On behalf of the IASC Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan and UNICEF as the lead agency for the IASC Nutrition Cluster and in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Nutrition Cluster Co-Coordinator will facilitate a timely and effective nutrition response in South Sudan and ensure that the capacity of national institutions is strengthened to respond to and coordinate emergency nutrition interventions that demonstrate results and impact achieved. This position will help to ensure sufficient Nutrition response capacity and enhanced leadership, accountability, and predictability in Nutrition sector response, through building capacity of nutrition partners, preparing Humanitarian Response Plans (HRPs)/Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNOs) and monitoring of life saving activities.
Scope: Supports all cluster partners and the National Nutrition Cluster Coordination Team
Duty Station: The incumbent will be based in the UNICEF-led National Nutrition Cluster Coordination Unit in Juba with regular visits to all crisis-affected states.
The support provided encompass the following core cluster functions (Cluster Coordination Reference Module, IASC, 2014):
1) Support service delivery
• Explore and identify appropriate partners to engage in emergency nutrition response and facilitate the active engagement of these agencies in the cluster at national and/or at sub national level, focusing on partners with capacity to conduct nutrition related assessments such as SMART surveys, analysis, etc.;
• Regularly liaise with the State Cluster Focal Points to identify progress, gaps, bottlenecks, and challenges in implementation of nutrition responses, surveys/assessments/analysis, communicate/feedback to the National Cluster and propose corrective actions (if needed)
• Act as focal point for inquiries on the Nutrition Cluster’s response plans and implementation of nutrition surveys and assessments;
• Support the Cluster Coordination team in organizing of and participating in regular cluster coordination meetings and information sharing to ensure appropriate coordination between all nutrition humanitarian partners, including provision of inputs for the agenda and information and evidence to inform cluster partners discussions and facilitation of sessions related to strengthening emergency nutrition responses in priority locations;
• Identify and liaise with FSL, Health, WASH clusters and GBV-E sub-cluster partners to advocate for integration of nutrition sensitive interventions and nutrition indicators into their respective response plans and where feasible; propose corrective actions, if needed;
• Provide regular inputs from cluster partners for Nutrition cluster information management products, cluster bulletins, etc., including needs, gaps, supply pipeline updates, etc;
• Act as a Cluster Coordinator in the absence of the CLA National Nutrition Cluster Coordinator by, which includes management of other cluster coordination team members
2) Informing strategic decision-making of the HC/HCT for the humanitarian response
• Participate or coordinate and support cluster and/ or the nutrition cluster input into inter-cluster initial rapid needs assessments (IRNA), multi-cluster initial rapid assessments (MIRA), humanitarian needs overview (HNO), IPC analysis, etc, using cluster tools and provide relevant inputs (survey plans, tools, identification of needs, gaps, etc) to the National Nutrition Cluster Coordination team;
• Represent the cluster coordination team in the IPC technical working group where needed and support discussion related to analysis of nutrition information.
• Support State Nutrition Cluster Focal points (MOH, UNICEF, WFP, & NGO) and nutrition partners to participate in nutrition need assessments and response planning.
• Coordinate with the rapid response mechanisms (RRM) in identifying location for intervention based on cluster priorities, mobilizing partners to participate in the Missions and analyzing all data generated by RRM teams.
• In collaboration with the NIWG, MOH and with other sectors, ensure nutrition assessments are conducted using standardized tools and methods.
• Represent nutrition cluster in the Food Security & Livelihoods, WASH, Health and Education Clusters and GBV-E subcluster as needed by regularly attending meeting organized by those clusters/sectors
3) Prioritization, grounded in response analysis
• Contribute to the development of Nutrition Cluster strategies and plans at national and sub national level, based on solid analysis of the situation; in order for the cluster to prepare for and respond appropriately to emergencies.
• As a member of the cluster coordination team, provide relevant inputs to the development and revision of the Nutrition cluster Strategic Response Plans (HRP) as required. As part of this process, ensure that gaps and duplications are identified and appropriately addressed.
• As member of the cluster coordination team, develop and contingency planning and preparedness for new emergencies related assessment and analysis needed and capacity required for assessment by cluster partner, and ensure this is adequately reflected in the overall humanitarian country strategy and response plan.
• Ensure that Nutrition Cluster partners are aware of relevant commitments that the Government/concerned authorities have undertaken under international human rights law; and relevant government policies and protocols and legislation which will impact on Nutrition assessment and analysis (eg Human Resource Issues, Operational Agreements with Gov etc).
• Ensure that OCHA identified priority crosscutting issues, including gender, HIV and environment; are fully integrated into the nutrition cluster strategy and nutrition cluster partner projects, in line with ISAC guidance and international best practices with specific focus on ensuring cross-cutting issues are addressed in nutrition survey plans, methodologies, etc
4) Advocacy
• Conduct analysis and write up of the nutrition cluster information from the various sources and share nutrition briefings with stakeholders and monthly situation analysis with the humanitarian community.
• Identify core nutrition advocacy concerns, including resource requirements related to nutrition surveys/assessments, and contribute key messages to the broader advocacy initiatives of the HCT.
• Advocate for donors to fund Nutrition Cluster partners to carry out activities in line with the Nutrition Cluster strategies and identified priorities while at the same time encouraging cluster participants to mobilize resources for their activities through the usual channels.
5) Monitoring and reporting the implementation of the cluster strategy and results
• In collaboration with the Cluster Coordinator, guide the work of the Information Management Officer to maintain a functional Nutrition Cluster Information Management system; which includes Monthly Partner Reporting, Nutrition Partner database and 5W Matrixes; Capacity Mapping database, Repository of Nutrition Surveys and Cluster Website.
• Ensure regular monitoring of nutrition surveys/assessments activities and coordination against cluster indicators, including activity at operational level (quality, coverage, continuity and cost); and sub national and national level cluster coordination activities.
• Conduct analysis of best available information in order to benchmark progress of the emergency response over time.
• Submit regular Cluster reports to MOH, OCHA and UNICEF in line with reporting requirements (monthly/quarterly).
• Work with the Monitoring and Cluster partners to establish a solid cluster monitoring system.
• The cluster co-coordinator is expected to spend at least 40% of his/her time in field monitoring responses and supporting partners in improving quality programming
6) Training and capacity development of national/local authorities and civil society
• Identify capacity building needs for the cluster and coordinate and support training of humanitarian personnel and capacity development of humanitarian partners; based on capacity mapping and understanding of available personnel and institutional capacities.
• Support efforts to strengthen the capacity of national and state MOH and other national//local authorities and civil society on emergency nutrition coordination, responses and assessments.
• Collaborate with the nutrition cluster TWGs to organize/conduct training aimed at improving the capacity of partners in conducting SMART surveys, MIYCN and CMAM programs coverage assessments.
7) Accountability to affected population (AAP)
• Take leadership in ensuring that the nutrition cluster framework on accountability to affected population is integrated, implemented by nutrition cluster partners, monitored and reported accordingly.
• Monitor the implementation of 6 core cluster indicators on AAP that have been agreed with all nutrition cluster partners
• Actively promote PSEA (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) standards among Nutrition Cluster Partners.
Other duties as assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and are not necessarily all inclusive.
Qualifications
Education:
Completed Master’s degree from an accredited academic institution preferably in Nutrition, Public Health, Public Health Nutrition, or related fields
Experience:
• Minimum of 8 years’ experience preferably in emergency response, and post-disaster and post conflict work experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Having worked as cluster coordinator or co-coordinator in any country will be an advantage.
• Ability to write clear and concise proposals and reports and to meet required reporting deadlines; Extremely flexible, the ability to work in basic living conditions and under administrative and programmatic pressures, and the ability to cope with stressful situations
• Solid SBCC, IYCF and CMAM experience and care group experience preferred
• Working in chronic underdeveloped settings where both acute malnutrition and stunting are significant issues of public health concern
• Knowledgeable about latest development best practices relating to nutrition such IYCF-E, ECD, acute malnutrition and CMAM.
• Ability to read, analyse and interpret data and familiarity with nutrition surveys (Coverage, SMART and KAP surveys).
• Excellent oral and written communication; good computer skills, strong writing skills (in English) with satisfactory organizational skills.
• Having worked as cluster coordinator or co-coordinator in any country will be an advantage.
• Knowledge of cluster approach, UN System, and NGO humanitarian community
Language Requirements:
Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic) or a local language is an asset.
Values and Competencies
Values
• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability
Competencies
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness
• Works Collaboratively with others
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships
• Innovates and Embraces Change
• Thinks and Acts Strategically
• Drive to achieve impactful results
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
Key working relationships
Position Reports to: Deputy Director-Program Coordinator-IRC
Position Reports to: Nutrition cluster coordinator -Technical -UNICEF
Position directly supervises: NA
Security: Security level orange. Juba remains volatile. Although the possibilities of a crisis cannot be completely ruled out but indicators of continuing ceasefire are visible. The situation remains tense and unpredictable; concerns include high criminality rate, presence of armed troops, and looting. There is active conflict in many parts of the country and a possibility for further expansion of the conflict and violence into other areas and other states. Due to the deteriorating economic situation in South Sudan (i.e. devaluation of SSP, shortage of fuel, shortage of USD, increasing prices of food and basic necessities) the local community has developed growing animosity towards the expatriate community in the country.
Living Conditions: The position is based in Juba with movement to the field sites required (50%).
Standards of Professional Conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service,Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.
Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that prov