Nutrition Officer at Première Urgence Internationale (PUI)

Première Urgence Internationale (PUI) is a non-governmental, non-profit, non-political and non-religious international aid organization. Our teams are committed to supporting civilians’ victims of marginalization and exclusion, or hit by natural disasters, wars and economic collapses, by answering their fundamental needs. Our aim is to provide emergency relief to uprooted people in order to help them recover their dignity and regain self-sufficiency.

The PUI Nigerian Mission has been officially opened in April 2016, with a focus on meeting urgent needs, including improving access to food commodities, primary health care and nutrition for Internally Displaced People (IDP) and host communities (HC) living in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC).

The progressive sectorial widening allowed PUI to start implementing an integrated approach from 2017 in food security, livelihoods, nutrition and health sectors, with the support of ECHO, FFP, OFDA and CIAA/CDC, in line with PUI’s global strategy. From the launch of the health care services in February 2017 to the end of April 2018, a total of 119 913 OPD consultations were reached in Bolori II, while more than  60.000 beneficiaries have been reached by our cash project.

In mid-2018, PUI has developed its comprehensive response by adding Protection and Community Outreach (PCO) activities to the existing programs in Bolori II. In the month of October 2018 only, more than 3.500 households have received door to door visit from the PCO team. In 2018, PUI has also scaled up its intervention with the opening of Monguno LGA base, with the main objectives of reducing morbidity and mortality of the most vulnerable population and promoting protection amongst the whole affected community. This opening in Monguno allowed PUI to reach the vulnerable population in Kukawa and Cross kauwa LGA.

We are now looking for candidates for its Nutrition team in Maiduguri in the capacity below:

Job Title: Nutrition Officer

Location: Maiduguri, Borno State
Starting date – ASAP
Duration of contract: 3 months (Maternity Leave Cover)

General Objective

• Under the direct supervisor of the nutrition supervisor, the nutrition officer will help organize and undertake nutrition education/sensitization and community screening activities at community level.
• The nutrition officer will be responsible to ensure that educational messages are delivered to beneficiaries as per set targets and with the upmost quality regarding accuracy, efficiency and culturally sensitivity to optimize the adoption of healthier behavior among mothers of children under five.

Responsibilities and Tasks
Implementation and monitoring of the nutrition activities:

• Responsible for day to day management of nutrition activities at Outpatient Therapeutic Program (OTP) or IYCF project sites according to the standardized protocols, policies and guidelines outlined by the Nigeria Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) and/or Global nutrition standards
• Participate in the identification of eligible project beneficiaries and Community Focal persons including Community Nutrition Mobilsers, Lead Mothers according to assignment
• Participate in organising Project beneficiaries and Volunteers into groups and other Fora for dissemination of nutrition messages
• With the support of CMAM or IYCF Supervisors, participate in the planning and in the implementation of trainings for the beneficiaries, volunteers and community focal persons
• Participate in planning and conducting  community/household surveys or assessments according to need
• Ensure OTP beneficiary absentee or defaulter tracing and other forms of beneficiary follow-ups at community level
• Participate in surveillance activities including MUAC screening of the under-fives/pregnant and lactating women based on project needs
• Enhance close collaboration with Health, Food Security and Livelihoods, and Protection at project level
• Ensure nurture good collaboration between PUI and local community leaders
• Act as a liaison with the local population and authorities in order to identify the needs, grievances and major events that could have potential consequences for PUI activities
• Participate in ensuring that OTP or IYCF beneficiaries and local populations both understand the project goals and actively participate in their implementation
• Ensure appropriate and consistent education messaging/Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) to mothers and other carers at OTP or IYCF project sites
• In liaison with supervisor, disseminate any relevant Information Education and Communication (IEC) materials and reporting tools to Lead Mothers, volunteers or health facility staff as may be required
• Implement outpatient therapeutic feeding of severely malnourished under-fives, and community outreach integrated with IYCF activities according to the stipulated protocolsTrain and mentor Nutrition project staff and community nutrition mobilisers (CNM) through identification of capacity gaps and carrying out refresher and on-the-job trainings
• Disseminate key messages on nutrition to the targeted beneficiaries, and ensure it is delivered appropriately

Communication and Reporting:

• Pass on any information or problems to his/her direct and/or indirect supervisor concerning his/her task, PUI programs, or safety aspects
• Address any issues on the field with the beneficiaries or the community members and tell the line supervisor
• Present weekly achievements, problems encountered and suggestion to improve the project implementation.
• Assist in strengthening the PUI’s community Feedback and Complains system
• Keep monitoring tools and files archived at the PUI office, ensuring their availability to his/her supervisor
• Represent PUI at anytime and anywhere when s/he is in duty
• Collect and compile data, pictures and information from the field to present accurate weekly internal reports to the supervisor

Logistic and Administration:

• Contribute to logistical and administrative organization of the activities related to Nutrition Program
• Contribute to the definition of the needs in materials and tools regarding the program and the planning of interventions.
• Ensure the safety and good condition of nutrition material provided by PUI

Priorities of the Department

• To follow up the sensitization sessions delivered to the mother care groups participants
• To ensure the quality of the messages delivered to the mother care participants
• To report any issue face with the mother care group participants
• Quality data management and reporting of cmam and iycf activities
• Support the integrated approach through effective referral within the nutrition components and with the other programs internally
• Build the capacity of the nutrition team on thematic areas related to nutrition
• To contribute to the qualitative reporting of activities, especially data entry
• To contribute to the proper filling and archiving of all the sources of verification
• Quality implementation of cmam and iycf programs according to global and national guidelines

Qualifications
Mandatory requirements:

• Language skills: Good command in English (speaking, reading & writing), Fluent in local languages – Hausa, etc.
• Education degree: diploma in Nutrition/Health related discipline
• Work experience: Proven nutritional experience working in ngos.

Knowledge and skills:

• Conversant with community screening for Malnutrition
• Demonstrated understanding of infant and young child feeding ( nutrition SBCC/IYCF education programs)
• Community Volunteer supervision
• Computer skills: Excellent knowledge of the MS office software including Word, excel and Outlook

Assets
Interests:

• Working in humanitarian relief, interest for social issues

Transversals skills:

• Excellent Field work Skills
• Capacity to mobilize community
• Rigor and organization
• Honesty
• Understanding of the context of the area
• Reliability
• Commitment to the NGO values and principles
• Team work
• Stress Management and Flexibility
• Strong Negotiator

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply

Application Deadline  4th January, 2021.