Programme Associate (Nutrition) - Female Only

About United Nations World Food Programme

Job Summary

Afghanistan experiences high rates of undernutrition. While significant progress has been made in the past 15 years, the prevalence of stunting in children under 5 years is almost 41 percent at the national level which is classified as very high according to World Health Organization (WHO) thresholds. The situation is even more serious at the provincial level, with stunting prevalence of 60–70 percent in some provinces. The prevalence of wasting among children under 5 years is 9.5 percent but this national rate masks large differences at disaggregated levels. In eight provinces, global acute malnutrition rates exceed 15 percent, the WHO threshold for an emergency situation. Children under 5 years, especially boys, are particularly vulnerable to undernutrition, as are adolescent girls and pregnant and lactating women and girls (PLWG).


Recently WFP Afghanistan developed a 4 year Country Strategic Plan (CSP) that was developed through a series of internal and external consultations and with a focus on identifying how to help the country achieve the SDG 2 target on ending malnutrition, WFP’s Strategic Outcome 3 focuses on preventing and treating undernutrition among vulnerable people by following a life-cycle approach. For prevention, it concentrates on provinces with a prevalence of stunting of more than 40 percent in children aged 6–59 months. For treatment, it targets provinces with wasting rates of more than 15 percent, or of more than 10 percent with aggravating factors, and emergency situations where there is potential for a rapid rise in global acute malnutrition. In line with the life-cycle approach, and informed by gender, age and protection analyses, the immediate nutrition needs of nutritionally vulnerable people will be met while longer-term nutrition-related roles and responsibilities are addressed in a gender-transformative manner.

This outcome will be achieved through the following two outputs:

Vulnerable people throughout the lifecycle – children aged 6–59 months, schoolchildren, adolescent girls, and pregnant and lactating women and girls – receive nutrition services and appropriate specialized nutritious foods in order to prevent and treat malnutrition.

Vulnerable people and their wider communities receive effective social behaviour change communication (SBCC) in order to prevent and treat malnutrition and contribute to gender equality.

Programme Assistants for Nutrition to be responsible for planning, implementation and reporting on all activities under Strategic Outcome 3 – Nutrition throughout the lifecycle.

Duties & Responsibilities

The SO 3 – Nutrition Programme Assistants will be based in the WFP Kandahar Sub-office, reporting to the Sub-Office Head of Programme but with technical oversight from the SO 3 Outcome Manager in the WFP Afghanistan Country Office. He/she will provide operational and administrative support to all activities under SO3 including:


Nutrition specific activities for treatment of moderate acute malnutrition in children 6-59 months and pregnant and lactating women and girls (PLWG), blanket supplementary feeding programmes (BSFP) to prevent nutrition deterioration during emergencies, and

Nutrition sensitive programmes such as social behavior change communication (SBCC) and other activities to prevent stunting.

In Kandahar, the Programme Assistant will also be responsible for school based nutrition activities.

Main activities are highlighted below

Actively contribute for development of SO -3 (Nutrition treatment and prevention and school feeding) component of implementation plan for the relevant field office and ensure that all nutrition and school feeding project proposals submitted to the Field Office Project Technical Review Committee (PTRC) have gone through an effective and efficient review process in consultation with CO technical unit

Responsible for preparation of all nutrition and school-feeding field level agreements with cooperating partners.

Provide required inputs to SO-3 Outcome Manager in CO for donor proposal development in coordination with Head of Field Office;

Assist in identification, development and management of potential partnerships for joint programming implementation and strengthen existing partnerships with concerned UN agencies, national & international NGOs, government key counterparts and communities;

Coordinate and communicate with relevant local partners, relevant government entities, agencies, NGOs and government institutions to perform accurate analyses of nutrition data at field office level and to ensure effective and efficient delivery of nutrition/school feeding interventions;

Develop and strengthen required capacity of relevant CPs’ staff, government staff, WFP staff and PAT monitors, through conducting training needs assessment followed by relevant trainings, on the job instructions and other initiatives;

Support development of comprehensive monitoring plan for nutrition and school-feeding activities at field office level including the relevant partners and ensure use of appropriate monitoring tools/checklists by all parties;

Regularly review and analyse monitoring findings from partners and third party monitors, summarize key issue in a tracking sheet and share recommendations for improvement and follow-up on its implementation;

Conduct monitoring/supervision visits to nutrition and school-feeding programmes sites;

Regular review and analysis of nutrition and school feeding reports, provide regular feedback to partners, raise issues of concern to higher-level management and, collaborate with CO M&E, investigate any irregularity or data inaccuracy;

Any other duty as required

Job Requirements

Education: University degree in health or nutrition is required; additional degree or diploma in Business Administration (Management) is desirable.


Experience:

At least 3 years experiences in Health or Nutrition program management (especially humanitarian response) including planning, coordination, implementation and monitoring.

Experience in direct implementation of supplementary and therapeutic feeding programs (IMAM), micronutrient supplementation, maternal health and nutrition programs and multi-sectorial responses addressing the underlying causes of under nutrition.

Experiences in School Feeding Programme.

Experience of working with UN or NGOs in Afghanistan.

Language: Fluency (level C) in English language and in Dari and/or Pashto;

Has worked with technical teams (i.e. nutrition, VAM, etc.).

Has contributed to implementation of programmes.

Has observed or assisted with policy discussions.

Knowledge of policy discussion, nutrition and food security and humanitarian response.

Knowledge of the health system in Afghanistan including nutrition

Ability to plan and organize work under tight deadlines, ability to work independently and efficiently

Good written and oral communication skills

Field experience in Afghanistan

Advanced computer skills in Word processing, Excel, PowerPoint, typing Pashto/Dar

Knowledge of WFP programmes and policies, nutrition and food security and humanitarian response.

Knowledge of the health system in Afghanistan including nutrition

Ability to plan and organize work under tight deadlines, ability to work independently and efficiently

Good written and oral communication skills

Field experience in Afghanistan

Advanced computer skills in Word processing, Excel, PowerPoint, typing English/Pashto/Dar

Submission Guideline

Afghan Nationals meeting the essential qualifications of the position are invited to apply by submitting a letter of interest and an updated CV and P11 form. Please click on the links provided in order to submit your online application through the WFP E-recruitment portal. Please note that application submitted via email or hardcopy will not be given any consideration.

Functional Area

Health/Medical

Countries

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