Position Title: Cross-Border Multi-Sectoral Nutrition and Health Officer
Number of positions: 1
Reference: CBNHO
Programme: Prevention of Wasting in Mandera Triangle (The Hanaano) Programme
Organizational Unit: IGAD Centre of Excellence in Nutrition Office (ICEN)
Reporting line: Reports to ICEN Coordinator
Duty station: Mandera county, Kenya, Kenya, with frequent travel to the Ethiopia and Somalia in the Mandera Cluster
Duration: 4 months (until December 2024) with possibility of extension based on satisfactory performance and availability of funds
Deadline for Applications: 15th August 2024
Expected start Date: 1st September 2024
1. BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT OF THE PROJECT
1.1. Information about the Project
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development was established in 1996. It succeeded the earlier Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD), a multinational body founded in 1986 by Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda and Kenya, with a focus on development and environmental control. IGADD’s headquarters were later moved to Djibouti, following an agreement signed in January 1986 by the member states. IGAD, Concern Worldwide, NGO partners have been working in this area for decades and are aware of the degree to which cross-border movements, markets, livelihoods, cultural ties and conflict influence the wellbeing of communities including the health and malnutrition vulnerabilities and risks posed to mothers, infants and young children.
Concern Worldwide, IGAD and country teams in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia jointly with national NGOs: Rural Community Development Agency (RACIDA) Kenya, Pastoralist Concern in Ethiopia, and Lifeline Gedo in Somalia, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and The Feinstein International Centre at Tufts University (Tufts) are implementing a three –year programme dubbed “Haanaano” (Somali for nurturing) that aims to prevent wasting in the Mandera Triangle with funding from Irish Aid.
Initiatives for the management/treatment of acute malnutrition among children have been ongoing for many years in the Arid and Semi-Arid areas of IGAD region and a lot of resources have allocated but there has been a paucity of multi-sectoral initiatives targeting the prevention of acute malnutrition. Wasting levels remain persistently high in such areas, spiking mostly during the severe drought seasons.
The Hannaano programme offers Concern Worldwide, IGAD and partners an opportunity to deepen work with communities and focus on supporting dynamic cross-border livelihoods and water systems, and improve the capacity of vulnerable households to access the means to feed and care for young children, women and adolescents. It provides a critical opportunity to jointly generate and share learning on what works to prevent child wasting in these communities, which have some of the highest levels in the Horn of Africa.
The Haanaano Programme
The planned programme outcomes, activities/ approaches and indicators are well aligned with the Global Action Plan on Child Wasting (GAP) and related country-specific Ethiopia and Kenyan Roadmaps on Wasting and the equivalent for Somalia – the national Multi-sectoral Nutrition Strategy and the Common Results Framework. The proposed programme aims to prevent child wasting in the most vulnerable communities and households via three main pathways:
Improving feeding and caring behaviours for infants, young children, adolescents and women of reproductive age;
ii. Improving food security and supporting engagement in profitable, climate-resilient livelihood strategies; and
iii. Informing and influencing relevant country and regional strategies to prevent child wasting by demonstrating evidence of what works, particularly at the community level.
The sectors involved in this project both at national and sub-national level will be health (nutrition), livelihoods, agriculture, livestock (can be integrated with agriculture and livestock), WASH and Natural Resources Management (NRM) and peace and security.
1.3. The Haanaano Programme
IGAD will be involved through the IGAD Centre of Excellence on Nutrition (ICEN) under IGAD Division of Health and Social Development. IGAD will contribute technical inputs to the development of the detailed plan for multi-sector learning and advocacy with Concern, its partners and Irish Aid. IGAD will also contribute to the community level and HoA-specific cross-border multi-sectoral wasting prevention approaches and learning for effective implementation of IGAD cross-border policies1. Additionally, IGAD will take lead in several sub-national, national and regional learning and policy forums, with mixed membership from government, CSOs, academia, among others. The Hannaano project will leverage on established systems and platforms to convene the Mandera Cross Border learning events and discussions. For advocacy at the regional level, IGAD’s policy organs will be targeted to influence regional food and nutrition security policy and programs that are responsive to the needs of cross-border populations in the Mandera Triangle, as well as at national level. This will contribute to securing political commitment to allocate resources to and scale up community-level, multi-sectoral wasting prevention initiatives in the long term.
2. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND FUNCTIONS
The Cross-border Multi-Sectoral Nutrition and Health Officer will support and coordinate IGAD’s multisector nutrition efforts in the Mandera Cluster/Triangle in accordance to
1 Including IGAD Cross Border Health Policy (2021-2030), IGAD Regional Nutrition Policy and Strategy (2016-21), IGAD Food and Nutrition Security Strategy (2020-2022), IGAD Strategy for Sustainable and Resilient Livestock Development in view of climate change (2022-2037).
objectives of Haanaano project (75% of his/her time); and support cross-border health and other IGAD initiatives in the cluster (25% of the time). Specifically, the following will be the roles and responsibilities of the officer.
• Attend Haanaano Programme’s weekly Programme Delivery Team Meetings that will be convened by the Haanaano PMU Manager
• Responsible for quality programme delivery according to the IGAD Haanaano DIPs, proposal budget and activities within the Mandera Cluster.
• Represent IGAD representative in all Haanaano programme activities, internal and external workshops and meetings held jointly with Haanaano Implementing partners within the Mandera Triangle/Cluster regional/federal/district/woreda/county governments
• Contribute to strengthening the linkages and coordination between formal governance structures and Community Groups at district/county/woreda/regional or federal levels in line with IGAD and member governments laws and policies on food, nutrition, WASH and Livelihoods.
• Participate in the field work, as key informant and in the validation of the surveys, assessments/researches conducted within the Haanaano project. These will include political economy & conflict analysis; formative research; impact assessments; gender and value chain analysis; needs assessment; CRM assessments; and development of MEAL and advocacy plan
• As guided and directed, participate in in organizing the Hannaano inception/kick-off meetings, coordination, annual reviews, Community Action Plans (CAPs) reviews, policy dialogues and learning forums in Mandera Cluster at district/county/woreda/regional or federal levels as well at national level
• Participate in all field monitoring of activities on Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN), WASH, National Resource Management, agriculture, livestock
• Technical participation/contribution to early warning/action response criteria, monitoring of the indicators and linking of the early warning actions systems across the border
• Draft and submit monthly reports of the Haanaano project in Mandera Triangle to IGAD Head of Mission, Kenya and IGAD Public Health Nutrition Expert
• Perform and participate in responsibilities related to Mandera cluster as shall be directed by the IGAD cross-border health projects, Land Governance, ICPALD, ICPAC and IGAD CEWAN projects of IGAD
3. ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION, PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES AND CORE COMPETENCIES REQUIRED
3.1. Academic Qualification and Professional Work Experience
The Cross-border Multi-Sectoral Nutrition and Health Officer will have the following qualifications
• Minimum academic qualifications: Bachelors in food/agricultural systems/policies, economics, food science and nutrition, public health nutrition
• Demonstrated experience in working with and coordinating various the partners from different sectors including government colleagues
• Experience in working with at least two sectors out of the following: Health, agriculture, livestock, WASH and natural resources/environment including a strong knowledge of national, sub national and community level structures for multi-sector coordination of nutrition sensitive interventions for addressing malnutrition
• Strong working knowledge of nutrition sensitive programming including working knowledge of food/agricultural and natural resource management and how linked to nutrition agenda at sub national including cross border levels
• Have proven ability to develop relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders including government leadership at district/county/woreda/regional or federal levels, with civil society and communities
• Good understanding of program cycle management and application of advocacy strategies to promote positive development outcomes.
• Has worked, lived or conversant with the cultural contexts of the cross-border areas of Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia
• Has previously worked in offices and projects that involved mobilization and support of community members to learn and share experiences
• Ability to work in cross-cultural work environments
• Working knowledge of IGAD mandate and how it works with national and sub-national governments
3.2. Skills and competencies
• Program/project management, implementation and monitoring;
• Experience of creating relationships and harnessing strong networks across multiple stakeholder groups and national and sub national;
• Good interpersonal skills, ability to organize and work with others
•Demonstrated capacity in drafting and reporting; planning and organizational skills
3.3.Language requirements
Fluency in English is required. Somalia language is an added advantage.
4. REMUNERATION
Negotiable with IGAD salary scale and policy and based on applicant’s qualification and experience
5. HOW TO APPLY
Qualified applicants from IGAD Member States are eligible to apply.
Interested candidates should send their applications in PDF accompanied by cover letter, Curriculum Vitae, academic credentials, copy of passports/ ID cards biometric page and three reference persons including the last employer.
Applications should be sent by E-mail to the following addresses: [email protected] with subject line “CBNHO”
Closing date for application will be on 15th August 2024. Due to the large number of applications we expect to receive; only successful candidates who meet the required experience & qualifications for this position will be contacted. Contact: + 25321354050
IGAD is an equal opportunity employer. Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.
