Role Purpose:

The Health and Nutrition Officer will provide technical leadership in day-to-day implementation of the UNICEF ICCM-CMAM project in Turkana County. He/she will play a critical role in promoting integrated service delivery across the continuum of care through the health system, in collaboration with the research team, quality assurance nurses, research coordinator, MEAL and child protection teams in Turkana field office. The position holder will coordinate with the sub-county health department to strengthen health system support for improved quality of care at health facilities and in the community. He/she should be knowledgeable and skilled in carrying out operational research in health and nutrition and with practical experience in implementation of nutrition specific strategies/activities to allow effective demand creation and quality service delivery at community and facility levels.

S/he will ensure that all health and nutrition activities are interlink to support the achievement of project targets. S/he will be responsible for strategic planning, coordination and monitoring & evaluation of strategies and interventions for the project’s activities. The position holder will provide a technical leadership role at the sub-county in coordination with all project staff and partners to adhere to available policies in health, nutrition, food security and livelihoods, WASH. S/he will be technically supported by the research coordinator.
Budget holding responsibility;

Complexity: requires skills for collaborative work within the team as well as with different support functions, technical staff of institutional stakeholders and partners

Key Areas Of Accountability:

Technical leadership and Innovation

  • Community mobilization and sensitization: In collaboration with the research team, conduct meetings with key opinion and community leaders, including the Community Health Committees, village elders, and clergy in the project area. Inform the community about the project’s existence, purpose, and benefits to their communities, as well as the broader county, country, regional, and global impact.
  • the Ministry of Health, carry out ICCM training for Community Health Promotors in the study arms. Provide ICCM (quadrant 1 & 3) based on the standard ICCM curriculum package.
  • SAM and MAM treatment training: Work closely with the lead researcher (KEMRI) and MOH to conduct training for CHPs providing Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition services (quadrant 1 & 2). Follow simplified protocols for treating Severe Acute Malnutrition and Moderate Acute Malnutrition using the training guide developed by the researchers.
  • Control arm training: Collaborate with the lead researcher to conduct refresher training on the Basic CHP Module and Nutrition module 8 for CHPs in the control arm. Focus on sharpening their skills in screening and referral of malnutrition and routine promotion of positive key messages on health and nutrition.
  • Training of health workers: Support in identifying training needs and execute refresher training, such as on Integrated Management of Childhood Illness, ICCM, and Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM), among others.
  • Training of CHAs and QA nurses: Provide training on iCCM-CMAM and supervisory monitoring and evaluation to Community Health Assistants (CHAs) and Quality Assurance (QA) nurses.
  • Drug and commodity supply and management: Work closely with partners to strengthen the Ministry of Health’s supply chain. Orient health workers on quantification, forecasting, and ordering using the Logistics Management System (LMIS).
  • CHP supervision and performance monitoring: Support CHAs in carrying out monthly field-based supportive supervision of CHPs. Conduct facility-based supervision, inviting CHPs to linked health facilities to check on SCRF, SAM and MAM registers, documentation, and logistical issues.
  • Data review and analysis: Review and analyze data for performance monitoring. Utilize the data to take corrective actions.
  • Mainstream quality benchmarks: Promote the utilization of quality benchmarks within Health and Nutrition programming in Turkana.
  • Field monitoring visits: Undertake field monitoring visits to ensure health programs meet defined quality standards.
  • Lesson learning and program incorporation: Ensure lesson learning is incorporated into relevant program plans and technical policy guidance.
  • Supportive supervision and on-job training: Conduct regular supportive supervision and on-job training in iCCM and CMAM at community health units to build staff technical capacity and enable quality service delivery.

  • Representation and advocacy

    • Represent Save the Children in relevant internal and external fora including donor meetings (as appropriate)
    • Work with partners to further Save the Children’s mission for children
    • Be fully aware of how far the project fulfils child rights in terms of SCI’s strategic and thematic plans. Ensure that Child Rights programming is effectively incorporated into all aspects of SCI’s work.

    Knowledge management.

    • Work with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) team and other project staff in monitoring and evaluation of project activities including preparation of monitoring reports, documents and lessons learned.
    • Provide mentorship/OJT on ICCM-CMAM and IMNCI/IMAM to facility staff.
    • Liaising with the quality assurance nurses, M&E and other Project Officers in development of weekly reports, monthly and quarterly progress reports and ensure timely submission reviewing with team and final submission to Project Coordinator.
    • Share case studies, human-interest stories, documentaries and other related materials with MEAL Unit.
    • Carry out regular monitoring to health and nutrition outreaches and attend review meetings both at facility and sub-county level to provide support.
    • Participate in milestone meetings for monitoring of the progress of the programme such as mid-term reviews, strategy meetings, previews and reviews and annual reviews.
    • Ensure exchange and sharing of experience, lessons learnt, best practices and new methods to county officials, programme staff, other SCI partners in matters regarding implementation of humanitarian response.

    Accountability:

    • Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
    • Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

    Ambition:

    • Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
    • Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
    • Future orientated, thinks strategically

    Collaboration:

    • Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
    • Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
    • Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

    Creativity:

    • Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
    • Willing to take disciplined risks

    Integrity:

    • Honest, encourages openness and transparency
    • Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
    • Willing to take disciplined risks

    Essential

    • University degree in health sciences / health systems (Nutrition, Nursing, Public health).
    • Minimum 3 years of relevant professional work experience in health programming.
    • Experience in training and capacity building.
    • Experience in community mobilisation within the development context. Experience working with the Kenya Community Health Strategy is an added advantage
    • Effective working relationships with stakeholders from government agencies, international organisations, donors, academics and opinion-leaders.
    • Strong leadership and interpersonal skills. Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with a wide array of organizations
    • Good understanding of the MOH and county health departments, particularly integration of donor funded programmes into county plans.
    • Extensive experience in health systems strengthening approaches used to improve quality of health service delivery at all levels
    • Good understanding of the health system and policy processes; health sector programs and significant players in the community health, community mobilization and Malaria programming in Kenya
    • Excellent written and oral communication skills.
    • Experience of working with local/national governments and capacity building of systems, partners and staff
    • Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international and matrix management environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures
    • Demonstrated ability to lead and work effectively in team situations
    • Strong results orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mind-sets.
    • Demonstrated problem solving skills, collaboration experience, creativity and willingness to innovate.
    • Fluent oral and strong analytical, written English communication skills is required
    • Good computer skills (particularly Word, Excel, database)
    • Demonstrates Save the Children’s core values of accountability, collaboration, integrity, ambition, and creativity.