Senior Nutrition Coordination Specialist – ECSC SUN Full Time

TEAM/PROGRAM: Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN)

LOCATION:  Addis Ababa (60% at ECSC-SUN Secretariat-Save the Children Country Office & 40 % at SUN MSP Coordination Office-Ministry of Health

GRADE:  1C

POST TYPE: National

Child Safeguarding:

Level 1 – the role holder will not have contact with children and/or young people, or access to personal data about children or young people, as part of their work; therefore, a police check will not be mandatory unless the content or location of the role changes, in which case the Child Safeguarding level will be reviewed.

Overview of the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement (SUN) and ECSC-SUN:

The Scaling up Nutrition – SUN Movement is a renewed effort and commitment to eliminate all forms of malnutrition in the world by 2030. The Government of Ethiopia is among the 65 countries globally joined the SUN movement and has committed itself to an Ethiopia free from malnutrition by 2030. Currently hosted by Save the Children, ECSC-SUN has been operational since June 2013 and has now grown into a strong coalition of over 60 member organizations, all committed to improving nutrition. The coalition has been working in close collaboration with the Global SUN Secretariat, Global SUN Civil Society Network (CSN), the Eastern and Southern African SUN CSN, the Government of Ethiopia National Food and Nutrition Programme implementing sectors, all SUN Networks and other nutrition platforms to accelerate action in nutrition in Ethiopia. The network has a General Assembly, a steering committee and a Secretariat based at Save the Children responsible for coalition’s activities implementation, coordination and management. The coalition has established regional ECSC-SUN coordination platforms and thematic focus initiatives for smooth coordination and implementation of the coalition’s activities. Save the Children Ethiopia is the Chair of the coalition and hosting the secretariat and Concern Worldwide is Co-Chair.

ROLE PURPOSE: 

The Senior Nutrition Specialist, in collaboration with the ECSC-SUN National Lead and SUN Government Focal, will be responsible for the coordination and implementation of the SUN Multisectoral program (MSP) in Ethiopia and ECSC-SUN’s work including support for National SUN multi-stakeholders’ coordination. S/he will provide technical leadership to ensure a holistic technical approach, guidance and coordination with SUN movement leads and other coalition member agencies to ensure food and nutrition strategy and Seqota Declaration initiatives are cohesive and well managed.

S/he will engage with ECSC-SUN member agencies, GoE Ministries, other SUN networks in the country to ensure smooth coordination and implementation of the coalition’s activities and supports GoE Food systems, national food and nutrition strategy, Seqota Declaration, and related initiatives. In addition, the nutrition specialist will also provide support to the National SUN Government Focal for the Multi-stakeholders SUN Country program management, coordination, implementation, monitoring and reporting tasks.

The specialist will also be expected to provide technical support for the National food systems and nutrition leadership platform through organizing different meetings for the nutrition professionals and leaders. The specialist will be expected to provide technical support to the different food and nutrition implementing Government sector ministries, in aligning the planning, monitoring, budget allocation to emergent Food systems, Food and Nutrition Strategy, Seqota Declaration and related initiatives S/he With the establishment of a Regional Civil Society Support platform, the nutrition coordination specialists is expected to facilitate a series of meetings with Regional Government officials and bureau staff to introduce the purpose and function of a civil society Regional Support Platform.

The position holder is expected to coordinate the advocacy efforts to influence effective implementation of food systems, food and nutrition policy and its strategy and the Seqota Declaration and related initiatives by food and nutrition implementing sectors and stakeholders at national, regional and sub-regional levels for improved nutritional outcomes.

S/he represents SC values and principles in interactions with staff and external audiences, including ECSC-SUN member technical and management staff members.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

 Reports to: National Lead, ECSC-SUN & SUN Government Focal

Number of Positions/Staff directly reporting to this post:  none

Length of Contract- Up to June 30/ 2025 with possibility of extension

Place of Work – Addis Ababa with frequent travel to the field

No of Positions – One

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

• Support the implementation of the SUN MSP and ECSC-SUN activities and ensuring that the quality standards are met.
• In consultation with ECSC-SUN National Lead, develop concept notes, proposals, and budgets to be submitted for potential donors; develops log frame, detailed implementation plan and M&E plan as part of the proposal package and revise proposals to accommodate comments from coalition members and donors.
• Provide technical inputs to conduct mapping, capacity gap assessments, and strengthening of Food Systems Transformation, Food and Nutrition Strategy and Seqota Declaration regional coordination; monitoring effective implementation of initiatives and ensure program performance is in line with the international and national standards.

• Engage in capacity building activities including training and knowledge transfer to Food and Nutrition implementing sectors and ECSC-SUN members; coordinate and lead the regional capacity building initiatives and provide support to the ECSC-SUN members agencies assigned to lead different regions.
• Provide technical support for the start-up and implementation of ECSC-SUN regionalization and thematic focus initiatives through supportive supervision, mentoring, coaching, review meetings, capacity building and learning visits.
• Coordinate, facilitate and participate in SUN MSP and ECSC- SUN meetings and forums/workshops.

• Coordinate a series of meetings and workshops with Region Government officials and bureau staff to introduce the purpose and function of SUN MSP.
• Follow the implementation of the planned activities of SUN MSP and ECSC SUN project like the completion of the development of the strategic plans which are contracted out to be done by consultants.
• Provide technical support to Food Systems and Nutrition council establishment process through training and capacity building, as well as organizing workshops and meetings that will be used to define the National Food Systems and Nutrition Council’s strategic plan.
• Provide technical support the implementation of Ethiopian Food System Transformation Road Map, National Food and Nutrition strategy (FNS) and Seqota Declaration expansion phase.

• Provision of support to food and nutrition implementing sectors and national nutrition program related demands raised by other food and nutrition implementing sectors.
• Engage in the preparation of Advocacy and resource mobilization implementation guidelines, SUN MSP detailed implementation plan and phased budget for the period of 2022 and beyond.
• Write-up of SUN MSP and ECSC SUN programme report and closely work with the SUN Government Focal, ECSC-SUN National Lead and Senior M&E, Research and KM specialist for timely submission of reports to donors.

• Contribute to learning and research that supports the coalition advocacy objectives.
• Coordinate activities to strengthening National Nutrition leadership initiative and platform; and organize meetings of different nutrition professionals and leaders under the nutrition leadership initiative.
• Be fully aware of food system transformation roadmap and nutrition related policies, strategies, Seqota declaration, and other initiatives and developments by government, SUN movement coordination platforms and other coalition members and stakeholders.
• Ensure that relevant crosscutting issues are strategically mainstreamed in new ECSC-SUN projects; also ensuring relevant ECSC-SUN coalition member staff understand and are capacitated to take the issues forward.

• Develop good relations with SUN MSP Stakeholders, other CSOs, donors, UN, government sectors and development partners.
• Represent SUN MSP and ECSC-SUN at all relevant technical external task forces, working groups, seminars or other nutrition coordination meetings as approved by the National Lead and SUN Government Focal and use these meetings to negotiate strategic and advocacy positions.
• Perform additional tasks and duties as and when required.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals, takes responsibility for her/his own personal development, and encourages others to do the same.
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others.
• Future orientated, thinks strategically.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, internal and external partners including ECSC SUN members and supporters.
• Values diversity sees it as a source of competitive strength.
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions.
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency.

• First Degree in Nutrition, Public Health, or related field; Recommended a minimum of 10 years related work experience in nutrition and nutrition related programs.
• Experience in working with government counterparts, CSOs and other partners at various levels – federal to district within the framework of nutrition.
• Experience in provision of technical support, capacity-building, and coordination.
• Experience of coalition building, forum coordination and working with civil society actors to deliver change.
• Superior written communication skills, including the ability to translate complex arguments into accessible English for a non-specialist audience,
• Good communication and interpersonal skills, excellent understanding of the global nutrition movements, sustainable development goal,
• Good presentation, training, and facilitation skills; fluency in spoken and written English; good computer skills (particularly Excel, Word, and databases)
• An understanding of child rights programming and commitment to Save the Children values.

• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• Commitment to Save the Children values.

COMPETENCIES 

SC Values are Accountability, Ambition, Collaboration, Creativity and Integrity. To meet the value system the post holder is expected to demonstrate the following Competencies on ongoing basis:

Leading

• Leading and Inspiring Others: Demonstrate leadership in all our work, role models our values and articulates a compiling vision to inspire to achieve our goals for children.
• Delivering results: Takes personal responsibility and holds others to account to deliver our ambitious goals for children, continually improving own performance or that of the team/ organization.
• Developing Self and Others: Invest time and energy to actively develop self and others to help realize their full potential and to build the organization capability for the further.

Thinking

• Problem solving and decision making: Takes effective, considered, and timely decisions by gathering and evaluating relevant information from within or outside the organization and making appropriate judgements.
• Innovating and Adapting: Develop and implement innovative solutions to adapt and succeed in an ever-changing uncertain work and global environment.
• Applying technical and professional expertise: Applies the required technical and professional expertise to the highest standards; promotes and shares best practice within and outside the organization.

Engaging:

• Align with Collaboration, Creativity,  

Networking:

• Builds and use sustainable relationship to support the work of save the children.

Working effectively with others:

• Works collaboratively to achieve shared goals and thrives on diversity of people and perspectives; knows when to lead and when to follow and how to ensure effective cross-boundary working.

Communicating with Impact:

• Communicates clearly and confidently with others to engage and influence; promotes dialogue and ensures timely and appropriate messages, building confidence and trust with others.