International Nutrition Consultant

BACKGROUND

Madagascar is a low-income country facing hunger challenges categorized as alarming on the 2017 Global Hunger Index. Eighty percent of the population lives in poverty. Low incomes and poor agricultural productivity contribute to food and nutrition insecurity. The situation is exacerbated by declining natural resources, increasingly prevalent and severe climate-related shocks, the limited capacity of governance systems and infrastructure, gender inequalities and traditional practices that perpetuate malnutrition. The income of more than half the population is less than the cost of a minimum nutritious diet, and 42 percent of children under 5 are stunted.

The Government’s development priorities are articulated in the national development plan for 2015–2019 and have the aim of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through strategies that deliver inclusive economic growth and build human, economic and environmental capital for sustainable development. This approach is reflected in the 2018 integrated strategy for development of the Grand Sud. WFP is uniquely placed to contribute to the achievement of these objectives by helping the Government establish effective systems for crisis response, social protection, school feeding, the prevention of malnutrition, and resilient livelihoods. These efforts will support delivery of the objectives of current and future United Nations development assistance frameworks and the Government’s strategic ambition of “valuing and protecting Madagascar’s natural capital through strong growth and inclusive services for the equitable and sustainable development for all”.

WFP’s country strategic plan (CSP) has five mutually reinforcing strategic outcomes that have the aim of promoting an integrated, shock-responsive social protection system for ensuring that vulnerable populations have access to nutritious food before, during and after crises; providing children in vulnerable communities with access to nutritious foods while at school; extending integrated approaches for the prevention of malnutrition among vulnerable women, adolescent girls and children; building the resilience of vulnerable smallholder households and communities; and ensuring that interventions for addressing both chronic and acute needs are supported by enhanced capacities and resources for emergency preparedness and response.

The Strategic Outcome 3 will be achieved through the following outputs:

➢ Children aged 6–23 months and targeted pregnant and lactating women and girls receive an integrated package of nutrition services including adequate, timely, specialized nutrition products that help to prevent undernutrition.

➢ Targeted populations benefit from integrated social and behaviour change communications that help to improve nutrition, health and reproductive health practices.

➢ Targeted populations benefit from enhanced government capacity to provide and coordinate gender-responsive nutrition services and platforms at the national and local levels.

➢ Women, men, girls and boys benefit from the enhanced capacity of community groups, the Government and private sector actors to process and provide high-quality fortified foods.

Main activities are:

• Joint approach for the prevention of stunting targeting pregnant and lactating women and girls, adolescent girls and children during the first 1,000 days following conception.
• Tailored SBCC, advocacy and social mobilization efforts for women, men, boys, girls, traditional leaders and birth attendants to facilitate discussion of the causes and consequences of malnutrition and of how better practices and non-discriminatory behaviour can improve household nutrition and empower women and girls.
• Capacity strengthening of the government (national nutrition office and Ministry of Health) to implement and monitor large-scale food-based interventions for the prevention of stunting, the provision of treatment for moderate acute malnutrition and the nutrition-based rehabilitation of malnourished HIV and TB patients and their families in line with the national nutrition policy and national nutrition action plan
• Capacity strengthening of the government to coordinate nutrition intervention, lead nutrition assessments, manage nutrition data and develop strategies and protocols for the operationalization of multisector and gender-responsive approaches to the prevention of malnutrition
• Support to SUN Movement platforms, including SUN Business Network
• Support national efforts for staple food fortification and community based fortification

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

Under the general supervision of the Nutrition Officer, the International Nutrition Consultant will be responsible for the overall design, coordination, implementation and monitoring of nutrition activities under the strategic objective 3.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

Specifically, the incumbent will be responsible for the following:

• Ensure coordination and implementation of Madagascar Country Strategic Plan (CSP) Strategic Objective 3 (SO3)
• Manage and coach a team of international and national nutrition staff working under SO3
• Coordinate the development, implementation, monitoring and coordination of multisector approaches for the prevention of chronic malnutrition
• Support the development of a national food fortification strategy and support the National Food Fortification Alliance (ANFA)
• Coordinate the development, implementation and monitoring of community based food fortification programmes
• Support the coordination of the SUN Movement in Madagascar and participate in the capacity strengthening of the different national SUN platforms
• Coordinate the implementation and monitoring of the Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) strategy
• Ensure adequate monitoring and evaluation of all activities under SO3 in coordination with the M&E team
• Work with other Programme teams to ensure that WFP programming is nutrition sensitive and ensure synergies in implementation of WFP activities
• Collaborate with PI unit to ensure visibility activities with donors and press, including press releases, meetings and field visits, as well as strengthen communication activities around nutrition interventions
• Participate in the advocacy efforts for nutrition interventions to donors, governments and other actors, explore possibilities and engage with new donors, identify programmes to submit for funding and develop proposals, including joint proposals with other UN agencies
• Represent WFP at international, regional or national technical meetings on nutrition, food security and social sectors activities including in emergency context.
• Assist Country Office in its coordination with government, UN agencies and other actors in the elaboration of national policies and programmes
• Support the capacity strengthening of staff in terms of nutrition programming
• When required, support the Nutrition Officer in the implementation and monitoring of all nutrition activities in Madagascar
• Support the CO in any other programming issues as required by the supervisor

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Les candidats intéressés sont priés de soumettre leurs candidatures SEULEMENT EN LIGNE aux liens ci-dessous :

Pour les candidats internes au PAM via : http://newgo.wfp.org/services/e-recruitment

Pour les candidats externes via : http://www1.wfp.org/careers/job-openings

Deadline : 28 janvier 2019

LES CANDIDATURES FEMININES QUALIFIEES SONT FORTEMENT ENCOURAGEES