Nutrition Cluster/Sector Coordinator, P4/TA, Niamey, Niger

On behalf of the IASC Humanitarian Coordinator and UNICEF as the lead agency for the IASC Nutrition Cluster and in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Nutrition Cluster/sector Coordinator will facilitate a timely and effective nutrition response and ensure that the capacity of national and local institutions is strengthened to respond to and coordinate emergency, transitional and development nutrition interventions that are effective and context specific.

UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child. UNICEF has spent 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. Defending children's rights throughout their lives requires a global presence, aiming to produce results and understand their effects. UNICEF believes all children have a right to survive, thrive and fulfill their potential – to the benefit of a better world.

For every Child, an advocate

Niger is a landlocked country of 20.7 million people, most of whom live in rural areas (84%). The population is young, with 52% of Nigeriens being under 15. Nearly half of the population is poor (45.1%), despite reductions in the poverty rate over the past decade. The country, which ranked 187/188 on the 2016 Human Development Index, sees its development constrained by several factors: climatic conditions that hinder rural development, vulnerability due to the absence of economic diversification, high population growth, gender equality issues, low levels of literacy and education, and the size and landlocked nature of the country, which obstruct the provision of essential goods and services to the population.

In addition, Niger is confronted to recurrent crises. For many years, the country has suffered from chronic food insecurity, and faced food and nutrition crises in 2010 and 2012. It also regularly experiences epidemics, including cholera, as well as floods. Moreover, instability in the region has in recent years led to insecurity and population displacement, especially in the eastern part of the country.

Niger relies strongly on external support provided by technical and financial partners, such as non-refundable aid, budget support and loans. With the exception of the education sector, budgetary allocations to social sectors remain far below international recommendations or national commitments.

For more information, please visit our webpage: 

https://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/niger.html

How can you make a difference?

On behalf of the IASC Humanitarian Coordinator and UNICEF as the lead agency for the IASC Nutrition Cluster and in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Nutrition Cluster/sector Coordinator will facilitate a timely and effective nutrition response and ensure that the capacity of national and local institutions is strengthened to respond to and coordinate emergency and transitional nutrition interventions that are effective and context specific.

Within the delegated authority and the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be accountable for all or assigned areas of the following major duties and end results.

• Maintain and expand partnership among nutrition actors

  Ensure that monthly coordination meeting are organized and ensure the full participation of current nutrition cluster/sector partners. Identify additional key partners for the Nutrition Cluster/sector response, taking into account their respective mandates and program priorities. Carry out and maintain up to date a capacity mapping of all current and potential actors - government, national and international humanitarian and development organizations as well as national institutions, the private sector, etc. Provide relevant information in order to adequately communicate with donors, NGOs, government and other stakeholder on the nutrition programme needs and services.

   

• Establishment and maintenance of appropriate humanitarian coordination mechanisms

  Invigorate cluster/sector coordination mechanisms at national and sub-national levels including working groups (IMAM, IYCF, micronutrients, survey/monitoring and evaluation, etc.). Establish a regular communication with regional clusters and ensure that their needs are adequately taken into account in the cluster meeting. Secure commitments from cluster/sector participants in responding to needs and filling gaps, ensuring an appropriate distribution of responsibilities within the cluster. Ensure full integration of the IASC's agreed priority cross-cutting issues, namely human rights, HIV/AIDS, age, gender and environment, utilization participatory and community-based approaches.  In line with this, promote gender equality by ensuring that the needs, contributions and capacities of women and girls as well as men and boys are addressed. Promote emergency and lifesaving response actions while at the same time considering the need for early recovery planning as well as prevention and risk reduction. Ensure appropriate coordination between all Nutrition partners working both on treatment and prevention of under-nutrition, as well as national authorities and local structures. Ensure effective links with other clusters/sectors, especially Health, WASH, Agriculture and Livelihoods and Education. Represent the interests of the Nutrition Cluster in discussions with the Humanitarian Coordinator as well as donors on prioritization, resource mobilization and advocacy. Act as focal point for inquiries on the Nutrition Cluster's response plans and operations.

   

• Planning and strategy development

  Review, develop and maintain standard assessment formats for use within the sector. Ensure timely preparation of evaluations, data analysis and identification of gaps. Develop/update agreed response strategies and action plans for the Nutrition Cluster/sector and ensuring that these are adequately reflected in the overall country strategies, such as the Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP) an integral component of the CAP process. Drawn lessons learned from past activities and revising strategies and action plans accordingly. Develop an exit, or transition strategy for the cluster/establishing effective sector coordination strategy. Maintain up to date an on-line weekly calendar of events.

   

• Monitoring and reporting

  Provide an analytical interpretation of best available information in order to benchmark progress of the emergency response over time. Ensure regular reporting against the Nutrition Cluster/sector indicators of service delivery and support analysis of the Nutrition Cluster in closing gaps and measuring impact of interventions. Draft and share the minutes of the cluster meeting with partners and actors at national, regional and district levels and upload them in the Nutrition cluster website.

   

• Application of standards

  Ensure that Nutrition Cluster/sector participants are aware of relevant policy guidelines, technical standards and relevant commitments that the Government/concerned authorities have undertaken under international human rights law. Ensure that the Nutrition Cluster/sector responses are in line with existing policy guidance, technical standards, and relevant Government human rights legal obligations.

   

• Advocacy and resource mobilization

  Identify core advocacy concerns, including resource requirements, and contribute key messages to broader advocacy initiatives of the Humanitarian Coordinators and other actors. Advocate for donors to fund cluster participants to carry out priority activities in the sector concerned, while at the same time encouraging cluster participants to mobilize resources for their activities through the usual channels. Act as the focal point for reviewing and ensuring quality control for all the Nutrition Cluster project submitted for Flash Appeal, CERF and other funding mechanisms.

   

• Training and capacity building of national/local authorities and civil society

  Promote and support training of the Nutrition Cluster partners’ staff and build the capacity of all the Nutrition partners based on the mapping and understanding of available capacity. Support efforts to strengthen the capacity of the national/local authorities and civil society.

   

  To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Advanced university degree (Master or equivalent) in Public Health or Human Nutrition, Food Security, Medicine or other related field. A first university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of advanced university degree
• A minimum of  8 years’ progressive experience with either the UN and/or NGO
• Recent experience in Nutrition in Emergency programmes including, but not limited to Malnutrition, Micronutrients, Supplementation, and SMART survey methodology.
• Knowledge of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee and the cluster approach either through training or practical experience
• Experience on emergency response and programme coordination
• Experience working with government agencies, local authorities, international organizations, NGOs and communities in the field of Nutrition in emergency context
• Field work experience

• Fluency in French and English is required. Knowledge of the local working language of the duty station is an asset 

  For every Child, you demonstrate…

  Our core values of Commitment, Diversity & Inclusion and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. To view our competency framework, please click here. 

  Functional Competencies (Required)

• Leading and Supervising [I]
• Formulating Strategies and Concepts [II]
• Analyzing [III]
• Relating and Networking [II]
• Persuading and Influencing [II]
• Creating and Innovating [II]

• Applying technical expertise [III]

Duration: 364 days 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.