Spécialiste en Nutrition
Organizational Context
UNICEF's core mission is to promote the rights of every child globally through its programs, advocacy, and operations. In Madagascar, despite progress in reducing stunting, malnutrition remains a significant development barrier. UNICEF focuses on improving nutrition for children, adolescents, and women by strengthening health, food, education, social protection, and WASH systems. This role supports the acceleration of the nutrition program, emphasizing service quality and integration within health and food systems, schools, and communities.
Job Purpose
This role supports UNICEF's nutrition program in Madagascar, aiming to accelerate implementation and enhance the quality and integration of nutrition services. The volunteer will contribute to strengthening health, food, education, social protection, and WASH systems to improve nutritional outcomes for children, adolescents, and women. Key focus areas include supporting the regional nutrition cluster, multisectoral coordination, and ensuring the availability and use of nutrition data. The position involves field visits, capacity building for partners, and end-user monitoring of nutritional supplies, contributing to national nutrition priorities and regional needs in Atsimo Andrefana.
Responsibilities
The National Nutrition Specialist will support the effective management of the nutrition program, including emergency response. Responsibilities include contributing to planning, monitoring, and reporting of nutrition activities within the Triennial Action Plan. The role involves supporting partner training and capacity building on various nutrition aspects (maternal, infant, young child, adolescent nutrition, acute malnutrition management). The volunteer will facilitate regional and district nutrition cluster coordination, collaborate with other sectors, and strengthen multisectoral coordination across key systems (WASH, nutrition, education, social protection, food systems). This includes supporting resilience and development activities, monitoring implementation, documenting lessons learned, and preparing reports. Field visits, data collection and analysis for child nutrition, and end-user monitoring of nutritional supplies are also key duties. Building networks and partnerships with government, cluster members, and multisectoral committees is essential.
Work Experience
A minimum of three years of professional experience in nutrition, public health, global/international health and nutrition, health sciences, agronomy, or food sciences is required. Experience in multisectoral nutrition approaches, UN system frameworks, and national nutrition strategies is beneficial. Experience with initiatives like First Foods, food systems, and food fortification is an asset. Knowledge of regulatory processes, data analysis, and providing nutrition services in health centers, including acute malnutrition management, is important. Proficiency in French and Malagasy, and strong Microsoft Office skills are necessary.
Skills
Key competencies include responsibility, adaptability, flexibility, creativity, judgment, decision-making, planning, organization, professionalism, and self-management. Technical skills encompass nutrition program support, community development, emergency preparedness, and crisis response. The role requires a good understanding of multisectoral nutrition approaches and food systems, UN frameworks, and national nutrition strategies.