save the children
international programs
role profile
Job Title: Nutrition Technical AdvisorTEAM/PROGRAMME:
Programme Development and Quality Team / LOCATION:
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania with regular field travel
GRADE: 4 / CONTRACT TYPE:
Fixed Term-Two years
Child Safeguarding:
Level 3 - the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young people
ROLE PURPOSE:
The Nutrition Technical Advisor will be responsible for the strategic development and quality assurance of the nutrition programmes in Tanzania, as well as nutrition components of other thematic programmes. The post holder will need to ensure high quality nutrition interventions, synergy of nutrition programming across the Tanzania programme and contribute to nutrition related advocacy at sub-national, national and international levels.
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Reports to: Director of Programme Development and Quality
Dimensions: Save the Children has 4 sub office locations and works in several regions across Tanzania with a current staff complement of approximately 85 and current expenditure of approximately $6million each year
Staff directly reporting to this post: None.
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
Strategic Development of Nutrition programmes:
· Provide strategic vision for nutrition programming, and lead on the development of the nutrition programmes in Tanzania (and nutrition components of other programmes), ensuring synergies among various initiatives.
· Ensure that the nutrition programming has a clear sense of purpose and direction and delivers on its goals set out in the Country Strategic Plan, Everyone plan and other strategic documents and ensure compliance with Save the Children strategies and priorities.
· Ensure the programme links into the Save the Children Health and Nutrition Global Initiative Goals and objectives.
· Ensure programme development meets Save the Children Guidelines, as well as other agreed protocols on best practice at all stages of the programme’s development.
· Develop and maintain a detailed understanding of the nutrition sector in Tanzania; including national policy development, key players in government, INGOs, UN and national civil society organizations.
· Ensure the programme conforms to relevant plans, policies, strategies, standards, guidelines and protocols of the government.
· Ensure proper assessment of the nutrition situation (as related to Save the Children’s programme) in the country in general and in the intervention areas in particular, to identify gaps and unmet needs and to establish database and baseline data for programme and project development.
· Create and maintain good relationships with donors and potential donors, ensuring positioning of Save the Children in Tanzania as one of the technical leaders in the area of nutrition.
· Contribute to positioning Tanzania programme for big calls for proposals (for example, DFID, USAID etc.) and provide technical inputs into proposal development. Proposal writing for smaller funding opportunities related to nutrition.
· Participate in planning for emergency preparedness.
Technical Leadership
· Function as the senior technical resource person on nutrition initiatives for the Tanzania Programme.
· Conduct regular field visits (at least quarterly) and provide technical support to relevant programme and partner staff to ensure appropriate technical standards and protocols are observed and maintained in programme implementation.
· Identify gaps and staff development needs with regard to the technical capacity of the nutrition programme staff and initiate and facilitate technical capacity development for staff; including providing on the job training if required.
· Coordinate and collaborate with other technical leads, programmes and departments to optimise programme results.
· Develop and maintain links with relevant members’ and regional technical advisors and participate in SCI regional/global technical meetings as appropriate.
· Ensure programme staff are kept abreast of current technical nutrition issues.
Innovation, Learning and Knowledge Management
· Identify learning opportunities and lead on various studies and operational research that have been identified as part of the strategic development of the nutrition programme. Lead on work related to the national surveillance system in Tanzania in close collaboration with Government authorities, as well as delivery of district assessment surveys, and build an evidence base for nutrition programming and advocacy.
· Spread information relating to the outcome of research projects widely and – in particular – to the Government and to other humanitarian and development actors.
· Conduct quality checks of relevant donor reports in collaboration with Programme Implementation Team.
· In collaboration with MEAL unit, provide technical support to ensure that nutrition programmes have technically sound MEAL plans.
Advocacy
· Based on the evidence collected through programme work, collaborate with the Everyone Manager in articulating top priority advocacy objectives in the area of nutrition.
· Provide inputs in terms of key stakeholders and developments in the area of nutrition to the Everyone Campaign Manager in developing advocacy strategy and plans for the Tanzania nutrition programmes.
· Provide nutrition technical support the nutrition team and the EVERYONE core team in advocacy work for nutrition.
Networking and Representation
· Strengthen and maintain links with relevant key networks, task forces and coordination mechanisms in the area of nutrition in Tanzania.
· Facilitate and maintain good relationship with government (especially the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW), Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre (TFNC), Prime Minister’s Office Regional Administration and Local Government (PMO-RALG) and other Ministries, as well as regional and district level government authorities in project areas) to ensure collaboration and smooth implementation of the nutrition and relevant nutrition components of programmes.
· Facilitate and coordinate collaboration and joint work with other organizations working in the area of nutrition.
· Represent Save the Children to government, UN organizations, INGOs, local NGOs and donors in nutrition related issues to ensure coordination and collaboration.
· Ensure that Save the Children advocacy issues are reflected during representation.
Emergency
· Save the Children Tanzania will respond to any emergency situations that puts at great risk the survival, protection, and well-being of significant numbers of children, resulting from natural disasters, conflicts, population movements and where particularly vulnerable communities are found to be in acute need. In executing an emergency response, SC will endeavour to respond within 72 hours of a sudden catastrophic event. With this SC through the line manager at any point of emergency may assign the post holder with emergency responsibility role outside of the normal JD or area of work if required, however no staff will be forced against their will to work anywhere that they deem unsafe or insecure.
SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)
Accountability:
· Holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
· Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved
Ambition:
· Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
· Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
· Future orientated, thinks strategically
Collaboration:
· Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
· Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
· Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to
Creativity:
· Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
· Willing to take disciplined risks
Integrity:
· Honest, encourages openness and transparency
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
· Minimum of 5 years of experience in a technical advisory role in international development and emergency context.
· Recognized leadership role in technical area of nutrition at country and field level.
· Master’s degree in Nutrition at minimum.
· Experience of data management and analysis.
· Solid experience of managing nutrition related operational researches, surveillance systems and assessments.
· Experience in working collaboratively with national government and other stakeholders, including donors.
· Good experience in project proposal writing and project/programme report writing.
· Strong analytical and conceptual skills and the ability to think and plan strategically.
· Training , capacity building, coaching, and mentoring skills
· Effective networking skills and ability to coordinate with different stakeholders
· Ability and willingness to dramatically change work practices and hours, and work with incoming teams, in emergencies
· Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles including rights-based approaches
· Fluency in written and spoken English
Date of issue: February 14th 2014 Author : Dragana Strinic