Health and Nutrition Officer

With 75 years of experience, our focus is on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. We help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith.

Come join our 31,000+ staff working in nearly 100 countries and share the joy of transforming vulnerable children’s life stories!

Employee Contract Type:

Local - Fixed Term Employee (Fixed Term)

Job Description:

Under the DHR/USG project, The Health and Nutrition Officer is responsible for supporting the effective planning, coordination, implementation, and monitoring of integrated health and nutrition interventions across targeted woredas. Working under the guidance of the Zonal EHF Project Coordinator and in close collaboration with national and field-level technical teams, the officer ensures that project activities are delivered in line with approved plans, donor requirements, national guidelines, and organizational standards. The role focuses on strengthening service delivery through Primary Health Care Units (PHCUs), facilitating nutrition and health assessments, and ensuring timely and quality implementation of interventions that address the needs of conflict-affected and vulnerable populations.

The officer plays a key role in coordinating field operations, supporting supervision of service delivery and related infrastructure activities, and promoting strong integration between health and nutrition services. S/he collaborates closely with Area Program teams, sector leads, government counterparts, and humanitarian partners to ensure alignment with national priorities and enhance coordinated responses. Additionally, the officer contributes to monitoring project progress, documenting outcomes, and preparing timely reports, while actively participating in coordination platforms. Through these efforts, the position supports the accountable and efficient delivery of integrated services, improving access to essential health and nutrition care for vulnerable communities in emergency and protracted settings.

Major Roles and Responsibilities:

Location of Work : Goncha

Nutrition Screening, Case Finding, and Referral Systems

• Lead systematic MUAC screening for children under five and PLW through community platforms, GMP, EOS, CHD, and outreach services.
•  Strengthen active case finding through Family MUAC and community-level approaches.
• Ensure timely identification and referral of SAM and MAM cases to OTP, SC, and TSFP services.
• Maintain strong referral linkages and follow-up mechanisms.

CMAM Service Readiness and Treatment Support

• Support delivery of quality CMAM services (OTP, SC, TSFP) aligned with national protocols and SPHERE standards.
•  Provide technical support for SAM/MAM case management.
• Ensure availability and proper use of equipment and job aids.
• Promote integrated service delivery within routine health services.

IYCF-E and Maternal/Caregiver Support

• Implement IYCF-E interventions including breastfeeding promotion and complementary feeding counseling.
• Establish and support Mother-to-Mother Support Groups and breastfeeding spaces.
• Conduct cooking demonstrations and practical feeding sessions.
• Ensure safe and appropriate use of BMS in line with guidelines.

CMAM Supply and Logistics Management

• Ensure uninterrupted availability of nutrition commodities (RUTF, therapeutic milk, essential drugs).
• Monitor stock, distribution, and storage conditions.
• Facilitate last-mile supply delivery and coordination with pipeline partners.
•  Ensure proper documentation and accountability.  

Health Service Support, Outbreak Prevention, Surveillance, and RCCE

• Support delivery of essential primary health care services linked to nutrition, including maternal, newborn, and child health and management of communicable diseases.
•  Promote immunization (routine and catch-up), growth monitoring, and key child health interventions.
• Strengthen early detection, referral, and management of common childhood illnesses (diarrhea, pneumonia, malaria).
•  Strengthen IDSR, EWARS, and PHEM systems for early warning, detection, and response to outbreaks.
•  Support outbreak investigation, reporting, and coordination with relevant authorities.
• Lead risk communication and community engagement (RCCE), including community-based surveillance and health promotion activities.  Ensure integration of health, nutrition, and WASH services at community and facility levels.

Nutrition Service Quality Assurance and Capacity Building

• Conduct supportive supervision and mentoring for health workers and HEWs.
•  Ensure adherence to CMAM and IYCF-E protocols.
•  Facilitate training and joint supportive supervision.
•  Conduct quarterly review and performance meetings.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting, and Learning (MEAL)

• Ensure timely and accurate data collection and reporting.
•  Monitor key nutrition indicators and program performance.
•  Conduct assessments and data quality checks.

Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement

• Coordinate with Woreda Health Offices, Nutrition Cluster, and partners.
• Participate in coordination platforms and technical working groups.
• Ensure alignment with national strategies and programs.

  

Required Qualifications and Minimum Work Experience:

• BSc degree in Nutrition / Public Health Nutrition, Public Health, Public Health, Nursing or Midwifery, Health Officer or related health sciences field and related health field of study preferred from accredited universities or health colleges

Certificates on:

• Formal training in Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) is required.
• Certified or documented training in IYCF in Emergencies (IYCF‑E) is strongly preferred.
• Training in CMAM (Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition).
• Training in Breastfeeding Counseling (BFC) or IYCF counseling skills.
• Training in Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) or community mobilization is an advantage.
• Familiarity with Family MUAC approach training is desirable.
• Minimum 3–5 years of relevant professional experience in health and/or nutrition programming.
• Demonstrated experience in emergency or humanitarian settings, preferably in conflict-affected or hard-to-reach areas.

Experience in implementation of:

• CMAM (OTP, SC, TSFP)
• IYCF and IYCF‑E interventions
• Primary health care and disease prevention programs
• Hands-on experience working with government health systems (PHCUs, Woreda Health Offices).
• Experience in nutrition screening, active case finding, referral systems, and outpatient and inpatient case management.
• Proven experience in training, mentoring, and supportive supervision of health staff and HEWs.
• Experience in multi-sectoral emergency response coordination (health, nutrition, WASH, protection).
• Experience in reporting, data management, and monitoring systems (e.g., DHIS2, CMAM tools).

Applicant Types Accepted:

Local Applicants Only