Save the Children Health & Nutrition Promoter Job in Wajir, Kenya - 2015

Vacancy: Health & Nutrition Promoter
 

Position Code: SCI HNP
 

Team / Programme: Programme Operations

Location: Wajir
 

Grade: 5

Post Type: National  (1 year Contract with possibility of renewal)
 

Child Safeguarding: Level 3 – the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young people

Role Purpose: The Health and Nutrition Promoter will work closely with the Health and Nutrition Promotion officer, MOH and Community and will be responsible for equipping community members with correct and accurate Information, Education and Communication messages on health and nutrition that influence adoption of appropriate behaviour change
 

Scope of Role:

Reports to: Nutrition Officer

Dimensions: Save the Children has been operational in Kenya since the 1950s, providing support to children through developmental and humanitarian relief programmes delivered both directly and through local partners. 

Current programming focuses on child protection, child rights governance, education, health, HIV/AIDS, livelihoods, nutrition and WASH. 

In 2012, as part of a global reorganization process, Save the Children combined the programmes of SC UK, SC Canada and SC Finland to create a single operation in Kenya. 

In Feb 2014, we completed a second transition, which saw us join forces with the British INGO, Merlin, and merge their health and nutrition programmes with our own. 

Save the Children now has an operational presence in Bungoma, Dadaab Refugee Camp, Garissa, Mandera, Turkana and Wajir and we work through partners in many other parts of the country. 

We employ nearly 300 staff and will have an operating annual budget in 2015 of approximately US$20-25 million

Staff directly reporting to this post: None

Key Areas of Accountability:

• Take lead in implementation of health and nutrition promotion activities.


• Work closely with the health and nutrition team in carrying out assessments to identify health promotion / behavior change needs in the community.


• To support the CHEW, CHWs and the MTMSG to enhance the community empowerment and demand for Health and Nutrition services.


• Lead  Community mobilisation and sensitization with the various community sectors-school going children, CHWs, Clinic Health Committees, Village health committees, mothers, religious leaders and the youth.


• Carry out home visits to beneficiaries to assess and mentor them on adoption of  proper personal hygiene, water handling , nutrition and child care practices 


• Capacity build the CHWs to carry out home visits to beneficiaries to assess and mentor them on adoption of proper  personal hygiene, water handling , nutrition and child care practies.


• Liaise with MOH to conduct health and nutrition education and hygiene promotion trainings to the water management committees, Health Facility Management committees, CHWs and school teachers


• Continuously monitor quality and uptake of health and nutrition promotion messages and report to the nutrition coordinator for action on issues identified.


• Together with key partner ministries and other implementing partners, strengthen school health promotion programmes including Duksis and ECDS. 


• Assist the community health workers implementing health and nutrition education activities to develop monthly work plans.


• At program level support MoH to undertake health and nutrition education promotion and counselling by the trained nutrition workers, community health workers ad mother to mother support groups.


• Liaise and establish strong links with existing community structures including women groups, community development committees, youth groups and religious leaders.


• Participate in a formative research study to identify health and nutrition problems common in the community


• Participate in the design/adaptation of appropriate nutrition education and promotion methods and tools, and pre- testing them with the team and community members.


• Liaise with the health education sector at the department of health to adapt and produce appropriate Health and nutrition IEC materials


• Participate in reviewing the community training guides and counselling cards


• Provide leadership and participate in Mother to Mother support groups training and meeting sessions.


• Participate in development of Health and nutrition education job aids


• Oversee and guide staff in providing on-site cooking demonstrations for communities and mother to mother support groups.


• Maintain a data base of the trained and active Community Health Awareness Teams in the community.


• Prepare plans and write reports on health and nutrition promotion activities.

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


• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their 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, members and external partners and supporters


• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength


• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions


• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Food, Nutrition and Dietetics or equivalent


• At least two  years’ work experience with and international humanitarian agency in community health and nutrition work and implementation of nutrition education programmes, including monitoring and evaluation


• Understanding of High Impact Nutrition Interventions


• Experience of and commitment to utilizing participatory approaches..


• Ability to work in the field and represent the organization in community meetings


• Proven capacity to supervise, train and coach local staff and community workers.


• Excellent communication skills and a willingness to be respectful, kind, sensitive and empathise with children and their carers


• Willingness and capacity to be flexible and accommodating when faced with difficult and frustrating working conditions


• Prepared to live and work in an uncertain security environment


• Ability and willingness to frequently travel and stay at the field


• Strong research and data analysis skills


• Strong report writing including case studies and success stories and computer skills


• Fluent in written and spoken English, Kiswahili and local languages


• Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles.

Desirable

• Qualified nutritionist with health and nutrition promotion experience

Interested candidates are hereby required to drop their applications together with copies of their academic qualifications, national Identity card and testimonials at SCI  Wajir area Office with the position clearly indicated on top of the enclosed envelop and clearly addressed to The Human Resource and Administration Officer,SCI:Wajir Area Office; not later than 27th April  2015 at  5pm. 

Send Online applications to  kenya.jobapplications@savethechildren.org.

Save the Children is an equal employment opportunity Organization and qualified female candidates and those with disability are encouraged to apply as well.