BACKGROUND

Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) is a multi-stakeholder movement to reduce hunger and under-nutrition and contribute to the realization of all the Sustainable Development Goals, with a specific focus on the importance of first 1,000 days of life to prevent malnutrition. The SUN movement focuses on promoting the implementation of evidenced-based nutrition specific and nutrition sensitive interventions; integrating nutrition goals into broader efforts by bringing together other sectors and multiple actors to scale-up nutrition actions.

Sierra Leone joined the SUN movement in February 2012 and conducted a national launch in October 2012. The Vice President is the national SUN focal person; and the SUN Secretariat is located within his office. The SUN secretariat is responsible for coordinating government and stakeholders working on nutrition and food security in the country to effectively contribute to the implementation of the National Food and Nutrition Security Policy and Plan. This is done through the five networks – government, civil society organization, business, donors and the United Nations. Each network has its own system of governance and accountability.

REACH (Renewed Efforts against Child Hunger and Undernutrition) is a UN inter-agency partnership founded by FAO, UNICEF, WFP and WHO and joined later by IFAD. REACH is a service of the UN network with tools, human resources and experiences that can be drawn upon to achieve the UN network strategy outcomes. Since its establishment in 2008, REACH has successfully employed and refined a country-centred, multi-sectoral approach to help strengthen national capacities for nutrition governance and scale-up of nutrition actions to reduce malnutrition. The UN Network for SUN Strategy 2016-2020, outlines the commitments and contributions of the United Nations towards the SUN Movement and aims to (i) provide enhanced harmonization and coordination by UN agencies; and (ii) provide support to national nutrition efforts for scaling up interventions.

REACH support is adapted in accordance to the needs of each country to support the following outcomes:

• Increased awareness of the causes of malnutrition and potential solutions.
• Strengthened national policies and programmes with increasing resources/budgets.
• Increased human and institutional capacity to support the scaling up of nutrition actions at all levels.
• Increased efficiency and accountability of national efforts.
• Harmonized and coordinated United Nations nutrition efforts.

The UN Network in Sierra Leone was established in 2016 by five agencies (FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, and WHO), and it is currently chaired by the UNICEF Country Representative. The UN seeks the services of a Junior Consultant to support REACH activities for five (5) months. The Consultant will be hosted in SUN Secretariat in the Vice President’s Office and will work closely with the SUN Coordinator/SUN Focal Point, other secretariat staff with nutrition governance responsibilities. The REACH National Facilitator will provide oversight to the implementation of the UN Network/REACH Country Implementation Plan (CIP).

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Junior Consultant will work under the joint supervision of the Chair of the UN Network, the Senior Consultant and the SUN Coordinator. For day to day support, the Facilitator will liaise with the UNN nutrition focal points. He/she will also work in close liaison with the Senior Consultant, and UN Network/REACH secretariat. He/she in consultation with the SUN secretariat and UN network will be responsible for the following duties:

Strategic planning and analysis

In consultation with SUN secretariat M&E officer and other SUN networks to support the stakeholder mapping and use the mapping results to improve the characterization of the nutrition problem and potential solutions

• Work closely with the Senior Consultant finalize the costing and M&E framework of the National Food and Nutrition Security Implementation Plan (NFNSIP) 2018-2022.
• Support the planning and organisation of an investment conference (meeting to raise funds for the Food and Nutrition Implementation Plan 2018-2022).
• Support the strengthening of the steering committee (strategic) and technical committee (operational) at the national level.
• Conduct a UN retreat to discuss the inventory findings and strategic direction for the UN in nutrition.
• Develop joint programming and harmonized approaches

Multi-sectoral/Multi-stakeholder Coordination

• Work with SUN Sec, CSOs Platform and the Senior Consultant to sensitize the new elected political leaders – Parliamentarians, Heads of Sectors in in line ministries, Sector Administrative Head in line ministries (PSs, Directors), District Councillors and Administrators, Ward Development Committees, DPOs Paramount Chiefs.
• Support and strengthen the functioning of the Business and Academic Networks to engage in the Multi-Stakeholder Platform
• Support SUN Sec to identify and support the formation of nutrition champions program (national, district, chiefdom).
• Support capacity assessment of FNS coordination mechanisms including the review and finalising of coordination TOR for SUN Secretariat, districts and chiefdoms and sectoral coordination mechanisms.

Advocacy and knowledge sharing

• Liaise with the CSO Platform for the creation of Parliamentary Network and promote frequent meetings to facilitate advocacy for nutrition to be adequately supported by government.
• In consultation with UN Network, SUN Secretariat and Directorate of Food and Nutrition review and update the nutrition policy.
• In consultation with UNN Focal Points and the Senior Consultant support the development of a National Advocacy and Communications Strategy.

Management and Admin

• Support and coordinate all REACH team mission in-country;
• Support the supervision of short-term consultants - as required;
• Work with the UN finance officer to monitor REACH financial resources in-country;
• Support the preparation of regular progress and donor reports in close liaison with the Senior Consultant and the UNN REACH HQ.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Deliverables

• Updated stakeholder and nutrition action mapping report
• Finalised Multi-sectoral nutrition messages and advocacy toolkit Quarterly briefing meetings held, and reports produced
• Updated National Multi-Sectoral Food and Nutrition Security Implementation Plan.
• Multi-sectoral nutrition coordination meetings report (convened regularly and meetings proceedings documented and disseminated).
• Terms of reference of SUN network reviewed and finalised.
• UN Nutrition Inventory report completed and disseminated.
• Donor and financial reports written as and when required.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Education: Advanced university degree in public policy or administration, management, public health, nutrition, agriculture, or related field.

Experience:

• At least 7 years of professional experience in managing nutrition, food security, public health programs, policy processes;
• Experience in managing multi-parties and multi-sector working groups;
• Experience in institutional capacity building at the national level;
• Experience in the Sierra Leone country context including nutrition and food security situation is highly preferred;
• Previous working experience with governments, donors and civil society organizations is an asset;
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation;
• Experience in decentralization processes is desirable.

Technical Skills & Knowledge:

• Technical background in nutrition, food security, and/or public health; OR technical background in management and change management;
• Knowledge of the UN System and the SUN Movement is an asset;
• Advanced skills in MS office (particularly Excel and PowerPoint).

Competencies:

• Proven ability to strengthen capacity of national counterparts and partners to sustain activities and decentralised processes;
• Strong skills in facilitation, project management, team-building, and conflict resolution or mediation;
• Ability to manage and conduct large and complex analyses, including collating and presenting multi-source data; monitoring and evaluation and progress reporting;
• Strong action management and teamwork skills: ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor own work plan and those relevant to the team and partners; ability to follow up deadlines; accuracy and attention to details and high quality deliverables; and
• Excellent communications and interpersonal skills; ability to influence and interact with senior level decision-makers across different organizations and cultures; to act with credibility, tact and diplomacy on sensitive issues and discussions.

Language: Fluency in written and spoken English language.

Source:https://career5.successfactors.eu/career?career_ns=job_listing&company=C0000168410P&navBarLevel=JOB_SEARCH&rcm_site_locale=en_GB&career_job_req_id=100543