Position is contingent on funding

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.
In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions
into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.
Now, and for the future.

We help people overcome poverty and conflict. Working with communities, we leverage local logic to help people transform their lives. To grow more food, earn higher incomes and ultimately advocate for their needs. We see global challenges as an invitation to pioneer innovative, sustainable solutions. During our 34-year history, our work has improved more than 170 million lives in more than 115 countries around the world. Mercy Corps Ethiopia invites motivated and qualified candidates to apply for the following vacant position.

Position Title:   Nutrition and WASH Specialist

Duty Station:  Jijiga, Dire Dawa and Semera

Open Position:  3

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

Mercy Corps has been present in Ethiopia since 2004, and acts on behalf of people who have become disenfranchised and poor. We stand with Ethiopia to find and access opportunities, and to be part of lasting and meaningful transformation in the country. Mercy Corps seeks to be influential with government and development actors towards a more resilient country where poverty is tackled through the eyes of those who understand it best. This translates into ensuring that the population is financially stable, healthy & nourished, educated & unformed, and that natural resources are accessible, shared and utilized sustainably. 

Mercy Corps anticipates a multi-year, multi-million dollar USAID funded initiative focused on stimulating increased production, productivity and marketing through more competitive livestock and livestock products markets; increasing communities’ resilience; diversifying livelihood economic opportunities and options through essential skills transfer; improving food security and nutrition, and contributing to the wider knowledge on pastoral development.  The program will operate in multiple pastoral regions across Ethiopia.

Mercy Corps is seeking a full-time, in-country Nutrition and WASH Specialist to work on Nutrition and WASH activities for an upcoming based on funding USAID funded project.

 The Nutrition and WASH Specialist is a senior position based in either one of the following  offices Jigjiga, Dire Dawa, Afar) with travel to PARA project operational areas  in Somali , Afar regions and Borana zone of Oromiya region.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Under the leadership of the Addis Ababa Senior Nutrition Advisor and WASH Specialist will implement, manage and monitor the PARA  Nutrition and WASH components at regional and woreda levels in such a way that program activities results in greater progress, synergies for nutritional  and WASH impact.
• Build capacity of government extension agents and water technicians including health extension workers to provide nutrition and gender-sensitive Community Led Total Sanitation and Hygiene (CLTSH)
• Support implementation of Maternal Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) activities at regional level
• Prior experience implementing the Mother Care Group (MCG) model
• Have extensive knowledge on the “first 1000 day” approach
• Extensive knowledge of Ethiopia government initiatives for pastoral community on Health/Nutrition/WASH policies.
• Collaborate with Agricultural extension workers in implementation of home gardening for fruits and vegetables including food storage and preservation
• Roll out Community Led Total Sanitation and Hygiene (CLTSH) in targeted woredas
• Capacity building of water management committees and other traditional water governance structures.
• Closely work with MOH in establishing health and nutrition surveillance and trigger necessary emergency response to protect development gains of PARA project.
• Strengthen health extension workers/ ‘development army’ to promote latrine construction and disseminate essential promotion packages or household sanitation and hygiene.  
• Promote construction of household upgradable latrines.
• Ensures all water/sanitation infrastructure and hygiene activities in the targeted cluster are implemented in accordance with the Mercy Corps, donor and government guidelines and policies.
• Promote Sanitation and hygiene practices (raw water treatment, safe water storage and handling  hand washing and installation of hand washing facilities by the latrines)
• Facilitate village level dialogue on personal, food/water hygiene and sanitation problems and social and gender norms that influence nutrition through Social Analysis and Action (SAA) approach
• Assists team in linking nutrition, water and infrastructure activities with other relevant processes – economic development team, peace-building and natural resource management, and health – and supports a coherent approach across activities.
• Using behavior change approaches, support the Nutrition Team lead to address barriers to effective adoption of appropriate WASH and Nutrition behaviors that are being promoted by PARA project.
• Contribute to the development of technical resource materials for WASH and Nutrition, including guidelines, manuals and curricula as necessary.
• Provide training to field staff, government health workers, water technicians etc, as necessary.
• Actively participate in the development of tools behavior change communication (BCC) materials and approaches for Nutrition and WASH
• Work closely with the Nutrition team leader and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEAL) teams to monitor performance against set indicators and document best practices.
• Develop regional and woreda level Nutrition and WASH implementation documents: work plans, recruitment plans, procurement plans, etc
• Support the preparation of relevant sections of the ad-hoc program reports, quarterly, interim and annual programmatic reports. Contribute to other reports of project progress and performance as required.
• Technically support the Nutrition/SBCC/WASH implementing partners and sub-grantees in their WASH and SBCC implementations to contribute for higher impact of the program.
• Regularly design and upload Nutrition and WASH activities concept notes

REPRESENTATION AND COORDINATION

• In consultation with the Nutrition team leader represent PARA nutrition in Regional level (Somali/Oromiya/Afar) technical coordination meetings and forums, as needed eg Health, WASH and Nutrition clusters
• Liaise with local government officials, local NGOs and civil society organizations, local religious leaders and other notables to ensure support for and acceptance of Mercy Corps’ programs. 
• Maintain close working relationships with other humanitarian and development organizations, and local partners, including representing Mercy Corps at local coordination meetings
• Play a liaising role with the governments at regional levels for the issues related to Nutrition and WASH activities within the PARA project.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• Advanced degree in nutrition, public health or related international development field and at least 5 years of relevant work in nutrition and/or food security programs development
• Extensive knowledge of programmatic approaches and models used in development nutrition and BCC
• Extensive knowledge on WASH approaches for development settings
• Extensive knowledge on MIYCN approaches for development settings
• Demonstrated understanding and familiarity with development communications issues and solutions and Health communication tools.
• Solid research background and good writing skills. 
• Strong, well demonstrated organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated technical and successful expertise in a relevant mix of designing, managing and evaluating BCC programs through social marketing, as well as small group and interpersonal communication.
• Experience working with multi-disciplinary technical specialists. 
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple activities. 
• English fluency is essential, plus at least one other local language spoken in pastoral Ethiopia (Somali, Oromiya and Afar regions).