Health and Nutrition Officer job at SAVE THE CHILDREN

Deadline: March 24, 2025

ROLE PURPOSE:

This position will play a critical role in ensuring the effective implementation of the Health and Nutrition UKAM- ACCEPT Project in Mandera County. The project’s focus is to strengthen health systems in Mandera to increase access to, improve the quality of, and enhance the utilization of community health services. This will be achieved through the effective delivery, supervision, and management of community health services, ensuring high-quality service provision. The ultimate goal is to contribute to universal health coverage by fostering well-trained, adequately supervised, and motivated Community Health Promoters (CHPs).

The Health and Nutrition Officer will be accountable for planning, executing, and monitoring CHPs activities in the targeted counties. S/he will work closely with the County Health Management Teams (CHMTs) and Sub-County Health Management Teams (SCHMTs) and will facilitate training for health workers, CHPs, and Community Health Assistants (CHAs). Additionally, the officer will support the promotion of social behavior change strategies to strengthen early health-seeking behaviors within the community.

The post holder will collaborate with the Project Health and Nutrition Coordinator/Program Manager in the preparation of detailed implementation plans and procurement plans and contribute to technical reports, including donor reports.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Health and Nutrition Coordinator

Dimensions: Save the Children has been operational in Kenya since the 1950s, providing support to children through developmental and humanitarian relief programmes delivered both directly and through local partners. Current programming focuses on child protection, child rights governance education, health, HIV/AIDS, livelihoods, nutrition and WASH. In 2012, as part of a global reorganization process, Save the Children combined the programmes of SC UK, SC Canada and SC Finland to create a single operation in Kenya. In Feb 2014, we completed a second transition, which saw us join forces with the British INGO, Merlin, and merge their health and nutrition programmes with our own. Save the Children now has an operational presence in Bungoma, Dadaab Refugee Camp, Garissa, Mandera, Turkana ,Samburu and Wajir and a footprint in Kakamega, Kisumu, Migori and Kitui. In 2016, Save the Children established a new project office in Madagascar whose operations are managed by the Kenya CO.

Staff directly reporting to this post: None

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Program Implementation and Delivery.

The Health and Nutrition Officer will play key role with Ministry of Health and stakeholders in coordinating, implementing, reporting and monitoring the project.
S/he will have significant responsibility for delivery of timely results and project implementation & coordination with county government, partner and community stakeholders at subcounty level to ensure a coherent project model is established on the ground.
Ensure effective delivery of community-based health and nutrition intervention at community and facility levels in colloaboration with CHPs and facility level health care workers.
Regular reporting to the health and nutrition coordinator with monthly field updates .
Undertake regular analysis and use project/field data to improve project implementation strategies.
Provide effective on spot coaching to facility health workers and community helath promoters in building their capacities for quality child health service delivery.
Plan implementation of behavior change communication strategies targeting different audiences at the community levels ( IYCF -influencers ; elders , caretakers, community members and marginalized groups)
Organizing and rolling out training for community health promotesr , community health committees, religious leaders, mother to mother support groups and facility health workers.
Strengthen facility and community based data review for decision making.
Facilitate logistical support for project delivery implementations and supplies distribution.
Generate evidence and develop project case studies and human stories to voice and show case projets impact and achievements .
Comtribute and actively participate in the project review meetings and monthly Awards planning and review meetings ( APRMs) .

Capacity building of health workers for quality health service delivery.

Contribute in the development of training materials and tools .
Co-facilitate project trainings for CHPs and health care workers – IMAM, IYCF, ICCM and IMNCI that address gaps in staff capacities.
Provide operational and logistical support for the trainings at county and sub county level.
Liaise with department of health and partner agencies in selecting participants for trainings
In collaboration with CHMTs and SCHMTs Identify training gaps and participate in refresher training sessions , post training follow up and on job training /mentorship.
In consultation with CHMTs and SCHMTs plan for CHPs and community based trainings.

Monitoring , Evaluation, Accountability and Learning ( MEAL)

Participate in the design, development and implementation of an M&E framework for the project.
Contribute in the planning and execution of baseline and endline surveys
Participate in data quality assessments in all project support health facilities and community units .
Make regular field visits, and document such visits, to review and support creation and strengthening of community-based structures and mechanisms needed for the process of social behaviour change, and to monitor project activities.
Coordinate data analysis and review meetings on quarterly basis at sub county level and provide technical support in the development of strategies to address the identified gaps;
Submit reports to document the process of implementation, lessons learnt and good practice and ensure information is widely disseminated.
Prepare monthly activity reports as well as quarterly donor reports.

Supportive Supervision

Jointly develop a comprehensive plan/ checklist for supervision for the project supported health facilities and community units .
Coordinate supportive supervision to the project target sub-counties .
Mentor the health facility in charges and CHAs to ensure that they support and supervise facility linked community units .
Supervise and mentor Community Health Promoters (CHPs) / CHAs in promoting uptake of community level health services .
Document and share feedback in a comprehensive and detailed manner to enable track trends on changes on a timely basis.

Advocacy, communication and social mobilisation

Contribute in the development of guidelines and social mobilization materials for SBC plan delivery.
Participate in community level program sensitization to ensure GESI is well incorporated .
Train CHPs key health messages to support community level social behavior change activities.
Train community leaders on community engagement and mobilization to strengthen their capacity to facilitate community dialogue on health promotion and early health seeking behaviours.

Coordinate with the partners in implementing Immunization activities at community level

Coordination with relevant partners within and outside the health sector;come up with a comprehensive plan of activities within the identified areas of synergy with the actors working in the project thematic area.

COMPETENCIES

LEADING

Delivering Results: Takes personal responsibility and holds others to account to deliver our ambitious goals for children, continually improving own performance or that of the team/organisation.
Developing Self and Others: Invests time and energy to actively develop self and others to help realise their full potential, and to build the organisation’s capability for the future.
Leading and Inspiring Others: Demonstrates leadership in all our work, role models our values and articulates a compelling vision to inspire others to achieve goals for our children.

THINKING

Problem Solving and Decision Making: Takes effective, considered and timely decisions by gathering and evaluating relevant information from within or outside the organisation and making appropriate judgement.
Applying Technical Expertise: Applies the required technical and professional expertise to the highest standards, promotes and shares best practices within and outside the organisation.
Innovating and Adapting: Develops and implements innovative solutions to adapt and succeed in an ever – changing, uncertain work and global environment.

ENGAGING

Working Effectively with others: Works collaboratively to achieve shared goals and thrives on diversity of people and perspectives. Knows when to lead and when to follow and how to ensure effective cross- boundary working.
Communicating with Impact: Communicates clearly and confidently with others to engage and Influence, Promotes dialogue and ensures timely and appropriate messages, building confidence and trust with others.
Networking: Builds and uses sustainable relationships and networks to support the work of Save the Children.

COLLABORATION

Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, and external partners and supporters.
Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength.
Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

INTEGRITY.

Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Diploma/Bachelor in health sciences or equivalent.
At least three years’ work experience in development related health and nutrition work.
Understanding of community engagement and community mobilisation strategies .
Excellent understanding of DQAs and KHIS .
Experience of working with CHMTs and SCHMTs in devolved system.
Proven capacity to supervise, train and coach local staff and community workers.
Experience in organizing and excecutiin community level service interventions like outreaches, Community dialogues , community score card and community health committes.
Excellent communication skills and a willingness to be respectful, kind, sensitive and empathise with children and their carers.
Willingness and capacity to be flexible and accommodating when faced with difficult and frustrating working conditions.
Prepared to live and work in an uncertain security environment.
Ability and willingness to frequently travel and stay at the field with limited social amenities.
Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles.
Strong report writing and computer skills.
Fluent in written and spoken English and Kiswahili with added advantage of local dialect in Somali and Garreh.

Desirable

Experience in implementing child health intervention in hard to reach population.
Experience in rolling out social behaviour change strategy in vulnerable populations
Understanding the local language is added advantage.

THE ORGANIZATION

We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030: