Regional Program Coordinators at Nutrition International

Regional Program Coordinators at Nutrition International

Job Title: Regional Program Coordinators
Deadline: 22nd November, 2019 

Nutrition International (NI) is an international not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and nutrition of the world’s most vulnerable – especially women and children. NI seeks to recruit three (3) Regional Program Coordinators (RPCs) to provide program oversight in the regions of Mwanza, Simiyu and Tabora. The main role of the Regional Program Coordinators (RPCs) is to provide technical assistance to the Regional, Councils and Service Delivery Points (SDPs), oversee workplan implementation and budget execution, act as a liaison officer between Councils in the regions, PORALG, NI Tanzania and partners, and to facilitate effective program implementation and advocacy. The RPC works closely with Regional Secretariat (mainly Regional Health Management Team, and Regional Multisectoral Nutrition Steering Committee); Councils (mainly Council Health Management Team, and Council Multisectoral Nutrition Steering Committees).

The RPC will have the following qualifications:

Essential
• Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health Nutrition, Human Nutrition, Dietetics or related discipline; Master’s Degree in Public Health, Epidemiology and related discipline preferred.
• Familiarity with Maternal, newborn, Infant, Young Child and Adolescent health and Nutrition, including programming for Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation, Vitamin A Supplementation, Universal Salt Iodation and Food Fortification in Tanzania.
• Experience in providing Technical Assistance to Government Structures including MoHCDGEC, PORALG, RHMTs, CHMTs and Service delivery points.
• Skills and experience in quantitative and qualitative data collection and interpretation.
• Strong expertise in health system strengthening.
• Excellent communication skills; both written and orally.
• Good command of English and Kiswahili languages.

Preferred
• Experience working with government agencies and international (I)NGOs.
• Experience in advocacy and influencing strategies.
• Preference will be given to those residing in the respective regions.

1.0 Brief Summary
Over the next five years, NI Tanzania will be implementing its Country Strategy (2019-2024) with a focus on four main interventions, namely:
a) Universal Salt Iodation (USI) – using “a consolidation approach” which will work in seven (7) out of fourteen (14) salt producing regions namely Lindi, Mtwara, Pwani, Dar Es Salaam, Tanga, Manyara and Simiyu region; covering only salt-producing councils;
b) Vitamin A Supplementation program (VAS) – continue providing in-kind Vitamin A Capsules for children aged 6 to 59 months country wide (Mainland and Zanzibar), to maintain good VAS coverages through Child Health and Nutrition Months (CHNM) as well as supporting regions to routinise VAS;
c) Adolescent Nutrition involving Nutrition Education and Counselling along with the provision of Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation adolescent girls) currently implemented under Right Start (RS) initiative, and
d) Maternal and Newborn Nutrition which focuses on the first “1000 Days” also under Right Start addressing update of Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) among pregnant women and Early Initiation and Exclusive breastfeeding to babies. Both, Maternal, Infant, Young Child and Adolescent Nutrition (MIYCAN) will be implemented in the focus regions including Mwanza, Simiyu and Tabora. Well coordinated, efficient and effective programming at regional level is critical to ensure high levels of transparency and accountability at PORALG. To this end, more support is needed at regional level to support PORALG to deliver to the expectations of NI Tanzania.

2.0 Overall functions of the Regional Program Coordinators:
Nutrition International proposes to recruit Regional Program Coordinators (RPCs) to provide the oversight role for its programs in its implementation areas. The main role of the Regional Program Coordinators (RPCs) is to provide technical assistance to the Regional, Councils and Service Delivery Points (SDPs), oversee workplan implementation and budget execution, act as a liaison officer between Councils in the regions, PORALG, NI Tanzania and partners, and to facilitate effective program implementation and advocacy. The RPC works closely with Regional Secretariat (mainly Regional Health Management Team, and Regional Multisectoral Nutrition Steering Committee); Councils (mainly Council Health Management Team, and Council Multisectoral Nutrition Steering Committees) and other nutrition stakeholders in improving access to quality health and nutrition interventions provided at service delivery platforms (mainly schools, health facilities, and community).

3.0 Specific Roles and Responsibilities include:
3.1 Project Development
• Support the regional program team in gathering relevant information from the councils on context and landscape to inform MNCAHN programming decisions
• With support from Senior Program Officers (SPOs), support regions and councils to identify gaps, prioritize interventions and support project design processes

3.2 Project Implementation
• Work closely with CHMTs in respective regions to ensure that approved work plans and budgets are integrated into the Government Planning, Budgeting and Reporting tool-the so called “PlanRep” and reflected into Comprehensive Council Health Plans and budgets (CCHPs),
• Ensure that planned activities are implemented as scheduled and as per approved regional budgets, challenges are identified, communicated to both PORALG and NI, and recommended corrective actions provided in a timely manner,
• In collaboration with Regional Secretariat (RHMTs) and Local Government Authorities (CHMTs), conduct site monitoring of the planned activities at service delivery points (health facilities, schools and community levels),
• Guide the Regional Secretariat (RHMTs) and LGA (CHMTs) to institute quality improvement
initiatives within the supported health facilities,
• Assess needs and provide recommendations, ToR and tools for R/CHMTs to conduct quality
supportive supervision,
• Support R/CHMTs to conduct supportive supervision and mentorship visits to the health facilities to ensure that maternal and child health services are provided according to national standards and protocols.
• Work with R/CHMTs to ensure dissemination and utilisation of MNCAH protocols, guidelines and job aids at facilities and community levels

3.3 Project Monitoring, Reporting and Documentation
• Follow up with councils to ensure quality and timely submission of both technical and financial reports to Regional Secretariat and PORALG;
• Ensure timely submission of both technical and financial reports to NI in the highest acceptable quality as possible;
• In liaison with SPO, participate in planning, coordination and execution of Monitoring and Reporting activities including M&E capacity assessment, performance review at regional and LGA level.
• Compile monthly progress reports as per schedule of tasks planned highlighting key action to be addressed
• Support R/CHMT to develop TOR and organize regular program progress reviews and take appropriate corrective actions and monitor their implementation
• Support R/CHMT to identify monitoring and reporting gaps, corrective actions as well as in developing and supporting capacity buildings activities in the regions.
• In consultation with BCI Officer, SPO, M&E and Advocacy & communication teams, ensure proper documentation and dissemination of achievements, lessons learnt, and best practices throughout the program implementation

3.4 Financial oversight
• Provide guidance to assigned Regions and councils to ensure activities are implemented in accordance with approved budget.
• Provide an additional layer of review for all NI related financial transactions and reports based on the agreed regional and council work plans.
• Liaise with SPO and Finance Officer (FO) on any unforeseen budget re- alignment and variations

3.5 Advocacy
• Identify priority advocacy issues related to health and nutrition at the assigned regions and councils in consultation with SPO, Advocacy and Communication Officer (ACO).
• Support planning and coordination of NI advocacy activities at the assigned Regions
• Support execution of follow up of actions at the regional and council level as agreed during advocacy events

3.6 Representation & Networking
• Participate and represent NI in various nutrition and health coordination forums including Technical Working Group meetings and other multi-sectoral forums at regional and council level ensuring NI visibility and identifying leverage opportunities
• Facilitate development and execution of functional multi-sectoral nutrition coordinated structures at regional and LGA levels
• Build and maintain good collaborative relationship with PORALG, MoHCDGEC, Regional Secretariat and LGAs and other partners by promoting information sharing and spearheading the MNCAHN advocacy agenda

3.7 Summary of Key Deliverables
• Annual Technical Assistance plan prepared and submitted to focal person within NI.
• Quarterly Field monitoring and supervisory visit plan.
• Monthly reports which provides adequate information on progress with the program implementation in the state, any landscape changes, achievements, challenges and mitigation strategies, lessons and next steps submitted by the 5th of every other month.
• Monthly TA reports which details TA provided to the Regional Secretariat and LGAs in line with the TA plan and field supervisory visits conducted during the month submitted by the 5th of every other month.
• Update inventory/distribution data as well as coverage data from the DHIS and other community platforms shared together with the progress report.
• All deliverables should be delivered in soft copies, reviewed and approved by NI Country office focal person.

HOW TO APPLY:
Interested applicants should forward their resume and cover letter indicating their region of interest to Tanzania@NUTRITIONINTL.ORG quoting “Regional Program Coordinator – Region XXX” in the subject line. Applications closes by Close of Business November 22nd, 2019.