Health and Nutrition Program Manager – Baidoa 34 views

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT – VA 13/2023

Position Title:                          Health and Nutrition Program Manager

Number of positions:           1

Reporting to:                           Field Coordinator

Duty Station:                           Baidoa with frequent travel to Bakool

Contract Duration:                 12 Months

Organisational background:

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 24 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 50 countries, our 8,300 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

Action Against Hunger USA is part of the Action Against Hunger International network. As an independent NGO, Action Against Hunger USA currently manages operations in 8 countries: Kenya, South Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia and Haiti. Action Against Hunger-USA has over $100 million in programs, and approximately 1,800 permanent staff based in New York City, Washington D.C, Nairobi, and country offices. Additional growth is anticipated.

1. Job Summary

The Health and Nutrition manager is responsible for overseeing the implementation all health and nutrition activities in coordination with the field coordinator in South West State by ensuring compliance with WHO, MOH, Health and nutrition clusters guidelines and policies in each program component. He/she will directly line manage field officers in South West State 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, PHCCs and PHCUs, as well as mobile outreach and public health campaigns.

Purpose

·         As a 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 South West 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 Bay and Bakool Districts

·         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.

Essential job duties:

·         Liaising with other program sectors to analyze  health and nutrition needs in South West 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 Nutrition Specialist 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.

1. Supervisory Responsibilities

Direct supervision of Health and Nutrition Officers in South West State

1. Fiscal Responsibility

None

1. 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.

1. 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 official matters. While performing the duties of this job in the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high security risks and outside weather conditions, as well as infectious diseases

1. Gender Equality Commitments & Zero Tolerance to Abuse

• Foster an environment that reinforces 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.
• Promote a safe, secure, and respectful environment for all stakeholders, particularly for children, beneficiaries, and members of staff.
• Help to prevent any type of abuse including workplace harassment and sexual abuse and exploitation.
• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sex orientation, disability, religion, race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.
• Value and respect all cultures.