Nutrition Officer at United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
Kenya Country Office
Vacancy Announcement: “KCO/NUTR/2015-023”
Open to Kenya Nationals Only
Duty Station: Kisumu
Nutrition Officer NO-B
Temporary Appointment (364 days)
Date of Issue: 28 May 2015
Closing Date: 06 June 2015
Applications are hereby invited from suitably qualified candidates to fill the above Temporary Appointment in UNICEF Kenya Country Office (KCO), Kisumu Field Office.
Purpose: Under the supervision of the Nutrition Officer Kisumu and overall guidance of the MIYN Specialist, Nairobi, the incumbent will be responsible for the establishment of a coordination system, promoting program innovation, overcoming gaps in knowledge and supporting the development and monitoring and evaluation of a comprehensive, cost-effective workplace support program in selected Tea Estates in Nandi County.
Background and Justification
There is enough evidence that early initiation of breastfeeding coupled with exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life is beneficial both to the mothers and infants.
While early initiation of breastfeeding reduces the mothers’ risks of bleeding after delivery, and reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, exclusive breastfeeding is the most effective public health preventive intervention for ensuring child survival.
It is estimated to prevent 13% of all under five deaths and is strongly correlated with increased infant survival and lowered risk of illness, from diarrhoea and respiratory disease infections, reduced risk of obesity, allergies, heart disease and diabetes in adulthood.
A child not exclusively breast fed is eight to 15 times more likely to die from illnesses such as diarrhoea and respiratory infections in the first year of life.
Nationally, suboptimal breastfeeding practices accounts for an estimated 11,000 deaths in children annually (PROFILES, 2010). Ideally, all infants should be exclusively breastfed from birth to 6 months. At 32 %, Kenya has the third lowest record in Africa.
The ILO Maternity Protection Convention 2000 No. 183 and 191 recommends at least 14 weeks (98 days) of paid maternity leave, one or two breaks daily or a reduction in work hours in order for women to breastfeed their children and, where practicable, provision of facilities for nursing under adequate hygienic conditions at or near the workplace. Kenya’s Employment Act caters for 14 weeks of maternity leave.
There is a need for employers to implement this provision and also provide workplace support for mothers to exclusively breastfeed their children for the first six months.
To achieve this, promotion of workplace support for breastfeeding is envisioned. Eastern produce (K) ltd tea estate in Nandi County will be used as the model site.
To achieve workplace support for breastfeeding, UNICEF KCO is seeking the services of a qualified and competent professional.
Scope of Work
The officer will be responsible of establishment of a coordination system, promoting program innovation, overcoming gaps in knowledge and supporting the development and monitoring and evaluation of a comprehensive, cost-effective workplace support program in selected Tea Estates in Nandi County through:
- Providing guidance on strategies, including early childhood development (ECD) procedures, standards, regulations that will enable the development of a cost-effective workplace support for breastfeeding programme in selected Tea Estates in Nandi County.
- Providing guidance on the workplace support agenda of MOH and KEPSA so that they are considered routinely in decision-making processes.
- Support the development of guidelines on workplace support for breastfeeding
- Support institutionalization of workplace support for breast feeding within government structures
- Give technical support to MOH (at Nandi County) and KEPSA to actualize the work place support in EPK ltd.
- Innovatively support MOH to design and define workplace support in informal employment sector
- Support the development of an advocacy pack for the Work place support
- Support the development and pre-testing of monitoring tools for work place support,
- Support establishment of minimum standards for workplace support to be met for certification
- Monitor, document and strategically share lessons learned in workplace support for breastfeeding.
- Provide period feedback on Work Place support to the MIYCN Technical Working Group
- RWP Outcome area covered
Outcome 8: Nutrition – By 2018, increased proportions of girls, boys and women have equitable access to and use an essential package of high-impact quality nutrition interventions to reduce stunting, especially among high burden counties, vulnerable urban populations and refugees including in emergency settings
Output 8.1 By 2018, community based nutrition services and behavior change strategies are implemented and utilized in the most deprived counties, selected urban settlements, and refugee settings to improve maternal and new born nutrition
Expected Deliverables
- A PCA with KEPSA, with clear work plan and budget
- Capacity building of KEPSA on Workplace support for breast feeding including ECD and provide mentorship as KEPSA support other organizations in the private sector
- Workplace (WP) support for breast feeding working group established under the MIYCN Steering group
- Advocacy plan and pack for the WP and ECD support
- Health workers, Community health workers in Nandi and Eastern produce (K) ltd trained on MIYCN.
- Support to identified research institution on conducting baseline and end line surveys with reports disseminated
- Guidelines, self-assessment and monitoring tools and for WP support
- A comprehensive workplan for the WP integrated within ECD where possible support to BF with inputs from the county this would include mentorship and support supervision
- Tea Estate management sensitised on work place support for BF and ECD
- Longitudinal follow ups of baby/mother pair and appropriate referral system
- County and sub-county Health management team trained and mentored on real time data monitoring.
- Comprehensive monitoring plan with monthly data analysis and use for decision making
- Bi annual reports on WP support in the tea estates including dissemination workshops
- Advocacy pack, IEC material on Breastfeeding disseminated in the Tea Estates
- Comprehensive project report prepared and disseminated.
- Donor reporting on project completed in a timely manner
Desired Background and Experience
Education: A University Degree or higher in nutrition, public health, nutritional epidemiology, global/international health and nutrition, health/nutrition research, policy and/or management, health sciences, nutritional epidemiology or other health related science field is required.
Experience:
- A minimum of 3 years of professional experience in nutrition, public health, nutrition planning and management and/or in relevant areas of maternal, infant and child health/nutrition care at the international level and/or in a developing country is required.
- Experience in health/nutrition program/project development in UN system agency or organization is an asset.
Language:
- Fluency in English is required.
- Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset.
Competencies:
i. Core values (Required)
- Commitment
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Integrity
ii. Core Competencies (Required)
- Communication [Level II]
- Working with People [Level II]
- Drive for Results [Level I]
iii. Functional Competencies (Required)
- Analysing [Level II]
- Applying Technical Expertise [Level II]
- Analyzing (II)
- Learning and researching (II)
- Planning and organizing (II)
Conditions (Important)
- The contract will be a Temporary Appointment.
- Salaries and benefits will follow UNICEF regulations for NOB level positions
Interested and suitable candidates should ensure they forward their applications along with their curriculum vitae, P-11 form (CLICK HERE to download) (Internal candidates should attach copies of their last two Performance Evaluation Reports), to:
The Human Resources Manager
UNICEF Kenya Country Office
Email address: kenhrvacanciesC@unicef.org
Please indicate Reference No. “KCO/NUTR/2015-023” in the email subject.
“Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply”
Zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse
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