This Position is contingent

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is an international Humanitarian organization operating Water and Sanitation, Economic Development, Livelihoods, Capacity Building, Emergency Response, Health and Nutrition, and similar sectors in the regions of SNNPR, Somali, Oromia, Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa. Mercy Corps works with communities, public and private sectors to implement appropriate relief, recovery and development interventions. Mercy Corps Ethiopia invites motivated and qualified candidates to apply for the following vacant position.

Position Title:  IYCF NURSE

Duty Station:  LIBEN AND GUMI ELDALO, ETHIOPIA

Post Position: Two

Program / Department Summary

The project is intended to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with under nutrition and increased illnesses of conflict induced communities who do not have access to primary health care services and basic nutrition services.

General Position Summary

The position holder is responsible for the four IYCF component implementation in the woreda and working closely with the woreda, Kebele, community, and religious leaders and Health Development Army for the effective implementation and linkage of IYCF program with the community and facility. In addition the position holder is also expected to provide a consistent and high quality technical support in relation to IYCF implementation and will assist OTP officers, TSFP nurses, community mobilizers and nutrition field workers in the woreda to build strong IYCF implementation package.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision

·         Collaborate with other team member for effective integration between other services like Nutrition and health services 

·         Collaborate with Local authorities and other partners to harmonize different efforts for better impact and sustainability.

·         Able to learn and update his/ her information or knowledge to adapt the changing situation and context

Program Management

• Manages the project unit's implementation of nutrition program in agreement with the overall IYCF Program activities according to the national standards.
• Facilitates the trainings under the project regarding IYCFE establishment and strengthening of Mother to mother support groups, train them and close follow up for supporting IYCF_E promotion activities.
• Asses and diagnose for difficulties of feeding for all PLW coming for other services, for screening and at the community.
• Provide day to day one to one and group counselling for PLW regarding IYCF practices.
• Conduct formative assessment for key behaviours and skill for IYCF and develop culturally appropriate and effective IEC materials and adopt it to the day to day counselling.
• Ensures the availability of job aids, reporting formats and all other supplies for IYCF.
• Provides technical support and training where required to all team members, outreach team including health extension workers and community volunteers,
• Organizes monthly report of community mobilization, IYCF and report on time to the Project Manager, Nutrition and provides updates when needed.
• Reports any problems in a timely manner to the Health& Nutrition Manager,
• Performs other related tasks as required and tasks assigned by the organization

Team Management

• Supports and liaise with the health centre staff and provide on the job training and capacity building.
• Select and establish counsellors from the health facilities and the community.
• Makes sure that the health staff have adequate training on providing proper IYCF counselling
• Makes sure that health professionals from the health facilities to participate on the daily routine work for sustainability and smooth phase out strategy,

·         Coaches and supervises the CMAM officer, OTP/SC Nurses, Mobile health and nutrition team for integrating IYCF practice promotion activities to their daily health and nutrition works.

Finance & Compliance Management

N/A

Influence & Representation

·         Train and support community volunteers and make sure they transmit/convey messages clearly to the community

·         Organize information meetings with community members to develop their knowledge in terms of proper IYCF-E practices

·         Makes sure that IYCF program is implemented according to the National protocol i.e. application of the admission and discharge criteria, closely monitors and strictly follows anthropometry measurement

·         Propose solutions or improvements for better performance of the project

·         Creates and maintain relationship with local health and other authorities and try to link IYCF program with the existing health structure smoothly,

·         Upholds the image and values of Mercy Corps at all times,

·         Works and liaise with any local health workers to integrate the IYCF program from the start

Security

·         Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.

·         Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

Organizational Learning 

·         As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

·         Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically
to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

·         Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Knowledge and Experience

·         Diploma or BSC in nursing, nutrition and other health related fields

·         Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

·         Experience on IYCF in emergency for at least two year preferably in NGO environment

·         Excellent spoken and written English languages and local languages of the project area is a plus.

·         Ability and willingness to frequently travel to villages and willingness to reside in rural areas

·         Willingness and capacity to be flexible and accommodating when faced with difficult and frustrating working conditions like long distance

·         Good interpersonal and communication skills

·         Experience in closely working with regional, Zonal and Woreda Health

·         Ability to prepare program reports Knowledge in local language;

·         Communication skill, good human relations

Success Factors

• Ability and willingness to frequently travel to villages and willingness to reside in rural areas
• Willingness and capacity to be flexible and accommodating when faced with difficult and frustrating working conditions like long distance walking to distribution sites
• Good interpersonal and communication skills
• Experience in closely working with regional and Woreda Health Office ,health centres and health posts
• Communication skill, good human relations
• Firm belief in teamwork, gender equality