The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

BACKGROUND:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure.

IRC Horn East Africa and Zimbabwe (HEAZ) region, whose office is based in Nairobi, provides management support to nine countries; namely Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Somalia, Zimbabwe, Yemen and Burundi.

JOB SUMMARY:

The IRC, in partnership with SV,Oxfam,, Save the Children International (SCI) and ACRA, is implementing an DRA -funded nutrition and health project in Akobo East County, Jonglei State. The project addresses identified nutrition and health service gaps across Bilkey, Nyandit, and Dengjock, payams through static, mobile outreachsite and community service delivery.

The Senior Health and Nutrition Officer is responsible for the overall coordination and quality of nutrition services (CMAM: OTP, TSFP, MUAC screening, IYCF/MIYCN) and health service delivery across the project's target facilities. She/he supervises Health and Nutrition Officers, nurses, and community health/nutrition workers, and ensures a well-coordinated referral system between community-level screening, mobile outreach, static nutrition sites, and health facilities. She/he works in close collaboration with SCI on nutrition supply chain matters and ACRA on field-level implementation, and liaises with the County Health Department (CHD) and the health and Nutrition Clusters. The position is technically supported by, and reports to, the Nutrition Program Manager or Deputy Nutrition Manager.

Major Responsibilities:

The Senior Health and Nutrition Officer is responsible for overseeing implementation of nutrition and health project activities in Akobo East, and for the day-to-day management of project sites in line with national MOH Basic package of health and nutrition (BPHN), CMAM guidelines, IRC protocols, and donor requirements.

Note: The roles of the Senior Health and Nutrition Officer cannot be limited to the specific duties and tasks detailed herein. The success of the IRC's humanitarian mission is the highest priority and all issues which arise must be addressed accordingly. The Senior Health and Nutrition Officer will be required to manage unforeseen issues and circumstances and remain flexible to perform other duties, as and when required.

Project leadership, planning and coordination

  • Coordinate the day-to-day implementation of IRC-supported nutrition and complementary health activities across approved project sites and outreach locations.
  • Develop and regularly update site workplans, mobile outreach schedules, supervision plans, referral arrangements and staff deployment plans in consultation with the line manager and project partners.
  • Ensure that implementation follows the approved project design, agreed geographic coverage, beneficiary targets, technical standards and donor timelines.
  • Identify operational and technical bottlenecks, agree corrective actions with responsible teams and escalate significant risks or delays to the Nutrition Program Manager or Deputy Nutrition Manager.
  • Chair regular health and nutrition review meetings, prepare agendas, document decisions and monitor completion of agreed action points.

Reporting:

  • Coordinate and participate in the initial rapid needs assessment in collaboration with the IRC Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) team, ACRA, the CHD and relevant community stakeholders
  • Compile and quality-check weekly/monthly reports from all IRC supported nutrition and health sites and, where assigned, consolidate technically reviewed ACRA data for project reporting in Akobo East.
  • Analyze nutrition and health trends and provide constructive feedback to Health and Nutrition Officers, nurses, and community nutrition workers.
  • Compile statistical data (NIS, 5W) and draft reports in line with SV and Health and Nutrition Cluster reporting timelines including weekly IDSR.
  • Document case studies and success stories from project sites.
  • Ensure an accessible community feedback mechanism is available at each site.

Technical Support on Training & Outreach:

  • Train nutrition and health staff on CMAM and MIYCN guidelines, including treatment of Severe and Moderate Acute Malnutrition (SAM and MAM).
  • Ensure consistent application of CMAM guidelines across static nutrition sites in Bilkey, Nyandit and  Dengjock, payams.
  • Train and/or support health staff on Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR), Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) and Psychological First Aid (PFA), using approved national guidelines and training materials.
  • Maintain screening and reporting tools to monitor acute malnutrition trends across catchment areas.
  • Coordinate regular community-based MUAC screening in collaboration with community nutrition volunteers.
  • Support timely referral of complicated SAM/MAM cases and health cases requiring higher-level care.
  • Build the capacity of health staff and community nutrition workers to correctly perform admission procedures, including appetite tests.
  • Plan and coordinate community mobilization and health/nutrition education activities.
  • Conduct supportive supervision using standardized checklists across nutrition and health sites.
  • Support IYCF/MIYCN counselling sessions and Mother-to-Mother Support Group activities.

Health Service Delivery:

  • Support delivery of essential health services, including curative outpatient consultations, EPI (immunization), and antenatal/postnatal care referral, at the health-gap facilities in targeted payams in Akobo East
  • Monitor management of common childhood illnesses and ensure that children with danger signs, medical complications or conditions outside the scope of supported services are referred promptly.
  • Coordinate with the County Health Department on health facility staffing, supervision, and drug/medical supply resupply needs.
  • Monitor health facility performance data, including OPD attendance, EPI coverage, and ANC/PNC uptake, and incorporate into project reporting.
  • Support integration of health and nutrition service delivery at shared sites, ensuring consistent referral between OTP/TSFP and general health services.
  • Support health education sessions for caregivers attending health and nutrition sites, alongside IYCF/MIYCN messaging.
  • Identify and refer health cases requiring care beyond the scope of the supported facilities to the nearest appropriate health facility.
  • Support safe, confidential and survivor-centred identification and referral of sexual and gender-based violence cases in accordance with approved protocols, staff competencies and mapped referral pathways.
  • Support timely detection, reporting and referral of priority disease alerts and suspected outbreaks through established surveillance and coordination channels.
  • Coordinate with IRC health coordinator, WHO on IEHK core pipeline and with IRC Supply Chain and procurement teams on internal procurement, forecasting, order placement and pipeline monitoring, while ensuring timely shipment, receipt, storage and last-mile delivery of essential medicines, medical supplies and equipment to supported health facilities and outreach sites.

Staff Management:

  • Supervise and support Health and Nutrition Officers, nurses, and community nutrition workers/volunteers, ensuring adherence to CMAM protocols and guidelines at all times.
  • Set and review performance objectives for supervised staff and advise on ways to improve performance.
  • Listen to community volunteers and staff, provide necessary field-level support, and report milestones and concerns to the line manager.

Technical Management & Systems:

  • Oversee screening and admission of children and PLW against CMAM admission criteria.
  • Analyze project data and indicators, flagging shortfalls to the Nutrition Program Manager.
  • Chair monthly coordination meetings with nutrition and health staff and draft agendas.
  • Monitor nutrition and health commodity stock, including RUTF, and ensure stock cards are accurately maintained.
  • Conduct routine physical verification of supplies against consumption.

Coordination and Representation:

  • Ensure project activities comply with Ministry of Health and CMAM guidelines.
  • Coordinate with SCI on nutrition and WHO on IEHK supply chain and reporting matters.
  • Coordinate with ACRA on field-level implementation and staffing.
  • Liaise with the County Health Department, local leaders, and Nutrition Cluster partners.
  • Ensure strong referral linkages between community screening, static nutrition sites, and health facilities.
  • Orient new staff and visitors on the project in Akobo East.

Professional Standards

IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Nutrition Program Manager / Deputy Nutrition Manager

Position directly supervises: Health and Nutrition Officers, Nurses, Community Nutrition Workers/Volunteers

Other Internal and/or external contacts: Save the Children International (SCI), ACRA, County Health Department, Nutrition and Health Cluster.

Job Qualifications:

Education: Degree in Public Health, Nursing, or Clinical Medicine required; advanced certification in Nutrition/Dietetics or an MPH strongly preferred.

A South Sudanese national with qualifications from a recognized Health Training Institution.

Educational requirement could be relaxed for more experienced candidates. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Work Experience:

At least 3 years of relevant experience in nutrition/health programming, including CMAM implementation; prior supervisory experience preferred. Experience working with multiple partners and knowledge of specific donor guidelines is an advantage.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies: High degree of flexibility and ability to work under sometimes extreme hardship conditions against tight deadlines; strong leadership, coordination, and communication skills; strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office applications. Ability and willingness to work in remote and potentially insecure environments.

Language Skills:

Fluency in English required.

Good working knowledge of Nuer and/or Arabic would be an added advantage.

Working Environment: Self-accommodation when assigned to location with basic necessities. Akobo East is a remote location with seasonal access constraints.

Standards of Professional Conduct:

  • The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Gender Equality:

  • IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce, including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols, and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other. The position is for a national with relevant documents. Interested candidates should submit a copy of their CV, a cover letter, and academic documents hand delivered to: IRC Human Resources Officer, IRC Field Offices: Akobo

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.

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