UNICEF Rwanda
TERMS OF REFERENCE
STRETCH ASSIGMENT, Nutrition Specialist
Location:
Level:
Duration:
Start date:
Reporting to:
Rwanda Country Office
P4
3 months
As soon as possible (target: before end of April)
Chief of Child Survival and Development
1. Background and rationale
UNICEF Rwanda Country Office is in the process of recruiting a Nutrition Specialist. The
position will be vacant as the current incumbent has accepted a new appointment and will be
leaving during the first week of May 2015. The office has commenced the recruitment process. ,
In order to avoid a gap during this transition period, the office needs support to cover the key
critical assignments of the post and is offering a stretch assignment opportunity for a Nutrition
Specialist at L-4 level lasting for three months.
UNICEF Rwanda Country Office has a strong upstream development nutrition programme with
very high government ownership in a strong dynamic SWAP programming environment
implemented through a vibrant One UN mechanism. The programme highlights include strong
elements of high level evidence based advocacy, a demanding development partners and donor
community, multisectoral and interministerial co-ordination as well as household centred,
community based, and district specific and driven national scale up of nutrition interventions to
eliminate stunting. UNICEF multiyear funded programme support to the government is in 18 of
the 30 districts with a budget envelop of more than 22million USD over a 3 year period. The
Nutrition programme has a strong cross cutting social and behavioral change communication
programme, a dev. info based monitoring system as well as inbuilt use of modern innovative
mobile technology in proactive tracking children to prevent stunting.
2. Scope of the assignment
Under the guidance of the Chief of Child Survival and Development, the incumbent will be
expected to ensure that accountabilities, duties and tasks contribute effectively to the following
key end results:
KEY END-RESULTS:
1. Nutrition is effectively integrated as part of Child Survival and Development programme with
high coherence and synergy and effectively managed based on high level of results based
management, with human rights based approach lens and gender responsive programme for a
maximum impact in eliminating stunting in Rwanda.
2. Effective nutrition programme management is ensured using sectoral work plans and activities
formulated, implemented and monitored as well as aligned to defined programme strategies
and approaches, with special attention to gender/sex/geographical disaggregated data or
relevant indicators as well as extensive programme linkages to ECD and family initiative,
vulnerability protection systems for children and adolescent programming.
3. Knowledge management effectively promoted through developing a strong functional
documentation system - including developing key nutrition sectoral programme documents
and reports, sharing good practice, lessons learned, and ensuring knowledge/information
exchange.
4. UNICEF’s global and regional goals and strategies effectively promoted through advocacy
and policy
ACCOUNTABILITIES and DUTIES & TASKS:
1. As the Nutrition Specialist, provide leadership, guidance and direction for coordinated
sectoral/inter-sectoral nutrition programme development, design, planning, implementation,
and management of the Embassy of Kingdom of Netherland (EKN) and Global Dutch
funded Nutrition projects. Maintain supervisory oversight on the monthly partners’ coordination meeting; the Technical Working Group meeting and the intersectoral meetings.
2. Ensure that regional nutrition indicators prioritized by the UNICEF Rwanda office are tracked
within the period of assignment. Provide leadership for effective and continuous integration
of Nutrition in the CSD programme. Lead the Nutrition Unit in the office wide cross cutting
initiatives including HIVAIDs, ECD and Family and Children living with Disability project.
3. Ensure that the second quarter District planning process and implementation of the EKN and
GoN projects in 18 districts is conducted successfully. Specifically be responsible for effective
programme finance management including disbursements and tracking of direct cash transfers
to partners and review of partners’ reports. Maintain supervisory oversight on the partners’
performance indicators reports into the Country office Monitoring Database. Ensure all
Donor reports within the reporting period are quality checked and submitted before due dates.
4. Lead the further strengthening of the use of Dev Info and RapidSMS to monitor
implementation of the nutrition programme in 18 districts
5. Ensure the strengthening of the knowledge management process by supervising the
development of the TORs for the Documentation of the EKN project to distil best practices
and lessons learnt in the 10 districts and successful implementation of the consultancy.
6. Maintain supervisory oversight in the harmonization of nutrition monitoring Tools for
National Nutrition Programme-sponsored by the REACH program. Ensure orientation and
training programmes targeted to government authorities are implemented.
7. Conduct at least 2 periodic HACT related Nutrition programme monitoring during the
assignment period and facilitate at least 1 Joint CSD monitoring field trip.
8. As the Nutrition Specialist, hold the Weekly Nutrition Unit meeting, attend the CSD monthly
meetings and all Country office management and Committee meetings linked to the Post of
Nutrition specialist as highlighted in the UNICEF Rwanda Country office Annual
Management Plan. Support a proper handover process for the incoming Nutrition Specialist.
WORKING ARRANGEMENTS AND TIMELINE
The assignment will cover a period of 3 months (expected to overlap with the incoming
Nutrition Specialist) and will be under the supervision of the Chief CSD;
QUALIFICATIONS AND KEY COMPETENCIES
Candidates should fulfill the following requirements:
a) Education
Advanced university degree in one of the disciplines of Human Nutrition, Public Health
Nutrition, Public Health, International Health & Nutrition, Public Health & Nutrition
Policy and Management, Family Health & Nutrition, Nutritional Epidemiology, Health &
Nutrition Education, Health & Nutrition Promotion and Disease Prevention and Public
Health. Training in gender and in nutrition programmes that promote gender equality an
asset.
b) Work Experience
Eight years of relevant professional work experience with strong developing country work
track record and familiarity/background with Emergency. Experience of countries with
upstream development programming process as well as SWAP. Strong skills in
multisectoral co-ordination and high level evidence based advocacy are desired.
Familiarity/background in monitoring gender inequalities and in programming
interventions as well as effective use of monitoring results for equity systems to support
the reduction of these inequalities will be an asset.
c) Language Proficiency
Fluency in English. Fluency in French will be an added advantage.
Interested staff members should discuss this stretch assignment with their supervisor and obtain
supervisor’s agreement before sending their application. Upon receipt of supervisor’s agreement,
they should send an e-mail with the following subject title “Stretch Assignment: Nutrition
Specialist, P-4, UNICEF Rwanda” to rwajobs@unicef.org by cob 20 April-15. The e-mail
should include an up-to-date P-11 or e-recruitment profile, two latest PERs and a cover letter
outlining motivation for applying and career goals. Selected staff member will be expected to start
within seven (7) days on notification.
Candidates considered potentially well matched for the stretch assignment will be contacted for
an informal interview. Supervisors may also be contacted for references.
Please note that UNICEF Rwanda will cover the DSA (at 50%) and economy class round-trip
airfare. The staff member will continue to receive his/her salary from the sending office during
deployment.