The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 50 countries and more than 25 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.
Scope of work:
Working under the guidance and supervision of the nutrition manager, and in close collaboration with the IYCF-E officer, and the nutrition officer, the Community Nutrition Mobilizer shall be responsible for the day to day community engagement and mobilization activities to guarantee the efficient and effective sensitization, mobilization and participation of the communities targeted, thereby maximizing program performance.
Key Responsibilities
•Responsibility to ensure the effective implementation of the community outreach activities in support of the CMAM and IYCF-E activities.
•Develop detailed plans for community outreach activities and submit monthly.
•Community sensitization on the program objectives, methods, protocols and target groups to promote understanding and participation of the target population for maximum access and coverage. Community sensitization will target the entire population in the program area.
•Establishment of community outreach setup through selection of community volunteers.
•Develop a context specific implementation strategy for community mobilization and beneficiary screening, provision of BSFP commodities, home visits, defaulter tracing and follow up.
•Encourage and promote community involvement in case finding through the family MUAC approach (F-MUAC), referral, encouraging attendance and minimize defaulters.
•Follow-up causes of low attendance and defaulting and propose appropriate solutions.
•Establish strong referral mechanisms between community to the CMAM and IYCF-E programs as well as referrals to WASH, health and protection services.
•Establishment of nutrition community support groups (eg mother support groups, care groups, father support groups etc) at each program location in consultation with community.
•Support to the Community volunteers during screening (active case finding) and linking up with the various interventions.
•Provide technical support to community volunteers on mobilization, active case finding, defaulter tracing and home follow up visits through follow up trainings and on job coaching and supportive supervision.
•Ensure community social behavior change communication and awareness sessions/campaigns take place on regular basis through volunteers and support groups.
•Establish links and meetings with the Community leaders and different interest groups existing in the working area.
•Establish a network with the other actors in the working area (I/NGOs) to coordinate and harmonize community activities.
Required Qualifications:
• Bachelor degree , Health Promotion or relevant qualification with at least 2 years’ experience in management of Community nutrition programs.
•Ability and willingness to frequently travel to different locations.
•Willingness and capacity to be flexible and accommodating when faced with difficult and frustrating working conditions like long distance walking to screening sites.
• Capacity to supervise and coach community volunteers
• Experience of and commitment to utilizing community participatory approaches is advantageous.
Standard of Professional Conduct:The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.
Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: The IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of the IRC persons in any work setting. We aim to increase the representation of women, people that are from country and communities we serve, and people who identify as races and ethnicities that are under-represented in global power structures.