessments to track program performance and impact, making recommendations for improvements as necessary.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Bachelor or equivalent (First Level University Degree) in Nutrition, public health, nutritional epidemiology, global/international health and nutrition, health/nutrition research, policy and/or management, health sciences, or another health-related science field. Additionally, a minimum of two years of relevant work experience in Nutrition, public health, nutrition planning and management, or maternal, infant, and child health/nutrition care is required. Candidates should demonstrate strong analytical skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities, along with effective communication skills to convey complex technical information to diverse audiences. The ability to support monitoring of program performance and contribute to effective resource management is also essential.

Educational Background:
A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field such as Nutrition, public health, or health sciences is mandatory. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of nutrition programs and the health needs of children and vulnerable populations.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of two years of relevant work experience in areas such as Nutrition, public health, or maternal and child health. Experience in designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating nutrition programs is highly desirable, particularly in contexts involving maternal, infant, young child, and adolescent nutrition. Familiarity with government institutions and multi-sector stakeholders is also beneficial.

Languages:
Proficiency in English is mandatory for this position. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) or local languages such as Sinhala and/or Tamil is considered an asset, enhancing communication with diverse populations and stakeholders.

Additional Notes:
The position is a fixed-term role within UNICEF, emphasizing the importance of equity and inclusion in its workforce. UNICEF promotes a diverse and inclusive work environment, encouraging applications from all qualified candidates regardless of gender, nationality, or background. The organization offers a range of benefits, including paid parental leave and reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. Candidates should be aware that UNICEF does not charge any processing fees during the recruitment process and has a zero-tolerance policy for misconduct. Background checks will be conducted for all selected candidates, and compliance with medical clearance and vaccination requirements is mandatory.