South Sudan: Nutrition in iCCM Advisor

ORGANIZATIONAL DESCRIPTION:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

BACKGROUND:

The IRC began its health work in South Sudan in 1989, training health workers and making health services available to remote, underserved communities. With the signing of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the IRC began supporting the Government of South Sudan's efforts to establish health systems. Today, the IRC continues to work closely with the newly formed Republic of South Sudan in strengthening those systems. However, a lack of resources, widespread poverty, and low literacy levels continue to challenge efforts to meet the basic needs of the South Sudanese people. It is estimated that only 25% of the population has access to any kind of health care services, 80% of which are provided by humanitarian and other non-governmental organizations. The situation has been worsened by the December 2013 and Greater Upper Nile crisis which has resulted in limited access to parts of South Sudan.

Since 2013, the IRC's community management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) program has been working in close collaboration with the integrated community case management (iCCM) program to integrate nutrition services into the iCCM package delivered at the community level. The IRC has implemented iCCM in South Sudan for over 10 years as a strategy to reduce child mortality and morbidity rates with the integrated management of childhood illnesses (malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia) by trained network of over 3,000 community-based health volunteers. The overall goal of the current iCCM nutrition integration project is to train and equip community-based health volunteers to successfully screen and refer children with acute malnutrition for treatment at the nearest Out Patient Therapeutic Programs (OTPs). The IRC is interested in strengthening the integration of the iCCM and CMAM programs to improve access and coverage of the treatment of severe acute malnutrition (SAM).

SCOPE OF WORK: Under the supervision of the Nutrition Coordinator and technical support from the iCCM Coordinator, the Nutrition in iCCM Advisor will oversee the nutrition in iCCM integration efforts, providing technical and strategic guidance to field teams implementing integrated programming. S/he will focus on improving the quality of care delivered by community-based health volunteers in targeted communities, as well as the strengthening of the referral pathways from community to facility levels.S/he will also manage operational research initiatives to pilot home-based treatment of SAM as part of the iCCM program. The Nutrition in iCCM Advisor will also provide technical support to other iCCM and nutrition consortium partners, as well as work closely with the Ministry of Health's Child Health and Nutrition units.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Technical Monitoring and Program Quality

• Provide technical supervision and support to the iCCM Nutrition programming activities; work in partnership with program managers in implementation sites.
• Ensure that iCCM nutrition services utilize standardized protocols, policies and guidelines, as prescribed by the Ministry of Health and WHO/UNICEF.
• Ensure that all iCCM nutrition activities are consistent with established best practices.
• Provide technical assistance to field-based program managers in the collection and timely reporting of relevant iCCM nutrition data; work in collaboration with iCCM M&E Manager to ensure quality data management that is in line with IRC guidelines and according to internal and donor requirements.
• Provide support to the program managers to ensure quality data management; work in collaboration with the iCCM M&E Manager to strengthen data collection and management systems related to nutrition in iCCM.
• Regularly analyze iCCM nutrition data and utilize data for informed programmatic decision making in coordination with program managers, coordinators, and iCCM M&E Manager.
• Communicate and coordinate regularly with the iCCM Coordinator, Nutrition Coordinator, iCCM and nutrition teams to provide frequent updates, discuss strategies, and align work plans to improve integration efforts.
• Design, lead and support capacity building initiatives for iCCM and nutrition teams at all levels focused on improving quality of care, monitoring services, as well as strengthening skills and knowledge related to nutrition services delivered at the community level.
• Collaborate with field teams and iCCM M&E Manager to coordinate and facilitate regular quality of care assessments of services provided by community-based health volunteers; provide program teams with recommendations related to assessment outcomes and improved performance.

Operational Research and Assessments

• Lead the iCCM and nutrition pilot project for the home-based treatment of SAM in coordination with the iCCM and nutrition teams; work closely with the Health Technical Unit, academic partners and UNICEF for the design and implementation of supporting research.
• Coordinate the collaborative field work for the implementation of research with effective communication, work planning, and technical support to all relevant field and project staff in targeted areas.
• Contribute to the development and testing of appropriate, innovative treatment tools and protocols, training materials/methods, and data collection tools designed specifically for illiterate community health workers
• Identify areas for possible research and/or opportunities to further integrate nutrition into iCCM.
• Manage operational research projects with effective budget forecasting, development of spending and procurement plans, and implementation of work plans.
• Lead and support annual SMART and SQUEAC surveys in areas of implementation.

Strategic Planning

• Monitor evolving needs of the target communities and adjust the programmatic priorities as necessary in collaboration with program teams.
• Contribute technical inputs to program reports and proposals.
• Identify opportunities for program development; lead technical assessments as a basis for iCCM nutrition program development when necessary.
• Work closely with the iCCM Advisor to develop a comprehensive, holistic, and integrated iCCM Nutrition strategy that aligns with IRC's South Sudan Country Strategic Action Plan and the MOH's community health policies and strategies.

Coordination and Representation

• Support and contribute to the IRC's role as the iCCM technical lead in South Sudan with provision of technical guidance to partners, MOH and relevant stakeholders involved in technical working groups (TWG) and in relation to further integration of nutrition into ICCM; attend TWG meetings, partner review meetings, cluster meetings, and other relevant forums in coordination with the iCCM and Nutrition Coordinators.
• In collaboration with the iCCM Advisor, document and share best practices and lessons learned ; develop methods for routine information sharing and capacity building with partners, MOH and stakeholders to advance the discussion of integrating nutrition into iCCM.
• Represent IRC to UN, international and national NGOs, and Ministries of Health, for nutrition coordination at the national and State levels as necessary.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• Nutrition professional with a relative advanced degree in Nutrition or Public Health with significant experience in nutrition in emergencies; experience and/or education in community health preferred.
• At least three years professional experience working with an international NGO (or equivalent) in nutrition IMAM (CMAM) programs
• Demonstrated qualifications in project management, capacity building, monitoring and evaluation, and grant reporting; experience in role of providing technical assistance and guidance preferred
• Demonstrated experience conducting SQUEAC surveys required; experience conducting SMART nutrition surveys preferred
• Previous experience with operational research preferred
• Excellent management skills and analytical thinking
• Previous experience working with low literacy, rural populations preferred.
• Excellent computer skills in programs such as: MS Word, Excel, Power-point.
• Experience in emergencies and/or in unstable security environments preferred; previous work experience in South Sudan a plus
• Ability to write clear and concise reports and proposals that meet required reporting deadlines
• Ability to be flexible, adaptable, creative and innovative in a challenging and fast-moving multicultural environment.
• Able to work independently while being a strong team player
• English fluency, both written and spoken required; strong interpersonal and intercultural communication skills, Arabic language skills preferred

This is an unaccompanied position.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Security level yellow - standard precautions apply. Concerns include common criminality, presence of armed troops, and tribal violence.

The position is based in Juba with frequent travel to the field. Lodging is a private bedroom in a shared IRC guest house - with electricity, internet and cable TV. Food is the individual's responsibility. Field office housing is more basic, i.e. in traditional huts or tents with separate shared latrines and showers.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.

Please follow this link to apply: http://www.aplitrak.com/?adid=a2F0cmluYW1pbGxlci40MDM4Ni4zODMwQGlyYy5hcGxpdHJhay5jb20