Power of Nutrition Roving Research Program Manager

Job Description

Power of Nutrition Roving Research Program Manager

Country Office: Ethiopia

Work Base: Addis Ababa

Availability: As Soon As Possible

Salary Scale: EMS – 09

Salary: 1,117 USD

Insurance - (Life, Group Personal Accident and Medical Insurances are covered upon the organization policies).

               Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply for this position.

About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger-USA is a global humanitarian organization that takes decisive action against the causes and effects of hunger. We save the lives of malnourished children and we enable entire communities to be free from hunger. With more than 8,000 staff in over 50 countries, our programs reached 17 million people in 2019.

About the Country Program in Ethiopia

Action Against Hunger has been operational in Ethiopia since 1984 responding to both chronic and acute needs through a multi-sectoral strategy where nutrition, Food Security and Livelihoods, WASH, and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support activities are integrated to have a meaningful impact on people’s resilience. Action Against Hunger currently operates in 5 different regions (Oromia, Somali, Amhara, Benishangul Gumuz, and Gambella) with a portfolio of 20m USD/year of emergency, resilience building, research, and innovation programs. We have a country team of around 600 staff in 17 regional and satellite offices. Our main donors in Ethiopia in 2020/2021 are BHA, ECHO, Euro paid, UNHCR, UNICEF, GFFO, BPRM, SIDA, EHF, WFP, CIAA, and others.

I. Position Summary

Action Against Hunger has received a five-year contract from the Power of Nutrition (PON) to conduct operational research in Ethiopia related to select innovations in the community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) that aim to improve the coverage and cost-effectiveness of treatment. The operational research component is led by Action Against Hunger USA alongside partners including UNICEF and the Ethiopian Ministry of Health, among others.

The operational research study aims to address critical gaps in linking knowledge to effective action on acute malnutrition, including how to scale proven innovative approaches to treatment, as well as their implications for the broader policy-level environment. As such, the study will focus on two specific innovations in the management of acute malnutrition, building on existing and new programs in the project target areas:

• Modified dosage: This approach consists of changing the standard treatment from a weight-based calculation to an alternative, ‘optimized’ dosing regimen whilst still maintaining comparable treatment outcomes. As current and projected resources are insufficient to meet the total burden of wasting in Ethiopia, there is a need to explore ways to increase the cost-effectiveness of treatment. The use of a modified dosage protocol may contribute to achieving such advances by reducing the cost of product per child treated and cured. 
• Family MUAC: Family MUAC is an approach that consists of equipping caregivers to measure and monitor their own children’s MUAC given the provision of training and MUAC tapes. Caregivers are taught to self-refer their child for treatment if/when they are identified as acutely malnourished. The goal of this approach is to achieve early detection and treatment for acutely malnourished children.

As a key member of the research team, the PON Roving Research Program Manager will be responsible for overseeing and ensuring high-quality nutrition program set-up and implementation in the research target areas. This role will be based in Addis Ababa, with significant travel to sub-offices and project sites.

The PON Roving Research Program Manager’s purpose, engagement, and expected delivery are:

Purpose:

The Roving Research Program Manager will lead the set-up and implementation of key operational programs, including OTP and TSFP, for the simplified approaches research, including oversight of logistics and supply chain management, training, and program quality assurance.

Engagement:

Internally, this position will engage primarily with the PON Research Project Coordinator and PON Field Research Coordinator, as well as the Ethiopia logistics, finance, and technical teams and the global/HEARO research team. Externally, this position will engage with key stakeholders for OTP and TSFP implementation, including the Ministry of Health, UNICEF, WFP, and NDRMC.

Delivery:

The PON Roving Research Program Manager will be responsible for supporting the delivery of high-quality OTP and TSFP programs in the research target areas, including supply procurement and oversight, training and capacity building, and regular field-level monitoring visits and troubleshooting. S/he will support the project by contributing to quality reporting to Action Against Hunger donors and stakeholders in line with internal rules and regulations, funding regulations, and core values of the organization.

II. Essential Job Duties

• Program management and logistical support for high-quality acute malnutrition treatment program development and implementation (55%)
• The PON Roving Research Program Manager will oversee the start-up and high-quality implementation of project-specific nutrition programming activities in target woredas, including TSFP and OTP, alongside Action Against Hunger’s Field Coordinators, Nutrition and Health Program Managers, and woreda health staff. This function is expected to include:
• Collaborating with the Research Project Coordinator and Field Research Coordinator to develop a detailed implementation plan (DIP), project procurement plan (PPP), and supply plan (SP)
• Leading the coordination of effective procurement, transportation, storage, and distribution of nutrition commodities (e.g., RUTF, RUSF) and program supplies in line with SOPs at national and sub-national levels (regional, zonal, woreda)
• Collaborating with health extension workers (HEWs), research project staff, and Nut & Health PMs to manage stocks of nutrition commodities and supplies, and develop accurate supply forecasts to ensure consistent supply provision throughout research set-up and implementation
• Supporting Research Project Team Lead in staff recruitment as necessary, in line with HR procedures and in consultation with the Field Coordinator and sub-office HR
• Ensuring adherence to systems to track progress against delivery and expenditures
• Regularly following project budget utilization in collaboration with the finance department and providing regular guidance and support to the base team for efficient budget utilization
• Ensuring accurate and quality weekly and monthly reporting (APR narrative and APR quantitative report) in collaboration with the Field Coordinator and Nut & Health PMs
• Ensuring that all staff are adhering to the reporting and recording system (beneficiary cards; register books; bin cards; daily, weekly, and monthly reports) to facilitate accurate and timely submission
• Ensuring proper set-up and implementation of operational research MEAL system in collaboration with the MEAL department, field research coordinator, and other technical experts at the capital level.
• Supporting on-time reporting to partners and donors, including close collaboration with sub-office staff to obtain necessary programmatic and financial inputs
• Technical support for high-quality acute malnutrition treatment program development and implementation (30%)
• The PON Roving Research Program Manager will provide technical oversight to project-specific nutrition programming activities in target woredas, including TSFP and OTP, alongside Action Against Hunger’s Nutrition and Health Program Managers and woreda health staff. This function is expected to include:
• Conducting regular supportive supervision visits to sub-offices and health posts where research is being implemented, with a focus on ensuring adherence to national guidelines and research protocol
• Supporting the undertaking of health facility readiness assessments in target health posts and developing and carrying out an action plan to address identified capacity and equipment gaps alongside Field Research Coordinator and Research Project Coordinator
• Identifying capacity gaps and developing and leading regular capacity-building training on topics related to acute malnutrition management (e.g., stock management, documentation, etc.) for research project staff and HEWs
• Identifying programmatic challenges and bottlenecks in the overall nutrition program implementation pertaining to the operational research and developing solutions alongside capital-based technical experts and field office staff

Partnerships and engagement (15%)

• Alongside the Research Project Coordinator and Field Research Coordinator, the PON Roving Research Program Manager will engage with strategic partners in support of the project.
• This is expected to include engaging in partnerships with the Ethiopia MOH, UNICEF, WFP, and DRMO at all levels (national, regional, zonal, woreda, kebele) to ensure timely supply procurement and reporting and quality program implementation.

III. Supervisory Responsibilities

• S/he will act as a roving technical supervisor for field-level operational research staff and will be consulted during individual periodic (annual and bi-annual) performance evaluations as required.

IV. Fiscal Responsibility

• The Roving Research Program Manager will ensure timely and appropriate budget utilization for the PON-specific nutrition activities in collaboration with the PON Research Project Coordinator and PON Field Research Coordinator, Finance Department, Heads of Department, Field Coordinators, and Nutrition and Health Program Managers.
• S/he will provide regular follow-up and support to the base teams, specifically for the Nutrition and Health and PON research teams, on ways to efficiently and timely utilize project resources to ensure high-quality program delivery.

V. Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with interruptions.
• To travel to the field, the employee must attest to a level of physical fitness capable of enduring physically difficult, highly stressful situations which may include the necessity to walk long distances, eat a limited diet, and/or reside in potentially uncomfortable housing or tents.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

VI. Working Conditions, Travel, and Environment

• The duties of the job require regular job attendance at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required by contact with the missions, mission security, or other obligations.
• Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business travel as well as to the sub-offices if appropriate. While visiting sub-offices, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high-security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases.

VII.   Gender Equality Commitments & Zero Tolerance to Abuse

• Foster an environment that reinforces the values of people of all genders and equal access to information
• Provide a work environment where people of all genders must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance
• Promote a safe, secure, and respectful environment for all stakeholders, particularly for children, beneficiaries, and members of the staff
• Help to prevent any type of abuse including workplace harassment and sexual abuse and exploitation.
• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, and children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status
• Value and respect all cultures

Job Requirement

VIII. Required Qualifications and Professional Experience

• Required master’s degree from an accredited college or university in a major social or health science field of study, preferably public health, nursing, or nutrition, with at least five (5) years of experience in the implementation, coordination, and monitoring of C/IMAM programs (including OTP and TSFP) in humanitarian contexts
• Or a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a major social or health science field of study, preferably in public health, nursing, or nutrition, with at least seven (7) years of experience in the implementation, coordination, and monitoring of C/IMAM programs (including OTP and TSFP) in humanitarian contexts
• Significant experience and knowledge about current national and global nutrition and health agendas, policies, and strategies. Good knowledge and practical experience in national and sub-national nutrition and health coordination platforms and various Technical Working Groups (TWGs)
• Practical experience working in INGOs is preferable

IX. Required Skills

• We are seeking an individual who has good judgment and problem-solving skills, along with strong communication skills and documentation habits.
• This person needs to have excellent interpersonal skills (to develop a good rapport with staff, HEWs, and other in-country stakeholders), and the ability to work both independently and as a member of a team.
• Experience in global and national supply procurement and logistics, including developing project procurement plans, raising procurement requests, and multi-level stock management
• Experience in designing and leading technical training related to acute malnutrition treatment programming (C/IMAM)
• Knowledge of MS Office Suite required and comfortable working with computers with minimal IT support
• Fluent in written and spoken English and Amharic; other local languages desirable
• Willingness to commit to >50% travel to sub-offices
• Possess strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to take initiative and prioritize multiple tasks with minimum supervision
• Genuine interest in and commitment to the mission and principles of Action Against Hunger.