Nutrition Expert Consultant– Bangladesh Based At Magenta FZE

Location:

Based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, with travel in Bangladesh on a need basis

Reporting Manager:

Programme Manager

Start date:

As soon as possible

Duration:

To be engaged for a maximum of 10 days as required during the project.

Type:

Project based

Remuneration:

Applicants are requested to provide their day rate, with their application.

Application Deadline:

Ongoing until position is filled

MAGENTA is a leading Social and Behavioural Change (SBC) agency that specializes in understanding human decision-making processes in order to design behavioural insight solutions for positive change. We implement programmes across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America using the latest in behavioural science principles and a rigorous approach to research, strategy, intervention and campaign design and implementation.

Our client base includes UN agencies, INGOs, governments and the private sector. We aim to amplify the voices of local actors while bringing international expertise and methodological rigour. To do so, we partner with civil society, creative agencies, media and academics to design innovative, relevant and impactful solutions to some of the most challenging problems of our time. Whether we are aiming to shift parenting practices to improve children’s outcomes or to understand how social norms underpin corruption, we always go the extra mile to ensure we can create a positive impact for some of the most underserved populations in the world.

Project Overview

Nutrition serves as a foundational element in fostering sustainable human development. Enhanced nutrition results in improved well-being for infants and mothers, fortified immune systems, safer pregnancies and childbirth, and increased longevity. Optimal nutrition contributes to better learning among children, as evidenced by the adverse effects of childhood stunting, including diminished learning outcomes, academic performance, productivity, and adult wages.

Bangladesh has been consistently improving in its nutritional outcomes, particularly in recent year. A 2017/2018 demographic and health survey revealed that 31% of children under the age of 5 were stunted, with 9% facing severe stunting, marking a decrease from 43% in 2007 to 31% in 2017. Similarly, the incidence of underweight children dropped from 41% in 2007 to 22% in 2017, and the prevalence of wasting decreased from a critical level of around 15% to 8% in 2017. The survey also showed that 65% of infants aged under 6 months were exclusively breastfed in 2017, a significant rise from 55% in 2014. Moreover, 34% of children aged 6–23 months adhered to the recommended infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices in 2017, up from 23% in 2014. Despite these improvements, urban areas are experiencing an escalating “triple burden” of malnutrition. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced new vulnerabilities, especially among the urban poor, potentially heightening poverty, food insecurity, early marriages, and malnutrition rates. Addressing malnutrition remains a critical issue and a top priority, necessitating a collaborative, multi-sectoral effort to overcome the remaining challenges in Bangladesh’s fight against malnutrition.

Emphasising the importance of nutrition for positive child outcomes, MAGENTA is supporting Ogilvy Consulting to develop a social and behaviour change communications strategy for WFP, to support WFP in achieving their outcomes outlined in their Country Strategic Plan (2022-2026). The development of this strategy employs a multi-phase approach, which includes research, strategy development, creative asset development, and capacity building.

About the Assignment

MAGENTA is looking for a Nutrition expert based in Bangladesh, to join our international team and provide expertise and assistance in the implementation the project. The Nutrition Expert will be engaged throughout the entirety of the project; however, their support will be mainly centred around contributing to the development of final deliverables, providing insights and feedback on developed deliverables, supporting in-country activities as needed with internal and external stakeholders. Specific responsibilities have been outlined below.

Responsibilities

The consultant will receive individual tasks as needed, and the anticipated time required to complete each task will be mutually agreed upon and serve as the basis for invoicing and payment. While not exhaustive, the Nutrition Expert will have the following key responsibilities:

• Provide contextualized nutrition insights, relevant to the Bangladeshi context, throughout the development of key project deliverables.
• Ensure that the Bangladeshi context is taken into consideration throughout the development of key project deliverables.
• Share pertinent resources, literature, and research findings that can inform and enrich the development of the final research methodology and other key deliverables.
• Support in developing the data collection tools during the formative research phase, ensuring the tools will collect relevant and nuanced information about the nutrition context and experience in Bangladesh.
• Support in reviewing and analysing data collected during the formative research phase.
• Support in developing workshop materials for the strategy co-design workshop, including brainstorming workshop activities for generating human insights.
• Support in reviewing and providing feedback on the draft strategy, creative assets, and capacity building materials.
• Support the pre-testing of communications materials.
• Participate in online or in-person workshops as needed.
• Actively participate in regular project meetings with the MAGENTA team, Ogilvy and WFP team, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Engage in collaborative discussions, share updates, and contribute insights to facilitate the smooth progress of the project.

Requirements

• Based in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• Willing to travel in-country to support the implementation of the project of needed.
• Knowledgeable about the nutrition context in Bangladesh.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in designing, developing, and implementing nutrition strategies and interventions in Bangladesh.
• Experience supporting or leading research projects, analysing data, and developing actionable recommendations based on data, is an asset.
• Experience working with UN agencies, or other INGOs is an asset.
• Experience working with the Government of Bangladesh is an asset.
• Written and oral fluency in Bangla and English is a must.