Job Location: Zinder, Niger
Reporting to: Country Director
Contract:1 Year
General Description of the Programme:
Since the food crises of 2005, GOAL has continuously supported the population of Mirriah district in Zinder Region through the implementation of community-based programmes mainly in the fields of nutrition, food security and WASH (Water, Hygiene and Sanitation).
From 2005 to 2008, GOAL focused its interventions in emergency and recovery programmes preventing and treating malnutrition while addressing the underlying causes of food insecurity by supporting communities to resume farming activities, reconstitute their livestock capital, increase access to drinking water and improve hygiene and nutritional practices.
From 2005 to 2008, GOAL focused its interventions in emergency and recovery programmes preventing and treating malnutrition while addressing the underlying causes of food insecurity by supporting communities to resume farming activities, reconstitute their livestock capital, increase access to drinking water and improve hygiene and nutritional practices.
In 2008, as part of the government's wish to integrate nutrition programmes into the health sector, GOAL's ambulatory supplementary and therapeutic programmes were fully integrated and handed over to the regional and district health departments with on-going assistance from UNICEF. In 2009, GOAL continued to be involved in the livelihoods and WASH sectors in order to build the capacity of previously established Livelihoods and WASH committees in communities. In 2010 GOAL continued to monitor the development of the activities launched in 2009 while starting a partnership with ALIMA and BEFEN in order to support the prevention and treatment of malnutrition in the greater area of Zinder.
In 2011, in order to actively respond to the food security crisis, GOAL scaled-up and implemented an integrated malnutrition and livelihood programme funded by ECHO in 40 villages alongside an important nutritional intervention conducted through its partners ALIMA and BEFEN. In October 2011, GOAL also responded to flooding in Mirriah District and supplied 60Mt of food in cereal banks thanks to a new partnership with WFP. In 2012, GOAL continued its partnership with Alima and Befen, treating more than 10,000 children under 5 against malnutrition, while supporting thousands very vulnerable households through cash transfers operations funded by Irish Aid. From 2014 going forward, Goal Niger has decided to remodel its programme activities to be more comprehensive to include health and WASH activities.
General Description of the Role
The Health and Nutrition Coordinator takes overall responsibility for the implementation of the health and nutrition component of GOAL Niger’s programme, including some WASH activities. While in the past GOAL implemented Supplementary Feeding Programmes (SFPs) to address moderate acute malnutrition, a lack of food security has prompted GOAL to pilot a new approach through Nutrition Impact and Positive Practice (NIPP) circles. These combine a cooking demonstration, public health and nutrition education (PHNE) and livelihoods through micro-gardening, and are designed to be community-owned and sustainable. The Health and Nutrition Coordinator will be responsible for rolling out this project and other health and nutrition projects, including wash activities.
Currently GOAL is looking for an enthusiastic Health and Nutrition Coordinator with experience in the management and prevention of under-nutrition to be able to ensure the effective design (in conjunction with GOAL’s Nutrition Advisors), implementation and follow-up and report on newly established interventions as well as the provision of capacity building of Nigerien staff.
The Health and Nutrition Coordinator collaborates closely with the Area Coordinator, reports directly to the Country Director and works closely with other programme staff to ensure optimal integration of programme activities where appropriate.
Key Duties
• Assume overall management for the development of an integrated health and nutrition project with wash activities, within GOAL’s Niger programme.
• Responsible for the design and oversight of all health and nutrition interventions with wash components implemented or overseen by GOAL including:
o Liaison with prospective donors, concept note development, proposal writing (including log-frame and Gannt chart), budget preparation, procurement planning and recruitment of requisite staff
o Oversight of the design of any new program materials/ toolkits required
o Oversight and implementation of adequate monitoring and evaluation systems to assess the quality and outcomes of nutrition interventions, including requisite surveys/ assessments (planning to be conducted in strict collaboration with GOAL S&A / Health and Nutrition Advisors), in line with proposals
o Training and subsequent management of nutrition staff
• Ensure close coordination with local partners (Ministries, national NGOs/INGOs, etc.) to assess outcomes, evaluate efficacy of complementary health and nutrition activities funded by GOAL and determine whether these are aligned to GOAL Niger’s strategy.
• Verify that any new health and nutrition activities look to support short-term emergency needs (when suitable) but ensure that longer-term development activities, tackling the underlying causes of cyclical malnutrition in Zinder, are given a priority focus.
• Guarantee that GOAL’s health and nutrition programing is tightly coordinated with other sectors to ensure a multi-sectoral approach is provided, thus maximising potential outcomes
• Given the multi-causal nature of under nutrition, discuss with GOAL’s other sectoral coordinators & the Country Director (CD) the need for additional complementary activities under other sectoral domains, that might be required to help improve the target populations’ nutritional situation.
• Verify that GOAL’s health and nutrition response remains closely aligned to the needs of any evolution in the context.
• Ensure that the implementation of programme activities is in line with the national protocol.
• Responsibility for donor reporting and technical liaison in-country.
• Representation of GOAL (as viable) at national and regional health and nutrition meetings, cultivating close relationships with donors, ministries and other key national stakeholders.
• Closely monitor in-country / regional developments through the Système d’alerte Précoce (SAP), FAOs Global Information & Early Warning System on Food & Ag’ (GIEWS), FAOSAT, AQUASAT, national / regional Surveys & Assessments, plus Ministry, UN and donor response plans.
• To be fully conversant with GOAL policies and guidelines, including HR, logistics, finance, administration and security protocols.
• Any other related tasks at the request by the CD or GOAL Dublin.
Requirements (Person Specification)
• Qualified nutritionist;
• Qualified Medical doctor;
• Relevant international course in Public Health Nutrition/MSc preferred;
• Minimum 4 years’ experience in emergency and development programming with proven management/coordination experience with international organisations/agencies;
• Strong interpersonal and skills and ability to effectively work in a multi-cultural context;
• Proven effective analytical, problem solving and planning skills;
• Experience in liaising with government officials, other NGOs, donors and UN agencies;
• Willingness to travel to underdeveloped/volatile areas of Niger;
• Proven training and capacity building skills;
• Very enthusiastic and able to work extra hours to achieve the objectives of the programme;
• Fluency in French with excellent written and spoken English (essential for proposal writing / reporting);
• Appreciation of the aims and objectives of GOAL.
Key Duties
• Assume overall management for the development of an integrated health and nutrition project with wash activities, within GOAL’s Niger programme.
• Responsible for the design and oversight of all health and nutrition interventions with wash components implemented or overseen by GOAL including:
o Liaison with prospective donors, concept note development, proposal writing (including log-frame and Gannt chart), budget preparation, procurement planning and recruitment of requisite staff
o Oversight of the design of any new program materials/ toolkits required
o Oversight and implementation of adequate monitoring and evaluation systems to assess the quality and outcomes of nutrition interventions, including requisite surveys/ assessments (planning to be conducted in strict collaboration with GOAL S&A / Health and Nutrition Advisors), in line with proposals
o Training and subsequent management of nutrition staff
• Ensure close coordination with local partners (Ministries, national NGOs/INGOs, etc.) to assess outcomes, evaluate efficacy of complementary health and nutrition activities funded by GOAL and determine whether these are aligned to GOAL Niger’s strategy.
• Verify that any new health and nutrition activities look to support short-term emergency needs (when suitable) but ensure that longer-term development activities, tackling the underlying causes of cyclical malnutrition in Zinder, are given a priority focus.
• Guarantee that GOAL’s health and nutrition programing is tightly coordinated with other sectors to ensure a multi-sectoral approach is provided, thus maximising potential outcomes
• Given the multi-causal nature of under nutrition, discuss with GOAL’s other sectoral coordinators & the Country Director (CD) the need for additional complementary activities under other sectoral domains, that might be required to help improve the target populations’ nutritional situation.
• Verify that GOAL’s health and nutrition response remains closely aligned to the needs of any evolution in the context.
• Ensure that the implementation of programme activities is in line with the national protocol.
• Responsibility for donor reporting and technical liaison in-country.
• Representation of GOAL (as viable) at national and regional health and nutrition meetings, cultivating close relationships with donors, ministries and other key national stakeholders.
• Closely monitor in-country / regional developments through the Système d’alerte Précoce (SAP), FAOs Global Information & Early Warning System on Food & Ag’ (GIEWS), FAOSAT, AQUASAT, national / regional Surveys & Assessments, plus Ministry, UN and donor response plans.
• To be fully conversant with GOAL policies and guidelines, including HR, logistics, finance, administration and security protocols.
• Any other related tasks at the request by the CD or GOAL Dublin.
Requirements (Person Specification)
• Qualified nutritionist;
• Qualified Medical doctor;
• Relevant international course in Public Health Nutrition/MSc preferred;
• Minimum 4 years’ experience in emergency and development programming with proven management/coordination experience with international organisations/agencies;
• Strong interpersonal and skills and ability to effectively work in a multi-cultural context;
• Proven effective analytical, problem solving and planning skills;
• Experience in liaising with government officials, other NGOs, donors and UN agencies;
• Willingness to travel to underdeveloped/volatile areas of Niger;
• Proven training and capacity building skills;
• Very enthusiastic and able to work extra hours to achieve the objectives of the programme;
• Fluency in French with excellent written and spoken English (essential for proposal writing / reporting);
• Appreciation of the aims and objectives of GOAL.
This Job Description only serves as a guide for the position available. GOAL reserves the right to change this document
