UNWFP - Beirut - Programme Policy Officer (Nutritionist) SC8

- This position is open to qualified Lebanese candidates only.

- Female candidates in particular are encouraged to apply.

- Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

Organizational background

Assisting 91.4 million people in 83 countries each year, the World Food Programme (WFP) is the leading humanitarian organization saving lives and changing lives, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. As the international community has committed to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition by 2030, one in nine people worldwide still do not have enough to eat. Food and food-related assistance lie at the heart of the struggle to break the cycle of hunger and poverty.

WFP’s global mandate is committed to the prevention of all forms of malnutrition which includes preventing stunting, wasting and micronutrient deficiencies as well as, reducing factors that lead to overweight and obesity. Interventions addressing the immediate causes of malnutrition are essential, and they should be complemented by interventions that address the underlying and root causes. Meeting nutrient requirements during the first 1000 days is a prerequisite for preventing malnutrition. WFP's efforts in Lebanon in nutrition are focused on ensuring that nutrient needs are met, which means that where necessary, specific nutrient-dense products may be used. WFP advocates for meeting nutrition needs through a variety of mechanism and actions, including Infant Young Child Feeding campaigns. Disease needs to be controlled, hygiene and feeding practices need to be safe and appropriate (including breastfeeding), and individuals and populations need to be aware and empowered to address all the issues affecting nutrition.

WFP Lebanon seeks to launch a mainstreaming initiative for nutrition-sensitive programming. Investments in nutrition-specific interventions to avert maternal and child undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies through community engagement and delivery strategies that can reach poor segments of the population at greatest risk can make a significant difference. If this improved access is linked to nutrition-sensitive approaches across multiple sectors such as—i.e., women's empowerment, agriculture, food systems, education, employment, social protection, and safety nets—they can greatly accelerate progress in countries with the highest burden of maternal and child undernutrition and mortality.

Job Purpose

WFP Lebanon is seeking a Nutritionist to be based in Beirut, Lebanon.

The successful candidate will support WFP’s overall implementation of its nutrition-sensitive programming initiative for programme activities targeting food insecure refugees, extremely poor Lebanese communities, school-age children, and participants in livelihood and resilience programmes that seek to build resilience, assets and human capacity.

The incumbent will report to the Head of the Programme Support in the WFP Lebanon Country Office.   

Accountabilities:

Under the supervision of the Head of Programme Support, the incumbent will be responsible for the following tasks:

1. Contribute to the development of nutrition projects and activities, plans and processes, ensuring alignment with wider nutrition policies and guidance.
2. Provide project management support to specific and defined nutrition-sensitive and nutrition projects, assessments and activities, ensuring a co-ordinated approach with wider programmes/projects that complies with WFP standards and procedures.
3. Collaborate with WFP Regional Bureau of Cairo (RBC) to design, implement, assess a country-wide capacity enhancement programme for all staff to introduce and mainstream nutrition-sensitive programming.
4. Develop and co-ordinate with the Regional Bureau of Cairo (RBC) School-based, Nutrition and HIV advisor, nutrition team and country office research, assessment and monitoring units a data gathering and monitoring and assessment system, ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained.
5. Contribute to the timely and accurate delivery of corporate and donor report requirements on nutrition programmes and activities to enable informed decision-making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.
6. Support the identification of potential partners and partnership negotiations to ensure a collaborative and holistic approach with a variety of stakeholders (internal and external) to meeting nutrition needs
7. Provide guidance to country office staff, acting as a point of referral and assisting them with analysis and queries as pertains to nutrition.
8. Effective working relationships with internal and external counterparts and partners are kept and maintained for advocacy, technical coordination, information and knowledge sharing.
9. Participate in inter-agency forums and government meetings, acting in the capacity of nutrition focal point for WFP.
10. Perform other duties as may be required from time to time.

Minimum Qualifications:    

Education: Advanced University degree in Public Health, Nutrition, Economics, Agriculture, International Affairs, Business Administration, Social Sciences, Development Studies or other related fields or First University degree with additional years of relevant work experience and/or trainings/courses.

Experience:  At least three (3) years of post-graduate professional experience in the fields of programme implementation, monitoring, performance assessment, and/or research if holding an advanced degree (Master's degree), or five (5) years of post-graduate experience if holding a first university degree (bachelor’s degree).

Language:   Fluency in both oral and written communication in English and Arabic. 

     DESIRED EXPERIENCES & COMPETENCIES:

• Experience in launching and implementing nutrition programmes.
• Experience in identifying and defining nutrition issues/problems within a country.
• Experience in and exposure to implementation of national/international development programmes related to health-hygiene, public health, nutrition, Infant Young Child Feeding Practices or related areas.
• Experience in implementation of nutrition interventions through community-based platforms, and integration of nutrition across multi-sectoral programmes is a plus.
• Understanding of the theory and application of food security, nutrition, and women’s empowerment programs and their operational systems.
• Good writing and communication skills.