5 Nutrition Officers at Food for the Hungry (FH)

Job Description

EXCITING CAREER OPPORTUNITY

Food for the Hungry (FH) also known as FH Association (FHA) is a global Christian humanitarian relief and development organization that designs, develops, and delivers catalytic solutions so that children, families, and communities can flourish. Collaborating with local leaders across sectors, we co-create solutions that build resilience by strengthening mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. We serve nearly 10 million people in 18 countries so that communities have the agency and resources necessary to realize their God-given potential

FH began working in Uganda in 1988. Our operations in Uganda are in West Nile, Acholi, Lango, Karamoja, Bugisu, and the Busoga Sub-regions of Uganda. FH Uganda (FHU) implements both humanitarian (refugee settlements) and community development programs across 7 area programs; Northern Uganda; Lamwo, Kitgum, and Adjumani, Eastern regions; Mbale, Namutumba, Kween, and Karamoja region; Amudat, Napak, Nakapiripirit and Nabilatuk with the Head office located in Kampala. Using integrated approaches, FHU focuses on four thematic areas – Maternal child adolescent health and nutrition (MCAHN), asset creation, and productive learning.

FH Culture:

All we do, and how we do it, seeks to promote God’s beauty, goodness, and truth in a broken world. As such, we are defined by our ability to make people’s lives measurably better; our ability to deliver impact is the measure of our collective success. For we know that we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has already prepared in advance for us to do. At Food for the Hungry, we operate under a set of values called Heartbeat Values.

EXTERNAL VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

FH/Uganda is actively seeking qualified candidates committed to its Heartbeat and Corporate Strategy to fill the career openings below. Shortlisting will be on a rolling basis;

Job Title: Nutrition Officers (05 Positions)

Position Type: Full-Time National Staff

Location: Lamwo

Reports to: Nutrition Project Coordinator

Contract Length: 1 year (January to December 2024)

Start Date: January 2024 (To be hired on a rolling basis)

Job Summary:
The Nutrition Officer shall contribute to positive nutrition outcomes by implementing quality Maternal Child Health and Nutrition (MCHN) and Targeted Supplementary Feeding Program (TSFP) activities in line with national IMAM guidelines and WFP standards. The Nutrition officer will interact with health facility staff, village health teams, and communities to ensure early identification, referral, and management of malnutrition.

Duties and Responsibilities
Key Result area #1: Management of supplementary feeding program

• Ensure timely identification and management of severe and moderately acute malnourished (SAM/MAM) children and pregnant and lactating women (PLW).
• Conduct integrated health and nutrition services in the community
• Follow standardized protocols, policies, and guidelines prescribed by the Ministry of Health and WHO/UNICEF/WFP at the health facility.
• Support managing established health facilities and refer severe acute malnutrition among children under five and pregnant and lactating mothers (PLM) according to the Ministry of Health Uganda IMAM guidelines.
• Work with Health facility staff during established outreaches to manage and refer severe acute malnutrition among children under five and pregnant and lactating mothers according to the Ministry of Health Uganda IMAM guidelines.
• Ensure complete and effective referrals for identified malnourished children under 5 and pregnant and lactating women.

Key Result area #2: Management of Maternal child health nutrition

• Provide adequate nutrition care and support to children under the age of five years (U5) and PLW.
• Provide health and nutrition education counseling to PLW or caregivers of U5.
• Conduct sensitization sessions on nutrition and health education with key essential nutrition actions, infant and young child feeding, and prevention of hygiene-related diseases in refugee settlements and host communities.
• Strengthen the linkages between community-based health structures for early case identification, referral, and management of acute malnutrition and common childhood illnesses.
• Liaise with the Health Facility in charge to ensure that VHTs are selected in all project locations following the recommended MOH guidelines.
• Ensure Functional Anthropometric equipment, reporting tools, and other logistical needs necessary for malnutrition screening, management, and referral among the targeted beneficiaries.
• Facilitate capacity-building activities (mentorship, training) targeting health workers, village health teams, and care group volunteers to provide effective management of malnutrition.
• Support in developing and disseminating IEC materials on IMAM and MIYCAN.
• Ensure functionality of the IYCF corners within health facilities.

Key Result area #3: Integration of nutrition-sensitive interventions

• Ensure integration with health, WASH, and Food Security teams when conducting outreach services.
• Strengthen resilient community health systems through integrated management of acute Malnutrition.
• Provide technical support in the integration of MIYCAN activities in the health facilities
• Liaise with the district local government and other partners to ensure the organization and conduct of VHT monthly and quarterly meetings.
• Participate in beneficiary identification rapid nutrition assessment and nutrition surveillance.
• Oversee the collection, handling, analysis, and reporting of data related to nutrition screening, and clients.
• Develop concept notes for the drama groups and community dialogues for community sensitization.
• Prepare project progress reports, success stories, and lessons learned during project implementation in standard reporting format and NFIs by the MOH.
• Liaise with the Project coordinator to Organize detailed project orientation and refresher training for Community Volunteers and Care Group Volunteers (CGVs) on MUAC screening and referral as well as follow-ups.
• Actively participate in events organized in the refugee and host community settings.
• Perform other duties as assigned from time to time.

Minimum qualifications & experience required.
Education

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition, Public Health, Community Health, Food Science, and Technology with experience in Public Health and IMAM Programming with the ability to articulate linkages with health, agriculture, livelihood, and Psychosocial programs and SBCC approaches.

Experience

• A minimum of three (3) years of demonstrated experience in implementing nutrition programs – IMAM, SFP, and MCHN.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in MIYCAN.
• Have demonstrated working experience in humanitarian contexts or settlement camps preferably.
• Be professional, motivated, open, creative, mature, responsible, flexible, and, culturally sensitive.
• Be willing and able to be based and travel regularly within remote areas, where services are limited.
• Must be able to ride a motorcycle with a valid riding permit

Core Competencies

• Ability to work independently as well as in a team and flexibility.
• Ability to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills.
• Good report writing, oral communication, and presentation skills.
• Advanced skills in MS Office (word, excel, PowerPoint, and Internet)
• Experience entering data using software packages like ENA, and SPSS is an added advantage

Employment with FH offers an attractive package that includes; a good salary commensurate to one’s role, a good medical insurance package for staff and dependents, a provident fund, GPA, and provision for other statutory requirements.