Maternal Nutrition Consultant (for Somali nationals only - office based)
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Job no: 592180
Contract type: Consultant
Duty Station: Mogadishu
Level: Consultancy
Location: Somalia
Categories: Nutrition
Contract Duration – 9 months
Working arrangement: office based
UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.
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TERMS OF REFERENCE
The purpose of this assignment is to review existing health and nutrition policies, strategies and guidelines for adoption of the essential maternal nutrition package within the Essential Primary Health Services, and development of maternal nutrition training package for health workers.
Strengthening existing delivery platforms for maternal nutrition and health service, with a focus on MMS/IFA and MNP programming, anemia prevention and control, capacity building of health workers and partners. Establish and strengthen maternal nutrition screening, weight gain monitoring, nutrition education, and diet counselling, SBCC and referrals. supply planning and needs‑based release, SBC rollout, data systems strengthening DHIS2/HMIS integration and DQA and coordination with FMoH/MoH, clusters, and partners so that quality, coverage, and adherence of maternal and adolescent nutrition services are improved across the country.
The Consultant will provide technical, operational, and coordination support to review existing health and nutrition policies and guidelines for adoption of the essential maternal nutrition package within the Essential Primary Health Services, and development of maternal nutrition training package for health workers. This will help strengthen the implementation of Maternal Nutrition interventions across Somalia, with emphasis on nutrition education and counseling, MMS/IFA supplementation, anemia prevention, Social Behavior Change Communication and in building capacity of the health workers at facilities and communities from the government partners and/or CSOs/(I)/NGOs.
If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here:
Maternal Nutrition Consultant.pdf
Minimum requirements:
- Qualifications: Master’s degree in public health, Nutrition, or related field
- Experience in capacity building, training and skill development in maternal adolescent and child health and nutrition areas within RMNCAH with experience in humanitarian settings.
- Work Experience: with 4–8 years’ experience in development and review of nutrition policy and programs, and in design and development of training curriculum/packages for maternal and child health and nutrition.
- Language Requirements: Excellent written/spoken English.
- Knowledge/Experience/Skills:
- Ability to travel within Somalia as security permits
- Knowledge of Policy and Legal Framework for health and nutrition in Somalia; Strengthening integration of the Essential Maternal Nutrition Package into the Essential Package of Health Services (EPHS).
- Proven experience of Capacity Development and Service Delivery with Integration of Multisystem, mainly health, social protection/cash transfer and livelihoods.
- Strong experience in Maternal nutrition programming, ability to demonstrate knowledge in the current WHO recommendations on maternal nutrition. and micronutrient supplementation (e.g., MMS, IFA, BEP?).
- Proven experience of review and development of health/nutrition policy, health and nutrition programme implementation MMS/IFA programming, anaemia prevention, SBC, and health systems integration and strengthening.
- Demonstrated experience in curriculum development and development of training materials in maternal and reproductive health and nutrition, and in capacity building of health workers at health facilities and community
- Solid understanding of Anemia prevention and control strategies, Maternal nutrition and diet counselling and assessments of anemia and weight gain monitoring, Screening and Referrals of PBW to tailored counselling, supplementary feeding/Balanced Energy Protein, Cash transfer, livelihood and Community‑based nutrition approaches for maternal and child health and nutrition.
- Strong skills in capacity building, supportive supervision, and developing training materials.
- Proven experience in programme planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
- Knowledge on integration of maternal nutrition across ANC, PHC, community health, and humanitarian response programme
- Excellent analytical, writing, and reporting skills.
- Strong interpersonal and coordination abilities with government, UN, and partners.
- Desirables:
- Experience with DHIS2, national HMIS tools, data quality assessments, and dashboard development.
- Familiarity with Somalia’s Health and Nutrition sector, including FMoH/MoH structures, Cluster coordination, and SUN platforms.
- Understanding of SBCC (Social and Behaviour Change Communication) for maternal nutrition.
- Knowledge of supply chain consideration for nutrition commodities and effective stock monitoring to ensure uninterrupted service delivery
For every Child, you demonstrate...
UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values
UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.
UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.
UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.
Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):
- An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
- Cover letter
- A separate financial proposal
Financial proposal Maternal Nutrition Consultant.docx
Remarks:
UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.
All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.
Advertised: E. Africa Standard Time
Deadline: E. Africa Standard Time