ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide.  The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes.  Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The humanitarian situation in South Sudan continues to worsen as humanitarian needs continue to rise, driven by compounding effects of years of conflict, sub-national violence, food insecurity, climate crisis, and public health challenges. Conflict and insecurity, fuelled by inter-communal violence, and now the ongoing Sudan conflict, continue to drive up humanitarian needs in the country. This is further complicated by the reducing funding situation impacting humanitarian work in South Sudan and the region.

An estimated 1.65 million children between 6-59 months are expected to suffer acute malnutrition in 2024, including 480,000 million children expected to suffer Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and 1.16 million expected to suffer Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM). Approximately 870,000 pregnant or breastfeeding women are expected to suffer acute malnutrition in this period. About 72 percent of the acute malnutrition burden is concentrated in the five states of Jonglei, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Upper Nile, Unity and Warrap.

The recent Sudan war has further exacerbated the situation with almost half a million people crossing the border into South Sudan needing emergency assistance.

In South Sudan, WFP plays a leading role in defining nutrition responses for treating and preventing Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM), in collaboration with the nutrition and food security clusters and other key agencies that contribute to better nutrition prevention and treatment programmes. As the lead United Nations agency responsible for addressing and preventing moderate acute malnutrition, WFP continues to shift focus from direct implementation to partnering closely with the government in strengthening the country’s capacity to develop strategies and implement programmes while scaling up high-quality nutrition interventions.

JOB PURPOSE

Under the supervision of the Head of Human Capital Development (HCD), and in close coordination with the Deputy Head of Nutrition (DHoN), the Treatment Coordinator will support the Human Capital Development Unit in providing operational support to WFP’s Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) activities across the country. The consultant will work with the team to lead improvements in programming quality MAM implementation, ensure guidance and standards for CMAM activities are upheld and serve as the WFP CMAM focal point to the nutrition stakeholder community in South Sudan.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

• Provide programme quality oversight to CMAM programmes, in regular operational areas, refugee operations and in emergencies.
  1. Coordinate with field office nutritionist/focal points, cooperating partners and other team members in the WFP South Sudan Nutrition Unit to ensure effective and efficient implementation of WFP’s treatment of Moderate Acute Malnutrition activities.
  2. Ensure programme coverage for CMAM activities is maintained through coordination with the Nutrition Cluster, WFP’s various field offices and UNICEF nutrition team members.
  3. Lead the review of WFP’s field level agreements (FLA) for the treatment activities with support from the field office nutrition focal points and the Field Office (FO) nutritionists.
  4. Coordinate with FO nutritionists in the annual operational planning of commodity needs.
  5. Organize and participate in joint supportive supervision and monitoring visits to health and nutrition sites with the Ministry of Health (Nutrition Department), UNICEF and FO.
  6. In collaboration with the Nutrition Supply Chain focal point, oversee commodity management and tracking of SNFs for MAM and alert DHON/HON when action is required.
  7. Coordinate with M&E on monitoring feedback and follow up on all MAM-related issues.
  8. Undertake regular reviews of MAM performance indicators and ensure FO nutritionists are alerted in the event of any discrepancies.
  9. Conduct regular meetings with MAM implementing partners on progress, challenges and lessons learnt.
  10. Provide guidance on MAM activities in emergency, in coordination with UNICEF and the MOH.

ADDITIONAL KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

• Coordinate and support the overall implementation and documentation of the new WHO Guideline Pilot in Northern Bahr El Ghazal and Lakes States.
• Coordinate with UNICEF on the Joint Action Plan and ensure relevant actions are taken to address treatment of acute malnutrition related issues.
• Coordinate with the Nutrition Cluster, UNICEF, and MOH (State and Central) on an action plan to curb the sale of humanitarian supplies.
• Serve as the technical nutrition CMAM advisor.
  1. Provide nutrition technical advice and guidance to the FO nutritionist/focal points in implementing treatment of moderate acute malnutrition activities.
  2. Define, lead and coordinate capacity building of WFP staff, partners and MoH on CMAM programme implementation and WFP standards for treatment.
  3. Contribute technical inputs to the development and review of national guidelines and protocols in coordination with the Ministry of Health
  4. Actively participate in the CMAM technical working groups, and other platforms, fora related to acute malnutrition.
  5. Provide needs on procurement of MAM IEC and NFI materials.

ADDITIONAL KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES .. continued…. (not all-inclusive)

• Contribute to learning, evidence generation and programme adaptation.
  1. Lead WFP South Sudan’s contribution to   the   global   pilot   on   the   new   WHO   guidelines   through programmatic design, guideline adaptation, documentation, and programme adjustments.
  2. Contribute to building the CO operational research on acute malnutrition.
  3. Contribute    to    annual, quarterly, and    monthly internal and donor reports, briefs, activity sheets, and presentations for the NU for the CMAM programme
  4. Represent WFP’s mandate, comparative advantage, and approaches at relevant interagency meetings.
  5. Perform other related tasks as required and delegated by the supervisor.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:        

• Advanced University degree in Nutrition, Public Health, Food Technology, Medicine or related field.

Experience:       

• At least 7 years of post-graduate progressive experience in an emergency operation; coordination of nutrition response at national level; work experience with multiple implementing partners and UN agencies.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Strong analytical skills with ability to conceptualize complex issues, analyze data, produce thorough reports and policy recommendations.
• Experience in study design, methodology, data collection and data analysis.

Languages:

• Strong interpersonal skills with ability to effectively interact and work with partners and colleagues especially in a hardship environment.
• Fluency in oral and written English. Previous experience in South Sudan and a working knowledge of Arabic will be an added advantage.

4Ps CORE ORGANISATIONAL CAPABILITIES

Purpose

• Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Utilizes understanding of WFP’s Strategic Objectives to communicate linkages to team objectives and work.
•  Be a force for positive change: Proactively identifies and develops new methods or improvements for self and immediate team to address work challenges within own work area.
•  Make the mission inspiring to our team: Identifies opportunities to further align individual contributions with WFP’s mission of making an impact on local communities.
•  Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Helps colleagues to see the link between their individual tasks and the contributions of their unit’s goals to the broader context of WFP’s mission.

People

• Look for ways to strengthen people’s skills: Is able to identify, support and encourage focused on-the-job learning opportunities to address gaps between current skillsets and needed future skillsets for WFP.
•  Create an inclusive culture: Recognizes the contributions of teammates, and encourages contributions from culturally different team mates to recognise the value of diversity above and beyond just including it in programming for beneficiaries.
•  Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Provides and solicits ongoing constructive feedback on strengths and development opportunities to help develop individual skills, whilst also helping others identify areas for improvement.
•  Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Sets clear targets for self and others to focus team efforts in ambiguous situations (e.g., unprecedented issues and/or scenarios)

Performance

• Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Thinks beyond team’s conventional approaches to formulate creative methods for delivering food aid and assistance to beneficiaries.
•  Focus on getting results: Maintains focus on achieving individual results in the face of obstacles such as volatile or fragile environments and/or organizational roadblocks.
•  Make commitments and make good on commitments: Takes personal accountability for upholding and delivering upon team’s commitments and provides assurance to stakeholders.
•  Be Decisive: Demonstrates ability to adjust to team’s plans and priorities to optimize outcomes in light of evolving directives, while also responding quickly in high-pressure environments, such as in emergency settings.

Partnership

• Connect and share across WFP units: Demonstrates an understanding of when and how to tactfully engage other units in conversations on impact, timing, or planning
•  Build strong external partnerships: Networks regularly with key external partners using formal and informal opportunities to understand each partner’s unique value proposition, and to build and strengthen relationships
•  Be politically agile & adaptable: Demonstrates ability to adapt engagement approach in the context of evolving partner circumstances and expectations
•  Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Demonstrates ability to articulate to internal and external audiences the value that individual contributions and immediate teams bring to partnerships.

FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

28th Jan 2024