About UNICEF

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential from early childhood through adolescence.

The organization is committed to promoting the rights of every child, which is not just a job, but a calling. At UNICEF, careers are built, and diverse opportunities for personal and professional development are offered to staff.

A culture that helps staff thrive is fostered at UNICEF, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Nigeria - A Challenge

Nigeria has the second highest number of malnourished children in the world and the highest in Africa. Malnutrition, in all its forms, is a violation of children's right to adequate nutrition. To change the narrative, UNICEF aims to deliver good quality prevention and treatment services at scale to build resilience and protect the most vulnerable, particularly during the First 1000 Days of Life.

Focus areas include strengthening the enabling environment, systems, especially the health, food, and social protection system, to deliver high-quality services, and addressing social and behavioral practices that influence diets and practices.

Sokoto Field Office

The Sokoto Field Office is classified as an emergency duty post and oversees the implementation of UNICEF's programs across the humanitarian, development, and peace nexus. Two focus states (Sokoto and Zamfara) are classified as humanitarian states due to banditry, ethnic conflict, and natural disasters that have resulted in displacements of people and increased prevalence and severity of malnutrition among children.

In Sokoto state, 16.6% of children aged 0-59 months are wasted, and 3.5% suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition. In Zamfara state, 10.4% of children aged 0-59 months are wasted, and 1.1% suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition (2024 SMART survey).

The Role of the Nutrition Specialist

The Nutrition Specialist supports the development and preparation of the nutrition program and is responsible for managing, implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and reporting the program progress of a sector of the nutrition program within the country program.

The specialist provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes to facilitate the administration and achievement of concrete and sustainable results in maternal, infant, and child nutrition programs/projects.

This is carried out according to plans, allocation, results-based management approaches, and methodology (RBM), as well as UNICEF's Strategic Plans, standards of performance, and accountability framework.

Main Responsibilities

• Support to programme development and planning: Contribute to the development of the nutrition program and provide technical guidance on nutrition-related issues.
• Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results: Oversee the implementation of the nutrition program, monitor progress, and ensure timely delivery of results.
• Technical and operational support to programme implementation: Provide technical assistance and operational support to ensure the successful implementation of the nutrition program.
• Networking and partnership building: Establish and maintain partnerships with key stakeholders to promote the nutrition program and secure funding.
• Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building: Identify opportunities for innovation and knowledge sharing to enhance the effectiveness of the nutrition program.

Requirements and Qualifications

To qualify for this role, you will need:

Education: An advanced university degree in one of the following fields: nutrition, public health, nutritional epidemiology, global/international health and nutrition, health/nutrition research, policy, and/or management, health sciences, or another health-related science field.

Work Experience: A minimum of five years of professional experience in a developing country in one or more of the following areas: nutrition, public health, nutrition planning and management, or maternal, infant, and child health/nutrition care.

Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

Estimated Salary: $85,000 - $110,000 per annum

About the Location

This role is based in Nigeria, a country with a rich cultural heritage and diverse landscapes.