Nutrition Assistants - Palorinya job at Lutheran World Federation (LWF)

LWF World Service is the humanitarian and development arm of the Lutheran World Federation. We are a widely recognized, international, faith-based organization working in over 20 countries. We seek to bring people of all backgrounds together in the common quest for justice, peace, and reconciliation in an increasingly complex and fragmented world.

A commitment to the human rights of every individual, regardless of their status, guides our work, actions, and operations. We are particularly known for our timely, compassionate, and professional humanitarian work, and for our field presence in hard-to-reach areas. Our work is people-centered and community- based. Above all, we work with the most vulnerable, and in order to claim and uphold their rights, we engage proactively with local government and community structures.

LWF Uganda works closely with United Nations agencies (UNHCR, UNFPA, UNICEF, WFP), PRM, EU/ECHO, BFTW, etc. LWF Related and faith-based agencies and their back donors.

For additional information, please see www.lutheranworld.org /World Service.

The LWF Uganda Program is looking for a qualified and experienced person to fill the following position:

Job Summary:

Under the direct supervision of the Nutrition Officer, the incumbent will support the day-to-day implementation of the targeted Supplementary Feeding Programme, Care Group activities, and nutrition sensitive interventions across Palorinya and Adjumani refugee settlements and nearby host communities.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Work closely with health workers, VHTs and lead mothers to ensure complete and effective early case identification, referral and management of acute malnutrition for malnourished children under 5 and pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls from both community and health facility according to the Ministry of Health Uganda IMAM guidelines.
• Enroll eligible beneficiaries into the nutrition program as per the project and IMAM guidelines and take lead in conducting Nutrition Status Assessment at the health facilities and during integrated health outreaches using anthropometric assessment tools for clients.
• Conduct home visits to follow up on TSFP patients and discharge patients as per MAM treatment protocols.
• Support health workers during integrated outreaches in the identification, management, and referral of acute malnutrition among children under five and pregnant and breastfeeding women.
• Ensure functionality of the IYCF corners within the health facilities.
• Oversee proper management, handling and storage of food and related nutrition supplies.
• Participate in the development, review and dissemination of IEC materials on IMAM, MIYCAN and IYCF.
• Facilitate sensitization sessions on nutrition and health education including essential nutrition actions, infant and young child feeding and prevention of hygiene-related diseases in refugee settlements and host communities.
• Ensure effective implementation of the care group approach and behavior change promotion in the communities.
• Participate in and support GFA distributions and verifications in your areas of coverage.
• Ensure that health facilities and VHTs are supported with equipment, reporting tools and other logistical supplies required for effective screening, management and referral of malnutrition among the targeted beneficiaries.
• Build the capacity of community health staff in nutritional screening, early case detection, referral pathways and reporting.
• Support functionality of care groups and ensure care group volunteers are equipped with the necessary tools and materials required for routine activities particularly modular training and home visits.
• Facilitate capacity building activities (mentorship, CMEs, trainings) targeting health workers and village health teams to provide effective treatment and management of acute malnutrition in line with IMAM guidelines and protocols.
• Support mentorship efforts of health workers and district health teams on MIYCAN, IMAM, effective operation of IYCF corners and WASH support
• Build capacity of TSFP clients and caregivers in management of acute malnutrition within their household.
• Participate identification of beneficiaries (pregnant and breastfeeding women/ caretakers of children aged 0-23 months) and updating the beneficiary information.
• Participate in the periodic nutrition screening to assess GAM level in the community.
• Oversee the collection, handling, analysis and reporting of data related to nutrition screening, client follow up and NFIs in accordance the MOH guidelines and HMIS tools.
• Prepare quality weekly and monthly reports in standard reporting format in accordance to donor and LWF requirements.
• Participate in all project review assessments, surveys and studies.
• Organize monthly review meetings with VHTs and care group volunteers and ensure timely reporting of community-based structures for their respective catchment areas.
• Ensure that staff under your supervision (VHTs/volunteers) are effectively engaged in their tasks and perform their duties according to LWF expectations.
• Identify training needs for Health workers and community health workers and Care group volunteers under your supervision and suggest an appropriate training plan.
• Mobilize communities and community leaders to participate in LWF project community activities and organize regular community meetings to address areas for program improvement
• Participate in internal and external meetings according to the Nutrition officer’s guidance
• Actively participate in events organized in the refugee and host community settings
• Attend interagency meetings and field visits as required by the Nutrition Coordinator.
• Coordinate with other sections of LWF and all other stakeholders in the settlement
• Represent the project in relevant local forums and contribute to knowledge-sharing platforms.

Qualifications

• A minimum Diploma in Human Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics or related fields is required.
• A bachelor’s degree Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Food Science is an added advantage.
• Training on IMAM and MIYCAN.
• Minimum 2 years of nutrition field experience implementing IMAM/MIYCAN.
• Experience implementing the care group approach.
• At least 1 year of experience in nutrition programming, preferably in humanitarian or development contexts.
• Experience working in West Nile or with refugee and host communities is highly desirable.
• Fluency in English and at least one local language spoken in the West Nile region is an added advantage.

LWF is an equal opportunity employer, irrespective of gender, race or religious affiliation. LWF is a signatory to the Code of Conduct for humanitarian agencies. Our recruitment and selection procedures reflect the organization’s commitment to the prevention of abuse and exploitation of beneficiaries.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

• Work closely with health workers, VHTs and lead mothers to ensure complete and effective early case identification, referral and management of acute malnutrition for malnourished children under 5 and pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls from both community and health facility according to the Ministry of Health Uganda IMAM guidelines.
• Enroll eligible beneficiaries into the nutrition program as per the project and IMAM guidelines and take lead in conducting Nutrition Status Assessment at the health facilities and during integrated health outreaches using anthropometric assessment tools for clients.
• Conduct home visits to follow up on TSFP patients and discharge patients as per MAM treatment protocols.
• Support health workers during integrated outreaches in the identification, management, and referral of acute malnutrition among children under five and pregnant and breastfeeding women.
• Ensure functionality of the IYCF corners within the health facilities.
• Oversee proper management, handling and storage of food and related nutrition supplies.
• Participate in the development, review and dissemination of IEC materials on IMAM, MIYCAN and IYCF.
• Facilitate sensitization sessions on nutrition and health education including essential nutrition actions, infant and young child feeding and prevention of hygiene-related diseases in refugee settlements and host communities.
• Ensure effective implementation of the care group approach and behavior change promotion in the communities.
• Participate in and support GFA distributions and verifications in your areas of coverage.
• Ensure that health facilities and VHTs are supported with equipment, reporting tools and other logistical supplies required for effective screening, management and referral of malnutrition among the targeted beneficiaries.
• Build the capacity of community health staff in nutritional screening, early case detection, referral pathways and reporting.
• Support functionality of care groups and ensure care group volunteers are equipped with the necessary tools and materials required for routine activities particularly modular training and home visits.
• Facilitate capacity building activities (mentorship, CMEs, trainings) targeting health workers and village health teams to provide effective treatment and management of acute malnutrition in line with IMAM guidelines and protocols.
• Support mentorship efforts of health workers and district health teams on MIYCAN, IMAM, effective operation of IYCF corners and WASH support
• Build capacity of TSFP clients and caregivers in management of acute malnutrition within their household.
• Participate identification of beneficiaries (pregnant and breastfeeding women/ caretakers of children aged 0-23 months) and updating the beneficiary information.
• Participate in the periodic nutrition screening to assess GAM level in the community.
• Oversee the collection, handling, analysis and reporting of data related to nutrition screening, client follow up and NFIs in accordance the MOH guidelines and HMIS tools.
• Prepare quality weekly and monthly reports in standard reporting format in accordance to donor and LWF requirements.
• Participate in all project review assessments, surveys and studies.
• Organize monthly review meetings with VHTs and care group volunteers and ensure timely reporting of community-based structures for their respective catchment areas.
• Ensure that staff under your supervision (VHTs/volunteers) are effectively engaged in their tasks and perform their duties according to LWF expectations.
• Identify training needs for Health workers and community health workers and Care group volunteers under your supervision and suggest an appropriate training plan.
• Mobilize communities and community leaders to participate in LWF project community activities and organize regular community meetings to address areas for program improvement
• Participate in internal and external meetings according to the Nutrition officer’s guidance
• Actively participate in events organized in the refugee and host community settings
• Attend interagency meetings and field visits as required by the Nutrition Coordinator.
• Coordinate with other sections of LWF and all other stakeholders in the settlement
• Represent the project in relevant local forums and contribute to knowledge-sharing platforms.

• Nutrition assessment
• IMAM guidelines
• MIYCAN
• IYCF
• Care group approach
• Behavior change promotion
• Community mobilization
• Reporting
• Data collection and analysis
• Mentorship
• Training facilitation
• English fluency
• Local language proficiency (West Nile region)

• Diploma in Human Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics or related fields
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Food Science (added advantage)
• Training on IMAM and MIYCAN