Background/IRC Summary:
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.
The IRC’s vision is to lead the humanitarian field by implementing high-impact, cost-effective programs for people affected by crisis and by using our learning and experience to shape policy and practice.
IRC is currently pursuing a USAID funding opportunity in Jordan focused on improving nutritional status of children under five and pregnant and lactating women in target areas. The project aims at increasing adoption of optimal family planning (FP) and infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices in target communities, improving health care provider support for good IYCF, healthy family diet, and FP practices and improving linkages between clinical services and community-based interventions for FP, infant, young child, and maternal nutrition. Senior Nutrition Specialist will be the lead position for implementing the project.
This position is contingent on award from USAID
Scope pf work
The Senior Nutrition Specialist will be responsible for launching and implementing Nutrition, IYCF and Family Planning (FP) project for the IRC in Jordan in selected governorates. S/he ensures the implementation of quality preventative and curative nutrition interventions and oversees assessments of these services in the selected geographic locations as appropriate. The Senior Nutrition Specialist will be responsible for coordinating with all partners, including local implementing partners, UN agencies, Ministry of Health Jordan and the consortium partner for the project. The Senior Nutrition Specialist will ensure that the services provided under the project are in line and adhere to relevant national and global guidelines and quality standards. The Senior Nutrition Specialist provides overall supervision to the project staff, provides technical support to local implementing partners and reports to the Deputy Chief of Party for the project. The position is based in Amman, with regular travel to supervise IRC’s preventative and curative nutrition and FP interventions in implementation areas of the project.
Specific Responsibilities:
Main responsibilities of the position will include the following;
Technical Monitoring and Program Quality
- Launch and oversee the implementation of all Nutrition, IYCF and FP programs of IRC under the project as well as lead any assessments implemented by IRC in the project implementation areas
- Provide technical supervision and guidance to the project staff for implementing high quality nutrition, IYCF and FP interventions
- Ensure that services delivered under the project adhere to relevant national and global guidelines and are consistent with established best practices.
- Promote the quality of the IRC’s nutrition, IYCF and FP services by setting up quality assurance mechanisms and checks in collaboration with other project staff and IRC’s M&E Team.
- Coordinate with M& E tam to ensure sound data collection and information management systems are in place for ongoing performance analysis and programmatic action based on data and identified needs.
- Participate in the design of robust M&E plans and design/adapt nutrition surveillance systems to be integrated within the health information system for the IRC
- Ensure that the stated goals and objectives of the projects are met with strong monitoring and evaluation (M&E) follow-up, including any required assessments, with technical support from the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist
- Provide technical support to the project teams ensuring that the services delivered under the project are of high quality and that decisions are driven by data and learning, working in conjunction with other colleagues in the IRC and with other partners of the consortium
- Work with other IRC sector leads to actively integrate the project activities into the other IRC programs where required
Staff Management, Development and capacity building
- Establish, hire and supervise the project team. Ensure technical capacity-building and training to guarantee a quality launch to the project.
- Provide supportive supervision to the project team to develop work plans to guide implementation. Support the field teams in the implementation and monitoring of the work plans ensuring that activities reflect the commitments IRC has made to donor and communities.
- Review Budget vs. Actual expenditure for the project on a monthly basis with staff and set course corrections as necessary.
- Ensure that periodic data reviews are conducted in coordination with M&E team and relevant project management team for course correction as needed.
- Participate in the development of staff development plans based on performance reviews in collaboration with the human resources department and contribute to the training of project staff (mentoring, on-the-job sessions as well as formal trainings). Conduct performance evaluation of the relevant project staff reporting to this position.
- Prepare the project related reports and ensure that reports are written and submitted to concerned bodies in a timely manner.
Representation and advocacy
- Develop working relationships with Ministry of Health, UN, NGOs, USAID, partners and other stakeholders, with the objective of raising public awareness of the project undertakings in the country and ensuring good co-operation and partnerships
- Seek out relevant networks on specific health and nutrition-related issues
- Attend relevant Health and Nutrition forums in country to represent the IRC
- Accompany donor on field trips, and ensure program details are transmitted and presented
- Hold the acting responsibilities of Deputy Chief of Party in her/his absence
- Develop evidence-based advocacy points to be presented through the relevant Health and Nutrition forums and I/NGO Forums
Financial Management of the project
- Work with the relevant field managers to prepare spending plans for the project budget
- Ensure expenditure is in line with approved budget and donor compliance, advising on potential under/over spend when and as required
Key Working Relationships:
Position Reports to: Deputy Chief of Party
Position directly supervises: Health and Nutrition field managers
Other Internal and/or external contacts:
Internal: IRC Jordan Health Program Coordinator, Regional Technical Health Advisor, other IRC program Coordinators and finance and supply chain teams
External: USAID, Consortium prime, national or international partners selected for the project, MoH Jordan, Relevant UN agencies including UNHCR, UNICEF, WHO, UNFPA
Job Qualifications:
Education: A Master’s degree in nutrition, public health, or community health
Work Experience:
- At least 5 years’ experience of working on nutrition or related programs in resource-constrained settings. Previous experience in managing USAID or large donor funded projects in MENA region is preferred
- Experience implementing IYCF, community-based nutrition, integrated family planning/nutrition programs, or other nutrition related programming in resource-constrained settings.
- Demonstrated experience in managing large teams and previous work experience in complex programs
- Ability to analyze data and experience in writing situational/donor reports
- Ability to plan, prioritize, coordinate and manage human resources
- Experience in health and nutrition assessments, project proposals and grant management
- Experience managing large donor-funded health or nutrition programs; preferably with USAID
- Previous experience in implementing Health and Nutrition projects in MENA region (Preferred)
Language Skills: Professional-level fluency in spoken and written English and Arabic.
Working Environment: The position will be based in Amman with standard office work environment.
