Organization Background

IOCC was established in 1992 as the official humanitarian organization of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA). IOCC’s global operations are managed from its headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland with field offices in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and East Africa. IOCC has extensive experience implementing programs in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM), as well as European and other international donors. In its nearly thirty years of operation, IOCC has amassed considerable experience worldwide in emergency and development settings and across a range of sectors, including food security, WASH, micro-credit lending, health, nutrition, agriculture, shelter, infrastructure, education, livelihoods, capacity building and civil society development through programs that support communities lifting themselves out of poverty and achieve economic sustainability. 

IOCC began its work in Ethiopia in 2003, partnering closely with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Development and Inter-church Aid Commission (EOC-DICAC). In its 20 years operating in Ethiopia, IOCC has worked in cooperation with EOC-DICAC, international and local NGOs, and various ministries, including the ministries of Health, Education, and Agriculture, and provided humanitarian and development assistance to communities throughout the country. 

Project Description/Position Overview

The Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E) Officer will have the responsibility to ensure high-quality IYCF activities, closely coordinate integrate with the Emergency Nutrition Response interventions. The Officer will ensure that the IYCF-E activities fit within the framework of the National Nutrition Program and ensure good relations with local stakeholders and communities.

Duties and Responsibilities 

• Ensure appropriate and consistent IYCF key messages to mothers at primary health care units, hospitals, health centers, and community levels. 

• Advise the best feeding options/ practices and follow ups as appropriate. 

• Participate in developing regular work plans for the health extension workers (HEWs), health development army (HDAs), and mother-to-mother support groups, etc.

• Identify and address appropriately the violations of the code of marketing of breast-milk substitutes and violations of the Federal Ministry of Health guidelines. 

• Act as an effective member in promoting, supporting, and protecting IYCF practices (give IYCF awareness sessions and IYCF individual counseling sessions as necessary).

• Link between Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) and IYCF teams (i.e. promoting excellent communication and referral between IYCF counselor, IYCF Educator, and CMAM)

• Liaise with zonal health office, woreda health office, and health facilities and ensure the quality of IYCF/nutrition capacity building activities are technically sound, aligned with proposed implementation plan and adhere to standard guidelines.

• Support community assessments related to CMAM and IYCF and strengthen capacity of health facility and front-line workers to improve the quality of nutrition intervention.

• Plan and provide IYCF cooking demonstrations with key IYCF message transmission.

• Develop and adapt IYCF/early childhood development (ECD) materials to the local context based on previous materials and current child rearing practices and needs.

• Other tasks as organization assigned. 

Category:  Healthcare 

Employment Type: Six-month (with possibility of extension) 

Career Level : Junior Level (3+ years experience) 

Duration:   Full-time employment (6 months with possibility of extension). 

Job Requirements

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA):

• Good written and spoken communication skills in the local language (Amharic). Extremely flexible, able to work independently, and can cope with stressful situations. Good organizational and interpersonal skills. Ability and willingness to work in remote and potentially insecure environments.  

Competencies:

• Ability to work in a team; sensitivity to cultural conditions and practices; tenacity in observing procedures, regulations, and other requirements in implementing and maintaining IOCC programs; and make appropriate recommendations.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in nutrition, public health/nursing, midwife, or related field of study with 3 years of experience in related field. Diploma in health, midwife, and related field with a minimum of 5 years experience including emergency and host community setup.

Experience:

• At least two years experience in the field, out of which one year NGO experience in the field; and experience in emergency nutrition and health implementation. 

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates shall submit their motivation letter along with their non-returnable recent CV by sending your application online using THIS LINK

Note:Please make sure you mention the Vacancy Number ‘IYCF-E Officer’ in the subject line of your application.  Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.  Applications from qualified women are highly encouraged.  

Note: All the shaded areas of the form are mandatory, providing the rest of the information will boost your recruitment efforts.