Position: Maternal & Newborn Nutrition Specialist

Guided by the remarkable legacy of its co-founder, Helen Keller, Helen Keller Intl partners with communities striving to overcome long standing cycles of poverty. By delivering the essential building blocks of good health, sound nutrition and clear vision, we help millions of people create lasting change in their own lives. Working in 20 countries – across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the United States – and together with a global community of supporters, we are ensuring every person has the opportunity – as Helen did – to reach their true potential.

Background:

USAID Integrated Nutrition’s primary goal is to improve the nutrition status of women, adolescents, and children in Nepal’s underserved and marginalized communities. The activity will tackle the direct and underlying determinants of malnutrition in Nepal while strengthening the national and local enabling environment to implement multisectoral nutrition programs through four synergistic intermediate results. Success will be measured by improvements in nutrition status indicators among women of reproductive age, adolescents, and children.

Position Overview:

The Maternal and Newborn (MN) Nutrition Specialist for the USAID Integrated Nutrition Program is responsible for providing technical assistance to ensure that evidence-based nutrition interventions are effectively integrated into maternal and newborn health services. This role involves advocating for and providing technical support to develop and adapt guidelines, protocols, and training package/materials related to maternal and newborn nutrition. Additionally, the MN Nutrition Specialist will support the design, planning, and quality assurance of context-specificmaternal and newborn nutrition programs.Additionally, the position will coordinate among government entities, USAID Integrated Nutrition, and development partners to optimize resources, avoid program duplication, and maximize synergy in the implementation and outcomes of the Maternal & Newborn Nutrition programs. This role will also coordinate with other non-health sectors i.e. private sectors, professional organizations (NePAS, NeSOG) and Academia to link and align nutrition- specific activities of the USAID Integrated Nutrition program. The MN Nutrition specialist will also ensure the integration of Gender and Inclusive Development (GID) principles at the provincial, district, and local government levels maternal & newborn nutrition.

Functional Relationship:

Under the direct supervision of the Intermediate Result (IR) leads, the MN Nutrition Specialist is responsible for providing technical support and fostering an enabling environment for the implementation of USAID Integrated Nutrition. This role requires high-quality technical support, coordination, networking, representation, and communication skills.

Direct Line Supervision: Team leads, USAID Integrated Nutrition and Health service

Inter-Line Supervision:

Collaboration with:

• Internal: All Staffs
• External: USAID, Governmental and non-governmental agencies, Multisector Nutrition Plan stakeholder ministries, program partners, and stakeholders

Description

Specific Responsibilities:

• Coordination, Collaboration, and networking.
• Coordinate and collaborate with government stakeholders and likeminded organizations at various levels to create synergy and avoid duplication in the implementation of USAID Integrated Nutrition. 
• Coordinate with all teams of USAID Integrated Nutrition at different levels. 

Technical Assistance:

• Provide technical assistance to integrate nutrition into maternal and newborn health programs, including ANC and PNC platforms, to address the nutrition needs of pregnant women, lactating mothers, and newborns.
• Facilitate the integration of maternal mental health and psychosocial support into existing ANC/PNC guidelines, modules, and service platforms in coordination with the MNH section, FWD, and the Non- Communicable Disease section/EDCD and ensure the effective implementation of the integrated module/guideline across ANC/PNC platforms.
• Provide technical assistance to mainstream nutrition across various national programs, including those focused on maternal and newborn health, sick and small newborns in Special Newborn Care Units (SNCUs). 
• Collaborate with various health sections to integrate nutrition into multiple health contact points and platforms, including supporting the scaling up of QI tools and adapting national guidelines to the provincial context. 
• Provide technical support to build the capacity of service providers including SBA on maternal and newborn nutrition services including maternal mental health and psychosocial support.
• Provide support in developing strategies and guidelines for proper feeding of sick and small newborns, with a focus on maternal nutrition.
• Provide technical assistance to implement evidence-based feeding and nutrition practices for sick and small newborns in Special Newborn Care Units (SNCUs), within maternal and newborn nutrition programs.
• Advocate for national policies that support optimal feeding practices for sick and small newborns, emphasizing the importance of maternal nutrition
• Engage with policymakers and non-health sectors i.e. private sectors, professional organizations (NePAS, NeSOG) Academia to ensure that nutrition is recognized as a critical component of maternal and newborn health at all levels of the health system. 
• Facilitate coordination between USAID/Integrated Nutrition, FWD and NHEICC to develop and context-specific SBC/IEC materials related to maternal and newborn nutrition, including a GSI perspective.
• Facilitate to develop context-specific strategies and approaches to strengthening nutrition counselling and services into existing ANC/PNC platforms, and local levels, and establish linkages between maternal & newborn health and social protection programs/ schemes.
• Represent the country office and facilitate /attend/participate in various forums e.g., RH working groups, Safe motherhood subcommittee’s meetings and other relevant forums as required. 

Program Implementation Support:

• Facilitate/linkages coordination and communication between USAID Integrated Nutrition and MNH and FP/RH sections timely and regularly. 
• Advocate and update planned activities, document lessons learnt of USAID Integrated Nutrition and share regularly at FWD and other forums.
• Assist in the preparation of Annual Budget and progress report of USAID Integration nutrition.
• Perform USAID Integration nutrition related functions as required. 

Monitoring and Knowledge Management:

• Conduct analysis of IHMIS data on maternal newborn health including family planning indicators in collaboration with the IHMIS and FWD periodically. 
• Compile and analyze all the maternal, newborn Program related data and prepare and share periodic reports / trend to the FWD and relevant agencies.
• Support FWD for documentation of maternal & newborn health-related activities and provide regular updates on the status of implementation.

Qualifications and Competencies:

Educational Degree:

• Master’s degree in public health is preferred, especially for those with an MBBS or Nursing background combined with an MPH/ MSN.

Experiences Years:

• Minimum 5 to 7 years of experience in related field with I/NGOs.
• Experience working with government at federal or province level will be preferred.
• Experience in Maternal Nutrition related Programs.

Communication Skills:

• Good coordination and facilitation skills.
• Good documentation and presentation skills in Nepali and English languages.

Application process: https://p2p.com.np

Application Deadline: 20th Oct 2024 , Sunday