Community Nutrition Officer

Action against Hunger is an international non-governmental, private, apolitical, non-religious and non-profit organization created in 1979. Its goal is to combat hunger and dangerous situations that threaten men, women, and children. Currently 500 expats and more than 5,000 employees are working for Action against Hunger in more than forty-six countries working in projects concerning four areas of focus: nutrition, health, food security and water and sanitation. 

In Lebanon, the Syrian crisis continues to generate political, social, and economic pressure due to the war in Lebanon and keeps more than 1.5 million refugees in a situation of increasing vulnerability. In this environment of political, economic and social uncertainty, our teams have maintained their high levels of humanitarian response and aid to Lebanon. Likewise, our interventions have been maintained in the Bekaa and northern areas, as well as in the south of the country, with a special focus on working in partnership or in consortium with other organizations and on institutional strengthening of the relationship with both donors. institutional, such as with local authorities and entities. 

Under the supervision of Nutrition Head of Project (HoP) the Community  Nutrition Officer (CNO) is responsible for planning, implementing and monitoring nutrition activities, with a particular focus on awareness sessions about breastfeeding, complementary feeding, and prevention of malnutrition, together with group sessions and support for those with difficulties and special vulnerabilities, while ensuring proper coordination and collaboration with municipalities, other authorities, beneficiaries and related Action Against Hunger departments. The CNO will also work on capacity building for community mobilizers to lead on the screening for malnutrition and give awareness sessions. Also, the CNO will work hand in hand with IYCF specialists and community mobilizers to achieve the objectives of the project.

Objective 1: Technical planning, supervision and monitoring of the field  activities (65%)

Under the supervision of the Nutrition HoP, the Community Nutrition Officer (CNO) will be responsible of assessing on a regular basis IYCF, nutrition and care practices amongst the targeted communities in the areas of interventions.

Conduct and engage in nutrition and health education to ensure the promotion of positive health care- seeking behaviors, including maternal and child health

Train and supervise the Community Mobilizers        in the field to lead on        malnutrition screening

Follow- up the cases of malnutrition through collaboration with the nearest Primary Health Care Centers (PHCCs) in the targeted areas

Provide caregivers of children between 6-59 months with nutrition supplements to boost their capacity of the immune system

Support pregnant women and caregivers of children under two years with nutrition education and family Mid-Upper-Arm Circumference (MUAC) training

Determine the optimal and sub-optimal practices needing improvement.

Support in conducting assessments and surveys throughout the project (rapid assessments, pre/post tests, baseline/end line, vulnerability assessments, MAMI, etc.) as needed

Conduct and follow up on referrals requested by the caregivers on nutrition, health, WASH, mental health, food security, protection, etc.

Objective 2: Data collection and reporting (15%)

Report the challenges faced through the implementation process and provide possible solutions relevant to the context and culture as well as best practices and lessons learned

File, document, and report work progress to the Nutrition HoP

Ensure all activities are accurately documented and tracked

Objective 3:   Stakeholder coordination (10%)

Coordinate with local partners (NGOs and PHCCs) for better referrals pathway

Support in building the relations between Action Against Hunger, authorities, municipalities, and communities.

Objective 4: Support humanitarian activities of Action Against Hunger (10%)

Support the emergency interventions of the organization as per the employee’s abilities.

Support any activity that helps reaching our humanitarian goals, as per the employee’s abilities.

Promote the gender equality within the humanitarian work

Objective 5 – Security

Respect the security rules specified in the mission and base security plan, see to it that the team under his/her responsibility complies with the security plan and perform the security management tasks that can be assigned in its protocols.

Communicate to the security managers of the working location any security related information or noncompliance with the security plan

Objective 6: Gender & Safeguarding (cross-cutting)

Promote safe and equitable environments, through knowledge and application of the protocol against harassment and gender policy.

Knowledge and compliance with safeguarding policy.

Promote gender equality within the humanitarian and/or development work

Action against Hunger is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work such as but not limited to sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and/or financial misconduct; We expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through endorsing our code of conduct and other related policies and only those who share our values and code of conduct will be recruited to work for us.

Qualifications:

Training/ Education: Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics or relevant degree.

Technical specific knowledge: Knowledge about infant and young child feeding, child growth, nutrition during the life cycle, acute malnutrition, chronic undernutrition, child development and micronutrient deficiencies. 

Additional knowledge and abilities about the alignment of nutrition with maternal and child health, and food security and livelihoods programs

Experience in humanitarian and development organizations is desirable.

Humanitarian sector knowledge: Desirable

Action Against Hunger knowledge: Desirable, not compulsory

Languages: Native Arabic (compulsory) and Very good English (compulsory)

IT and specific systems: Excellent knowledge of MS Office suite

Good knowledge of Kobo Collect/ODK

Mobility (national/ international): National