Contract Duration – 4.5 months

Working arrangement: office based

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                                                         TERMS OF REFERENCE

Uganda is facing a complex and intensifying nutrition humanitarian situation driven by recurrent climate shocks, sustained regional displacement and rising vulnerability. The situation is most acute in Karamoja and refugee hosting districts, where overstretched health and nutrition systems, compounded by therapeutic food pipeline breaks, are increasing mortality risks among children under five.

In Karamoja, child wasting stands at 15.1 per cent, more than three times the national average and above the international emergency threshold. An estimated 128,000 children aged 6–59 months are acutely malnourished, including 28,000 with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), reflecting a continued deterioration and the worst recorded since 2023. Moroto, Kotido and Kaabong districts are classified as IPC Acute Malnutrition Phase 4, characterized by elevated morbidity, mortality and compromised food consumption. A concurrent measles outbreak has further exacerbated risks, with SAM contributing to approximately 70 per cent of reported child deaths. In parallel, nutrition conditions in refugee settlements have worsened, with Global Acute Malnutrition increasing to 7.8 per cent, up from 5.4 per cent in 2024. Reduced funding, constrained service capacity and imminent pipeline breaks threaten continuity of care.

To provide lifesaving and timely nutrition treatment within existing health facilities in Karamoja and refugees communities, UNICEF is engaging a consultant to support the identification and treatment of children with severe wasting.

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide lifesaving technical assistance to high burden districts to respond to humanitarian nutrition situation in Karamoja. The consultants will directly work with the district local governments, health facilities and communities to ensure timely and smooth mass screening, integrated outreaches, identification and timely referrals of child wasting cases for treatment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Mass screening: Provide plans and engage DLGs and health facilities for community mass screening

• Nutrition outreaches: Conduct integrated outreaches by engaging health facilities and other stakeholders in IPC phase 4 districts in Karamoja region.

• Detection and referral of cases: Analyze screening data and engage DLGs to ensure children identified with child wasting are timely referred for treatment.

• Update, documentation and reporting: Provide weekly update of the admission and treatment of child wasting. This includes weekly update, ensuring treatment information is updated in Health Management Information System, documentation and reporting of activities in line with the sector requirements.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here:  Nutrition Consultant.pdf

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Master’s in nutrition, public health/nutrition, nutritional epidemiology, global/international health and nutrition, health/nutrition research, policy and/or management, health sciences, humanitarian assistance and development or another health-related social science field.
• Work Experience: a minimum of 5 years of professional experience in one of the following areas is required: nutrition, public health, nutrition planning and management, or maternal, infant and child nutrition care. Experience of working in nutrition humanitarian response/context is required.
• Language Requirements: English
• Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:
• Child wasting
• Nutrition screening
• Nutrition coordination
• Data collection and analysis (Health Management Information System)
• Teamwork
• Desirables:
• Direct, practical experience in the design, implementation and/ or coordination of response to child wasting in humanitarian crisis, including in early detection, referral and treatment is strongly desired

For every Child, you demonstrate...

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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 Nutrition Consultant.docx

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