Organization: Chemonics
Country: United States of America
Closing date: 24 Aug 2013
Chemonics seeks a nutrition advisor to support the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET). The current phase of FEWS NET focuses on nutrition and health issues, in particular, how a better understanding of these issues can improve the projects food security analysis and early warning. FEWS NET seeks a highly qualified and motivated nutrition advisor to lead this aspect of the project. The nutrition advisor will work closely with FEWS NETs partner, Action Against Hunger (ACF), to achieve the project goals. We are looking for individuals who have a passion for making a difference in the lives of people around the world.
The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET III) is the worlds premier provider of high-quality food security analysis and early warning. Created in response to the 1984 famines in East and West Africa, this $200 million, five-year activity (2012-2016) aims to collaborate with international, regional, and national partners to provide timely and rigorous early warning and analysis of potential, emerging, and evolving food security issues to inform appropriate humanitarian response. The project covers 36 countries, with plans to expand over the coming four years.
Within the context of local livelihoods, FEWS NET professionals in Africa, Central America, Haiti, Central Asia, and the United States monitor relevant data sources (e.g., remote sensing imagery, price and trade data, nutrition information), which inform a scenario-building process used to project future food security outcomes. FEWS NET then uses decision support products to communicate this analysis to U.S. government, United Nations, national government, and NGO decision makers. These products include regular briefings to senior USAID staff, quarterly food security projections, and food security alerts. FEWS NET staff also provide advisory support to regional and country-specific contingency and response planning efforts and in-depth studies related to livelihoods, markets and trade, and nutrition.
The primary objectives of the nutrition advisor (hereinafter referred to as advisor) include:
Assess nutrition work done to date as part of the FEWS NET III activity
Provide technical guidance on the inclusion and use of health and nutrition information in food security monitoring, assessments, and analysis, including scenario building and integrated food security phase classification (IPC)
Oversee the development of a health and nutrition context document for each FEWS NET country, including the development/adaption and implementation of a causal analysis tool.
Oversee the development and maintenance of a database of health and nutrition information by using ACFs existing nutritional data and applying ACFs approaches, methodologies, and program practices (such as nutrition analysis, nutrition surveys and surveillance, nutrition knowledge products, and seasonality)
Propose innovative initiatives and tools that will contribute to early warning through collaboration with ACF and FEWS NET
Ensure FEWS NETs operational capacity to conduct nutrition assessments, studies, and analysis to support food security analysis
Develop and implement plans to build the capacity of FEWS NET technical staff to use health and nutrition information in analysis and to conduct assessments and data collection
Provide guidance to the development and refinement of the approach to health and nutrition and related methods and products
Promote and support collaboration with local, regional, and international partners in health and nutrition-related activities
Manage, coordinate, and support two regional nutrition officers responsible for the project at regional levels in all matters concerning ACFs technical and operational remit required for the delivery of the project
Establish and enhance collaboration and partnerships within the ACF International Network, and between ACF and FEWS NET, towards efficient, effective, and quality project work
Secondary objectives include:
Provide input to and participation in the preparation and dissemination of decision-support products, including monthly reports, special reports, alerts, and briefings
Participate in the startup of remote monitoring activities and strike teams if required
Collaborate with FEWS NET implementation partners in carrying out project activities
Support the development and strengthening of global partners and food security systems
Ensure that there is efficiency and effectiveness in the management and compliance of the contractual requirements
Level of effort and supervision:
The nutrition advisor will be an employee of ACF, but will be seconded to the FEWS NET team and based in Washington D.C. full time
The advisor will provide direct technical supervision to two regionally based nutrition specialists in Niamey, Niger and Nairobi, Kenya
The advisor will report to the FEWS NET chief of party within his or her FEWS NET secondment capacity and will report to the ACF UK director of operations for all ACF matters required to the execution of the project
Qualifications:
Masters degree in a discipline directly relevant to the position, preferably in nutrition or public health, required
Experience in the following areas required:
o Analysis of complex survey data, particularly nutrition and health data
o Development and implementation of nutrition and health surveys, preferably in emergencies;
experience with standardized monitoring and assessment of relief and transitions (SMART) and lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) desired
o Provision of training to partners and staff
Understanding of household food security concepts, terms, and analytical approaches and a strong interest in multi-sectoral, integrated analysis
Significant experience implementing relevant programming or conducting research/analysis in developing countries
Ability to work effectively with a diverse group of staff across 25 country and regional offices
Ability to travel internationally, approximately 30 percent of the time
Experience in people management and particularly with remote management
Demonstrable skills in brokering, negotiating, networking, and coordinating with various stakeholders
Experience in training and building capacity of partners and staff members
Experience in the following areas desired:
o Nutritional surveillance
o Malnutrition Causal analysis
o Early warning
Demonstrated leadership, versatility, and integrity
Strong presentation and representation skills, written and spoken fluency in English; and working knowledge of another language, preferably French
Eligible to work in the United States
Application instructions:
Please submit CVs and cover letters to FEWSNutrition@Chemonics.com no later than August 16, 2013. No telephone inquiries, please. Finalists will be contacted.
In addition, please download and complete Chemonics equal employment opportunity self-identification form and submit it separately to EEOselfidentify@chemonics.com with only FEWS NET nutrition advisor in the subject line. If you prefer not to disclose your sex, race, or ethnicity, you may check I do not wish to complete the information requested. Thank you for completing the form and supporting our equal employment opportunity reporting requirements.
Chemonics is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.
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