Save the Children Jobs in Somalia - Health and Nutrition Project Manager

Save the Children is the world’s largest independent organization, making immediate and long-lasting improvements to children’s lives in over 120 countries worldwide. Save the Children is made up of 27 member organizations across the globe.
Through Unified Presence, Save the Children aims to create a stronger voice for children by unifying the operations in all countries where more than one Save the Children Member organizations operates. This will result in one organization at the national level in each country and a unified programme delivery structure for all Save the Children Alliance Members.
Save the Children has a long history of engagement in Somalia and has been working in Somalia and Somaliland for the past 40 years. Save the Children has a unified presence in Somalia and Somaliland since January 2010 and is working in the thematic areas of education (including skills training for youth), health, protection and emergency responses.
Save the children has an operation in Somaliland, Puntland and South Central Somalia.
We are now looking for a dynamic and motivated Health and Nutrition Project Manager for our emergency response project in Bossaso. This is an exciting opportunity for a person seeking new challenges that will make lasting changes in the lives of children in Somalia. The position is based in Hargeisa –Somaliland with frequent travel to Puntland region in Somalia.
Job Purpose
The Project Manager will ensure that the health and nutrition program meets the standards in four key areas:

1. moderate and severe acute malnutrition programming (CMAM);
2. infant and young child feeding;
3. child health – with focus on common causes of illness like pneumonia and diarrhoea;
4. emergency health care (mobile clinics, home visits) for internally displaced people residing in camp settings and in host communities.

The Project Manager will lead or participate in conducting and assessing rapid assessments and/or surveys of the affected areas, identify the main public health risks, potential future risks, and recommend immediate priority health and nutrition actions.
Additionally, the Project Manager may participate in the development of concept papers, project proposals, and contribute to the revision of the emergency response strategy and operational plan.

Key Accountabilities

Project Planning

• Overall responsibility for the management of the emergency health and nutrition programmes including the provision of technical support, training and capacity building.
• Ensuring effective start up, management, implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation of the project.
• Develop project annual work plans in coordination with the project teams on all the project activities including technical assessments, structure design, tendering, and contract administration
• Review project activities at key intervals to enable participatory feedback mechanism to project plan and implementation.
• Determine the need for technical advice and assistance and collaborate with relevant technical advisors as appropriate.
• Ensure intervention strategies are inclusive and address the needs of the most vulnerable groups.
• Ensure that to the extent possible and practical in the relief/transition / development phases that Save the Children complies with the Sphere and other appropriate and recognized standards for provision of nutrition appropriate to the phase of operation.

Project Implementation and Monitoring

• Providing support and guidance to the Health/Nutrition team and implementing partners;
• Representing Save the Children at coordination and with local government, donors, United Nations and other nongovernmental organisations in Somaliland and Puntland.
• Participating in and/or leading health, nutrition, and/or multisectoral assessments as required.
• Lead, supervise and guide the project field team in planning and implementation of activities.
• Identify input required for implementation of project activities and follow up on timely delivery with program support in the field and head office.
• Developing and implementing on-site and office technical supervision and procedures to verify and control the technical correctness, quality and timeliness of the nutrition interventions work undertaken by project team.
• Ensuring standards of Save the Children and SPHERE are strictly adhered to, as well as international standards in four key areas
  • maternal and newborn health;
  • infant and young child feeding;
  • child health and nutrition; and
  • emergency health care service for internally displaced people residing in temporary shelters.
• Responsible for developing and maintaining the strategic direction of the emergency health and nutrition programme. This includes ensuring that a coherent and consistent implementation strategy is developed, that activities are implemented in accordance with this, and that regular monitoring and evaluation takes place.
• Provide technical support to supervisory staff and promote learning based on health and nutrition programme objectives and activities and ensure documentation and sharing of learning with other sectors and programmes

Staff management

• Working in coordination with, and supporting the deputy emergency project manager, to ensure the effective management and development of the emergency health and nutrition programme implementation, monitoring, review  and evaluation of the situation and programme and within the framework of the overall Save the Children emergency response.
• Provide technical guidance to support ministry of health staff in implementation of Outpatient Therapeutic Programme/Supplementary Feeding Programme (OTP/SFP) and Community mobiliser and outreach staff/volunteers at project sites/local communities.
• Provide leadership, training, mentoring, guidance and supervision to project Finance, human resources, administration and procurements staff.
• Recruit, manage and support programme staff ensuring that there is a clearly defined structure, up-to-date job description, and reporting mechanisms for each staff.
• Assist in identifying training needs for staff and provide or coordinate the training necessary for the delivery of a high quality Education programme. In particular, build the capacity of staff involved in the programme through the provision of technical support, training and advice.
• Agree clear performance objectives for each programme staff. Conduct Performance and Development Review for each programme staff on a timely manner.

Budget Management

• Lead the formation of programme budget in consultation with the finance department.
• Manage the programme budget, including regular monitoring of expenditure against budget, in accordance with Concern financial procedures and guidelines.
• Develop a clear work and expenditure plan and ensure that the programme is implemented within the  agreed/approved budget.

Coordination and Collaboration

• Ensure that issues arising from Save the Children participation in Puntland Nutrition and health programming are aired across all stakeholder forums.
• Liaise with all stakeholders and represent SC in policy forums and workshops with regard to Health & Nutrition
• Network with other international non-government organisations and donors working in Nutrition and health inPuntland
• Ensure that all information on Nutrition and health implementation, policy networking or other communications with Save the Children staff, management and external interlocutors is passed in a complete, accurate and timely manner

Report Preparation & Submission

• Developing fact sheets as needed on relevant health and nutrition issues affecting children to be used for advocacy, media, fundraising; and contribute to situation reports and donor reports
• Prepare and submit monthly reports (narrative and budget), quarterly activity plans, and scheduled monitoring reports to measure changes.
• Record best practice examples and ensure ongoing personal development and learning.
• Document and share lessons learned from the education and psychosocial project activities.
• Provide regular and timely updates to the Regional Programme Manager and the rest of the project team on progress, priorities and constraints both verbally and in writing.
• Ensure the communication and dissemination of success stories and lessons learned with the organization, with partners and other stakeholders

Qualification

Required Skills

• Qualified public health/health/nutrition professional with experience in developing public and primary health care.
• Experience in relief and rehabilitation programmes in developing countries, with experience of health and nutrition programmes.
• Experience of nutrition work including monitoring and evaluation. Proven experience in health and nutrition programmes, through the whole project cycle
• Proven ability to manage a program including management of human and material resources. Experience in conducting nutrition assessments and an understanding of nutritional surveillance and information systems.
• Experience staff training and capacity building of national structures. Understanding rights based approaches and participatory concepts and practical experience in similar context. Experience of exercising financial responsibility and budget control.
• Ability to produce analytical and well-presented project reports and proposals. Ability to communicate and maintain tactful relations with relevant local authorities in political and militarily sensitive environments.
• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and negotiate clearly and effectively at all levels, taking into account cultural and language difficulties.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to lead, train and motivate a team. Fluency in written and spoken English.
• Willingness to travel regularly and in difficult circumstances.

Desirable

• Tact and diplomacy are essential.
• Strong commitment to capacity building of national staff and partners with willingness to adopt a participatory and consultative management approach.
• Flexible, adaptable, able to improvise and work in stressful, volatile environment.
• Experience of managing staff security in a volatile environment.
• Familiarity with Sphere guidelines and other humanitarian standards, such as Red Cross Code of Conduct.
• Representational and advocacy skills.
• Proven experience of managing budgets.
• Sensitive to issues affecting children and committed to Save the Children’s Child Protection policy.
• Experience of undertaking quality research into Education
• Experience of working in a post conflict environment

Code of Conduct
Because Save the Children’s work is based on deeply held values and principles, it is essential that our commitment to
children’s rights and humanitarian principles is supported and demonstrated by all members of staff. Save the Children’s Code of Conduct sets out the standards which all staff members must adhere to.
Applications should be forwarded to: vacancies@scsom.org
Latest date for receiving applications is on Saturday 5th June 2010, 15:00 pm only short listed individuals will be notified.
Save the Children is an equal opportunities employer and highly encourages women to apply.

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