Role & Responsibilities
Provide leadership to the Emergency Response Nutrition project and the team to ensure the activities meet proposal objectives within appropriate timeliness and budgets and that the services meet national and international quality standards.
Working as an important member of a diverse team who are committed to serving the world’s most vulnerable with practical and compassionate care; the ERT Nutrition Project Manager coordinates to identify locations with nutrition needs, develops, leads, monitors and evaluates the Emergency Response nutrition assessments and interventions. This involves leadership and strategic decision to effectively manage information and report on the projects in line with the objectives, time frame and budget with a focus on nutrition system strengthening, capacity building and coordination.
Project Overview
The Emergency Response Team (ERT) operates multi-sector relief programme including Nutrition, Health, WASH and NFI response across any South Sudan states, with an overall objective to reduce morbidity and mortality of vulnerable populations in South Sudan.
Workplace & Working conditions
Field based position in Juba, South Sudan; with frequent travel, often for extended periods, to other country states.
Starting Date / Initial Contract Details
September 1st, 2023. Full-time, 24 months.
Key Activity Areas
Project Management/Technical
- Manage emergency nutrition projects to meet objectives within budget & time frame, report promptly any operational concerns to line manager and country nutrition advisor (e.g. increased beneficiary needs; projected over or under spending on project budget…)
- Provide strong leadership of the emergency nutrition project(s), working to ensure short, mid and long-term positive impacts and outcomes for the beneficiaries, local nutrition authorities (where applicable) and local nutrition staff
- Contribute develop & implement appropriate & effective nutrition strategy i.e. quick deployment, integrated CMAM, Infant & Young Child Feeding in emergency, proactive & responsible exit planning consulted w/country nutrition advisor, ERT PC, other nutrition staff
- Set clear objectives and indicators for nutrition assessments and interventions (including case management and prevention) in collaboration with the country nutrition advisor, nutrition staff, PC and other sectors when multisectoral responses
- Continuously monitor & supervise emergency nutrition activities, evaluating progress through outputs & impacts using data, involving nutrition team (and local health authorities) in analysis and taking appropriate action as needed to ensure continued progress
- Provide input into the integration of beneficiary participation and accountability in all aspects of the project
- Ensure accurate and timely reporting of activities according to Medair, donor and other applicable time frames and formats
- Decide on new activities and new project sites and provide input regarding future project growth and changes needed, linked to assessed needs and gaps and the Medair country strategy, in conjunction with country nutrition advisor & relevant field managers
- Take lead in facilitating emergency response Impact data entry, analysis and actioning
Communication and Coordination
- Coordinate externally & internally to identify locations with multisectoral/nutrition needs, initiate timely assessments/interventions
- Develop & maintain appropriate, regular, transparent and supportive communication structures w/emergency nutrition team, nutrition advisor and other ERT sectors (health, WASH, NFI) to conduct multisectoral assessment and interventions
- Develop and maintain good relationships with the Nutrition Cluster coordination team, NGOs, UN agencies and other nutrition actors with the objective of ensuring good cooperation and partnerships
- Coordinate early in response w/partners on the ground to agree on intervention modalities & Understanding Memorandum signing
- Participate in nutrition coordination meetings, Medair internal trainings and other working groups or meetings as required
- Represent Medair and feed back to relevant staff as necessary (ERT teams, Advisors…)
Staff Management
- Line-manage Nutrition Managers of emergency nutrition team, including day-to-day management, development and training, appraisals, etc. It may also be necessary to line manage other nutrition project staff
- Oversee and ensure quality recruitment, training and line management of field nutrition staff
- Facilitate regular meetings to assist information sharing between project staff, to ensure all staff members are aware of project objectives and current work plans and to provide the opportunity for feedback
- Provide coaching and technical supervision to staff in order to develop ownership and full responsibility for nutrition activities
- Assess training needs of nutrition staff and ensure that appropriate training is conducted
Financial Management
- Manage Emergency Nutrition team budget and ensure all expenses are according to budget and meet Medair standards with regard to financial management, including accountability and good governance
- Track expenses against project budgets, work w/Project Coordinator and Finance Manager to address issues of over or under spending
- Draft annual budget for nutrition emergency response projects
Logistics
- Ensure nutrition supplies and equipment is ordered on time to ensure buffer stock is readily available in Juba warehouse
- Work w/ERT logistics for staff movement & to ensure items are correctly: procured, transported, stored, managed, accounted for
- Work w/ERT logistics to ensure adherence to field warehousing procedure & Medair gift certificate completion to handover partners
- Submit timely requests to nutrition partners (UNICEF, WFP) to release core pipeline nutrition supplies & monitor supply utilisation
Security Management
- Responsible for ensuring field team compliance with security procedures; ensure teams are equipped with appropriate communications equipment, quick run bags, security money and security equipment
- When teams are on the ground, working with the ERT PC to monitor the security situation, gathering information from various sources and feeding back important information to Medair management
Quality Management
- Promote and use the Medair intranet and other operating procedures, ensuring that all standardised formats are used
- Ensure emergency nutrition projects are implemented in line with donor proposals and requirements and in accordance with Medair, donor, country and international standards i.e. Sphere and HAP standards
- Be Actively involved in nutrition technical working group (CMAM, IYCF)
- Ensure rapid nutrition assessments & interventions are in line w/relevant national & intl. guidelines (MUAC sampling, CMAM, IYCF)
Delegated Responsibilities
- Manage technical aspects of assigned nutrition projects, including staff knowledge and performance
- Responsible for data collection, compiling & completing relevant reports on a weekly, monthly and quarterly basis
- In charge of filling & archiving all required nutrition project records & docs according to donor & local authorities’ requirements
- Management of emergency nutrition budget & authorisation of expenditure on applicable budget lines up to $5,000
- Represent Medair at meetings and through relationships with external partners (e.g. community leaders, local and national government officials, UN agencies and other NGOs) in coordination w/country nutrition advisor & project coordinator
Team Spiritual Life
- Reflect the values of Medair in everyday life: with team members, local staff, beneficiaries, external contacts…
- Fully contribute to rich spiritual life of Medair: devotions, prayers, words of encouragement…
This job description covers the main tasks that are anticipated. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary.
Qualifications
- Higher level degree, preferably in nutrition or another relevant field such as nursing and public health
- Good knowledge of English (spoken and written)
Experience
- 2 years post-qualification professional experience in a relevant field
- Management experience in a nutrition/health context
- Preferred 3 years’ experience in a nutrition/health programme in a developing country, emergency context using CMAM model
- Favoured experience implementing BCC projects specifically participatory mothers’ groups including IYCF in emergencies
- Good numerical, report writing and administration skills, problem-solving ability
- Knowledge of humanitarian principles, Sphere, HAP Standards, international humanitarian guidelines & protocols
- Experience of nutrition / primary health care principles and management
- Able to prioritise clearly and oversee multiple tasks/take the initiative in project decisions/enforce procedures
- Able to set clear objectives for staff and delegate, committed to consultative and servant-minded leadership
- Team player with good interpersonal skills, willingness to support others and to share the workload
- Aptitude for community mobilisation and capacity-building, experience in training/mentoring/coaching staff
All new deploying international staff to Medair’s country programmes (and other roles which require field travel) should be fully vaccinated with a WHO-approved COVID vaccine, supported with a COVID vaccination certificate as evidence.
How to apply
Please ensure you are fully aware of the:
a) Medair organizational values
b) Medair is committed to safeguarding the protection of beneficiaries, volunteers, staff and partners, and particularly children. Therefore, we do not employ staff whose background we understand to be unsuitable for working with children. Medair staff are required to give the utmost respect to, and comply with, Medair’s accountability policies and best practices.
c) Medair Relief & Recovery Orientation Course (ROC) (which forms part of the recruitment selection process for field positions).
Application Process
To apply, go to this vacancy on our Medair Page.
Please do not make multiple applications. We will not review email applications. Only English-language applications / CVs will be reviewed.