Action Against Hunger-USA is part of the Action Against Hunger International network, which provides humanitarian relief in over 40 countries worldwide in the sectors of nutrition, health, water/sanitation, and food security. Action Against Hunger-USA, an independent NGO, currently manages operations in 8 countries: Kenya, South Sudan, Cambodia, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Haiti and Somalia. Action Against Hunger-USA has over $75 million in programs, and approximately 2000 staff based in in the various country offices, Head Quarter in New York City and Operational Centre in Nairobi. Additional growth is anticipated.
I. Summary of Position
The Health and Nutrition program manager is responsible for overseeing the implementation all health and nutrition activities in coordination in Jubaland state by ensuring compliance with WHO, MOH, ACF, Health and nutrition clusters guidelines and policies in each program component. He/She will directly line manage field officers in Jubaland and coordinate with the ministry of health and clusters at the district, regional and state level. Nutrition programming includes community-based management of acute malnutrition through SC, OTP, TSFP, and IYCF. Health programming includes services through Hospitals, HCs and PHUs, as well as mobile outreach and public health campaigns.
The health and nutrition program manager’s purpose, engagement, and delivery are:
Purpose
As a Health & Nutrition program manager, he/she will implement health and nutrition programs as per Action against Hunger standards as well as aligning programming to essential package for health services (EPHS) package for Somalia. He/she will provide technical support to the Ministry of health in Jubaland State in health system strengthening and Develop opportunities for the organization and the sector and monitor trends and issues to be addressed to meet the challenges in the State.
Engagement:
- Represent Action Against Hunger on health and nutritional issues at state, regional and district programmatic level, through MoH and Somalia Health and Nutrition cluster meetings.
- Identifying partners and other agencies in the area (gap analysis of who is doing what where), Introduce the program to the local authorities, community representatives, beneficiaries, and partners.
- Developing a framework for communication with local representatives (regular meetings, identification of key local actors, and collaboration with them) to facilitate harmonious and productive relations
- Participate in coordination meetings at field level with the staff, regional cluster, Working groups, and MoH.
- Organize regular meetings with other sectors within ACF and other agencies in the area and plan for joint activities.
- Develop referral pathways, district mapping, and stakeholder analysis within state levels.
- Organize weekly coordination meetings and updates with the field bases.
Delivery:
- Consolidating and building on experience to ensure the long term maintenance of activities and the spread of good practice.
- Ensures timely reporting both internally and externally.
- Ensures quality programs and assessments are implemented at the field level.
II. Essential job duties.
- Liaising with other program sectors to analyze health and nutrition needs in Jubaland State
- Promoting and supervising activities related to health care practice and organize child play activities and support groups within the nutrition and health centers.
- Promoting and supervising high-quality care for clients of the center through alignment with EPHS framework, LMIS system, and reproductive health strengthening.
- Participate in assessments of the status of the health sector in target areas and verify reports of infectious and epidemic diseases
- Ensure the timely collation of periodic data from all ACF supported health facilities, analyze and use the information to plan, monitor, and manage the projects, with reports on changes in trends provided to the head of department on a weekly (disease surveillance data) and monthly (other epidemiological data) basis
- Drug management: ensure that all health facilities have up to date drug management tools which are in use in all service departments, proper recording of drug distribution at all levels, ensuring that regular inventories are conducted, and proper storage according to recommended standards. Monitor rational use of drugs periodically in comparison with morbidities ensure 25% of buffer stock for project(s) supplies and alert critical supplies shortages to the coordination team.
- Establish work schedules and assignments for staff and constantly review this to ensure that objectives are met and implementation of activities is carried out accordingly
- Establish and follow up on the implementation of Continuous Medical Education sessions at each health facility in collaboration with the health and nutrition field officers.
- Monitor the data reports and make recommendations on improvements on the system of data collection concerning nutrition and health programs in the region as a basis for the evaluation and continuation of the program
- Monitoring the budget and targets achieved regarding the project proposal, and making any necessary adjustments in consultation with the coordination teams
- Contributing to building on good practice, experience, and assessments through monthly feedback reports, communication tracking, monthly newsletters, and information sharing, etc.
- Supportive supervision to all health facilities, using standard checklists and in liaison with MoH.
- Through coordination with MoH and UNICEF ensures adequate cold chain (EPI) supplies and therapeutic supplies for nutrition programs.
- Review all the nutrition and medical reporting tools and standardize all tools as per protocol.
- Ensure that procurement requests for the needs identified in the stabilization centers and MCHs are submitted and delivered quarterly and put systems in place to monitor and control consumption.
- Preparation of new projects (narrative proposal, budget, project procurement plan) in consultation with Field, coordination team, and formulating it with other areas of technical expertise to develop shared and integrated approaches.
- Prepare routine reports giving a clear and exhaustive update of activities carried out in line with project proposal targets.
- Ensure reporting indicators are relevant to the program.
- Compile a weekly/monthly summary of indicators for his/her program (APR etc.), produce an analysis, and prepare internal reports for the coordination team.
- Collect statistical data and narrative reports from the two districts to help adjust budgets and program activities to meet donor requirements and ACF strategy.
- Follow-up of all the data/reports provided by the health facility and teams in the field and provide technical support to improve the quality of reports.
- Ensure timely submission of all the reports in the field according to the stipulated deadlines.
III. Supervisory Responsibilities
Direct supervision of Health and Nutrition Officers in Jubaland State
IV. Gender Equality Commitments
- Foster an environment that supports the values of women and men, and equal access to information.
- Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.
- Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, disability, religion, race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.
- Value and respect all cultures.
V. Fiscal Responsibility
Supports in preparation and management of programme budget for Jubaland State bases
VI. Physical Demands
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions. Must be able to proofread own work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis.
- The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
VII. Working Conditions, Travel and Environment
The duties of the job require regular job attendance at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required.
Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business purposes. While performing the duties of this job in the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases.
Requirements
Required Qualifications and Professional Experience
- Degree in Public Health, Medicine, Nursing, midwifery or related health fields.
- Minimum professional experience of 7 years in the humanitarian health and nutrition field.
- Experience working in nutrition projects
Required Skills & Competencies
- Humanitarian experience in medical and nutrition programs in Somalia(EPHS, CMAM, BEmONC, ICCM, CMAM, IYCF)
- Excellent knowledge of working with MoH, UN, and NGO Health/Medical systems and structures.
- Good analytical capacity.
- Conversant with Health Information Management Systems Data (DHIS).
- Competence in training and team management.
- Computer skills: Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and EPI info.
- Fluent in English and Somali (both oral and written) is compulsory.
- Experience and ability to design, manage, and forecast budgets.
- Working experience in the design, implementation, and analysis of coverage surveys (SQUEAC/SLEAC), KAP surveys, and/or rapid nutrition assessments and SMART surveys.
- Excellent report writing skills and solid working experience in proposal development
- Knowledge and adherence to the Humanitarian Code of Conduct.
Benefits
We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees & qualified applicants for employment without regard to gender, age, disability, marital status. Action Against Hunger-USA complies with all applicable laws governing non discrimination in employment.
How to apply
Application Process.
Interested? Then apply for this position by clicking on the link below.
https://apply.workable.com/action-against-hunger/j/852A139E3E/
All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated resume and both must be in the same language as this vacancy note. Closing date for applications: February 15, 2025.