Position: 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 Nutrition Specialist for the USAID Integrated Nutrition program will be responsible for managing nutrition-specific programs, primarily focusing on Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN). This includes designing, planning, and ensuring the quality of the nutrition program within the framework of health system strengthening, in accordance with global and national protocols. The position will provide tailored technical support to provinces and PNGOs teams to effectively implement the programs, prioritizing equity and quality while upholding standard quality through resource optimization.Additionally, the position will coordinate with government and like-minded organizations to optimize resources, prevent program duplication, and maximize synergy in the implementation and outcomes of the nutrition programs. The Nutrition specialist will also ensure the integration of Gender and Inclusive Development (GID) principles at the provincial, district, and local government levels.

Functional Relationships:

Under the direct supervision of the Team Lead, Integrated Nutrition with specific guidance from Intermediate Result (IR) leads, the Nutrition Specialist is responsible for managing nutrition-specific programs and providing technical support to provinces to effectively implement the nutrition-specific programs.

Direct Line Supervision: Team lead, Integrated Nutrition

Inter-Line Supervision: Intermediate Result (IR) Lead(s)

Collaboration with: 
• Internal: All Staffs
• External: USAID, Governmental and non-governmental agencies

Specific Responsibilities:

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

Technical Assistance:

• Develop context-specific strategies and approaches to reach marginalized communities and improve Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) behaviors.
• Enhance the capacity of service providers in public and private health facilities, including the province and PNGOs’ team on Maternal Infant Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN). 
• Provide tailored technical support to USAID/ Integrated Nutrition Provinces team in developing/revising essential nutrition and health-related strategies & guidelines of province Health Directorates (PHD) as required. 
• Work closely with the communication team within USAID Integrated Nutrition to develop evidence-based, culturally acceptable SBC/IEC materials and job aids, ensuring the integration of a Gender and Social Inclusion (GSI) perspective.
• Work with intra- and intersectoral teams within USAID Integrated Nutrition to ensure the nutrition component is integrated into health, agriculture, and WASH programs, as well as social protection schemes such as child cash grants and postnatal nutrition grants.
• Provide technical support to USAID/Integrated Nutrition Provinces teams in developing annual work plans and guidelines for nutrition-specific and health programs as needed.
• Support the USAID Integrated Nutrition team designated to FWD/DoHS in integrating nutrition into existing guidelines, modules, multiple health contact points, and service platforms, including maternal mental health and psychosocial support.
• Represent the country office and attend/participate in various forums (e.g., NuTec meetings, CB-IMNCI working group meetings) at the federal level.
• Provide support to the Team Lead, Integrated Nutrition, in developing concept notes, strategies, guidelines, and reports as required.

Monitoring and Knowledge Management:

• Ensure the quality of the nutrition-specific programs implemented by pro- vincial teams and PNGOs. Provide timely feedback and technical support for program learning and adaptation. 
• Coordinate with the MERL team, USAID Integrated Nutrition, the Nutrition 
• Program Officer designated to the Nutrition Section at FWD, and the IHMIS section (if required) to review and analyze IHMIS data on nutrition indicators and share the findings with provinces and PNGO teams for program learning and adaptation.
• Document best practices, lesson learns, success stories of the Nutrition Specific programs. 

Representation:

• Represent Helen Keller and its values at the federal and provinces level. 
• Coordinate with other development organizations to reduce duplication and share learning.

Qualifications and Competencies:

Educational Degree:

• Master’s degree in public health or related field (preferred)

Experiences Years:

• Minimum 5 to 7 years of experience in nutrition or related programs with I/NGOs
• Experience working with the government at the federal or provincial level will be preferred.

Communication Skills:

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