Nutrition Officer, Gaza

Project HOPE is an international NGO with more than 1,000 engaged employees and volunteers who work around the globe, responding to the world’s most pressing global health challenges. Throughout our 60-year legacy, Project HOPE has treated millions of patients, provided more than $3 billion worth of medicines to local health care organizations around the world helped build hundreds of health programs from the ground up, and responded to humanitarian crises worldwide.

Code of Conduct:

It is our shared responsibility and obligation to treat each other with respect, take affirmative steps to prevent matters involving Sexual Exploitation & Abuse and Trafficking in Persons, and to disclose all potential and actual violations of our Code of Conduct, which may include Conflicts of Interest, Fraud, Corruption, Discrimination or Harassment. Together we can reinforce a culture of respect, integrity, accountability, and transparency.

Program Summary:

Project HOPE is providing humanitarian assistance to internally displaced and conflict-affected persons throughout the Gaza Strip, Occupied Palestinian Territory. The portfolio in the Gaza Strip focuses on Health, Mental Health, Protection, and WASH programming in partnership with local NGOs. Our activities include the operation of several primary and sexual reproductive health clinics operated by local Project HOPE staff.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Nutrition Officer’s role is to provide technical support for planning and smooth operation of nutrition activities. The Nutrition Officer leads nutrition assessments, designs and is responsible for implementation of program interventions, integrates nutrition activities with other programs as needed, and in compliance with international standards. The Nutrition Officer supports data management, and reporting; hires, trains, and mentors personnel, volunteers, and partners; and coordinates with relevant actors, sub/clusters, working groups, government bodies, other organizations, and partners.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty with satisfactory results with or without reasonable accommodation. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

• Responsible for providing technical support and capacity building of the team to successfully plan, implement and monitor Project HOPE nutrition program activities during emergency response.

• Set up and supervise the nutrition sites and activities and ensure that all activities are well coordinated and harmonized.

• Responsible for ensuring that the nutrition programs in emergencies are implemented in line with Project HOPE guidelines and international humanitarian standards and donor guidelines.

• Provide technical guidance to Project HOPE and partner staff and other humanitarian actors as necessary to promote consistent good practice.

• Provide technical backstopping and conducting nutrition training, reviewing program reports, surveys and monitoring and evaluation reports.

• Monitor and supervise proper usage of essential nutrition therapeutic feeds to avoid stock outs.

• Attend relevant internal and external sectoral coordination and implementation meetings.

• Liaise with other humanitarian actors, and local authorities to maximize collaboration and ensure proper coordination of activities and agreed protocols.

• Nutrition Assessments: Conduct nutrition assessments at both the community and health facility levels to identify malnutrition prevalence and nutritional needs.

• Screening Activities: Oversee the implementation of active and passive screening for malnutrition at targeted sites to ensure early detection and management of cases.

• Outpatient Therapeutic Program (OTP): Implement and manage the OTP for the treatment of Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) and Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) cases, ensuring adherence to protocols and standards.

• Referral Pathways: Establish and manage referral pathways to stabilization centers, ensuring adherence to clear criteria for referral and follow-up of referred cases.

• Reporting on Nutrition Activities:

  Prepare and submit timely and accurate reports on all nutrition activities, including:

  3Ws (Who, What, Where)

  5Ws (Who, What, Where, When, Why)

  Flash bi-weekly updates

  Malnutrition activity formats.

• Implementation of IYCF and IMCI Programs: Lead the implementation of Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) and Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) programs and approaches, promoting best practices and ensuring program alignment with organizational objectives.

• Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master in Public health nutrition or equivalent in Nutrition/Public Health from recognized learning institution plus 3 years of experience in related field or Bachelor degree in Nutrition or related field of study with 5 years of experience in related field (minimum 2 years in emergency response setting)
• Understanding humanitarian work / having worked with vulnerable populations.
• Knowledge of the environments, understanding of health system in Gaza and social protection system.
• Strong skills in technical proposal writing and donor reporting, designing and implementing nutrition programs.
• Ability to provide technical support for PROJECT HOPE staff and government staff on proper implementation of CMAM, IYCF, SBC and other nutrition activities.
• Familiarity with design and programming processes of different donors (ECHO, OFDA, WFP, UNICEF, DFID, UNHCR etc)
• Knowledge in designing and implementing appropriate and effective holistic nutrition programs including ensuring that the nutrition program is integrated with food security, health and WASH programming where appropriate.
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret data and familiarity with nutrition surveys (Coverage, SMART and KAP surveys).
• Ability to work effectively with government, community leaders, international/national organizations, donors, partners and other Project HOPE relationships.
• Strong supervisory and organizational skills
• Demonstrated experience and skills in ensuring community participation and gender issues in humanitarian programming
• Advanced proficiency in the use of MS Office, and other computer applications
• Ability to cope with stress; hardship; patience and flexibility and willingness to work additional hours in order to meet tight deadlines;
• Ability and willingness to travel to field sites and nutrition facilities
• Experience in facilitation of trainings and workshops
• Capacities to communicate with colleagues and staff in a clear and concise manner.
• Fluency in Arabic Language is required, English highly desirable.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical demands:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee must be mobile in an office environment and able to use standard office equipment.
• Must be able to communicate in verbal and written form and must be able to travel.
• Project HOPE employees may be required to travel or work in countries where working conditions are classified as “hardship.”

Work environment:

• This position is based in Gaza. Given the current conflict conditions, candidate must be able to work in a rapidly changing environment.
• Position will be in resource-deprived environment with austere living conditions.
• Travel for extended periods may be by air and/or other modes of transportation.
• Project HOPE employees may be required to travel or work in countries where working conditions are classified as “hardship.”

Due to the substantial number of inquiries, we receive, only candidates who have met the required experience & qualifications for this position will be considered. No phone calls please.

However, since we are active around the world in the field of public health, we may wish to retain your CV in our database for other/future opportunities, unless you direct us otherwise.

Thank you very much for your interest in Project HOPE.