The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their lives. The IRC works with people forced to flee from war, conflict and disaster and the host communities which support them, as well as those who remain within their homes and communities. We began work in Ethiopia since 2000 and currently implementing emergency and development programs in health, water and sanitation, economic recovery and development (ERD), women’s protection and empowerment, education, child protection, and multi-sectoral emergency response. 

The IRC has a focus on narrowing the gender gap in humanitarian aid and ensuring that we contribute to gender equality, diversity, and inclusion in both our programs and operations by working to establish a context where our clients (including those from minority groups) enjoy the same rights and opportunities as well as an equal access to services. The IRC also has a strong commitment to creating an equitable and inclusive culture, where safeguarding is upheld in our workplace and programs. We are determined to protect our clients and staff from safeguarding violations through prevention and, where misconduct is alleged, to address it without fear or favor.

Job Overview:

Under the direction and supervision of the Senior Nutrition Officer, the IYCF Officer will facilitate frequent food cooking demonstration sessions alongside government health sector workers and volunteers, conduct continuous nutrition counseling, and establish mother-to-mother support groups for sharing IYCF practices and lessons. She/He will provide orientations to community leaders and health development agencies (HDAs) and support them in their nutrition sensitization activity and ensure the integration of IYCF services with maternal and child health services at health facilities. 

The officer will also provide technical support, on job trainings, and orientations to health workers and HEWs, assess and manage feeding difficulties among pregnant and lactating women, and ensure the availability and monitoring of IYCF supplies. Additionally, the officer will engage in development and distribution of IEC BCC materials, quality reporting of activities, attend coordination meetings, and work closely with other health teams to promote IYCF practices. The officer will also handle any other tasks assigned by the supervisor to ensure the successful completion of the project in Miesso woreda.

Major Responsibilities

• Facilitate frequent food cooking demonstration sessions together with government health sector workers.

• Conduct continuous nutrition counseling and education sessions regarding proper infant and young child feeding practices.

• Establish mother to mother support groups and facilitate IYCF practices experience sharing and lesson learning sessions. Support and strengthen them, draw lessons and good practices.

• Facilitate kebele and woreda level IYCF orientations to community influencers and community health structures, including health development armies.

• Follow up and support trained/oriented Health Development Armies (HDAs) and community influencers to facilitate nutrition sensitization and awareness creation activities regarding IYCF practice at different community gatherings.

• Ensure that IYCF services are integrated with all maternal and child health services such as under 5 OPD, EPI, ANC and family planning services.

• Facilitates different nutrition-related trainings and orientation sessions included in the project.

• Support and liaise with the health center staff and provide training and capacity building.

• Assess and diagnose difficulties of feeding among PLWs at different contact points and provide counseling and management/referral services according to the case.

• Ensure provision of daily one-to-one and group counselling for PLW regarding IYCF practices at the facility and community level.

• Support in the development and distribution of IEC BCC materials related to IYCF and ensures the adequate availability of job aids, registration, and reporting formats for IYCF activities.

• Ensure IYCF related supplies are available at the health facilities level and support on supplies monitoring and tracking practices.

• Creates and maintains relationships with local health and other authorities and contributes to strengthening the integration of IYCF activities with the existing health structure.

• Engages government health professionals working at different health facilities and woreda health offices to participate on the daily routine work for project sustainability.

• Provides technical support, orientation and on job training where required to team members, outreach team including health extension workers, health workers and community volunteers on IYCF.

• Support and ensure record and report of IYCF activities at health post and health center level. 

• Analyze monthly performance of all IYCF activities and take appropriate measure with CMAM officer for better performance.

• Regularly attend at woreda level coordination meetings and at different woreda or zonal level meetings and workshops and present IRC updates up on assignment.

• Consistent and regular reporting of activities in a weekly, monthly or quarterly basis as required.

• Attend on different nutrition related assessments up on assignment by supervisor.

• Produce and share quality success stories, case stories and client’s feedback.

• Timely reporting of any problems/challenges to the supervisor and fully complying to organizational policy and procedures.

• Closely works with CMAM officer, OTP/SC Nurses and other teams in integrating IYCF practice promotion activities to their daily health and nutrition works.

• Any other assignments given by the supervisor which helps for successful completion of the projects.

Integration with IRCs Economic recovery and development (ERD) sector

• Coordinate with the ERD sector in nutrition-sensitive agricultural activities, including promoting diverse, nutrient-rich crops, improving access to markets, and educating farmers about healthy diets.

• Participate and coordinate with ERD team on different nutrition-sensitive related activities

• Coordinate in the kebele and vulnerable community selection for ERD supports

Safeguarding Responsibilities: -

• Promote and actively participate in initiatives and efforts to build team engagement, inclusion, and cohesion in IRC.

• Foster ongoing learning, honest dialogue, and reflection to strengthen safeguarding and to promote IRC values and adherence to IRC policies.

Job Requirements

Educational Requirements

• Masters/ BSc. / Diploma in public health, Nursing or Midwife is required.

Preferred experience & skills: 

• Minimum one year work experience for a Masters, two years for Degree, or five years for Diploma holders, out of which two-year experience directly related to nutrition related experience.

• Knowledge, training, and experience in IYCF and community-level nutrition interventions.

• Demonstrated skills in nutrition related projects implementation.

• Demonstrated skill in peer group training, development of training materials, facilitation of training, meetings, workshops, and orientations.

• Strong computer skills including Microsoft excel, ppt, Word, outlook etc.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively both in a team environment and individually.

• Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

Language Skills:  Proficient spoken and written English and Knowledge of local language is advantageous. 

Training attended and certifications:

• Having certificates on trainings like IYCF-E, CMAM, IMAM, AMIYCN, and other nutrition-related training courses is advantageous.

How To Apply

Candidates meeting the above qualifications are encouraged to apply only through the IRC Online recruitment website using THIS LINK

• Please include 3 references from current and former employers.

• Applications will not be returned. IRC discourages phone calls or personal visits.

• Only applicants meeting the minimum qualification will be shortlisted and contacted.

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

Your application letter/cover letter must include the following information. 

• Name of the position you have applied for 

• Date of application 

• Summary of  your qualifications and experience 

• Motivation/objective of why you have applied for the job

• Permanent Address and present address (if different from permanent) and telephone number if possible also email address 

• Disclose any family relationships with existing IRC employees. 

Disclaimer: - Please note that IRC will never request applicants or candidates to make any form of payment at any stage of the recruitment process. 

IRC is an equal employment opportunity employer.  IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.

IRC strives to build a diverse and inclusive team at all levels who as individuals, and as a group, embody our culture statement creating a working environment characterized by critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity for us to achieve our aspirations as a team and deliver the best possible services to our clients. 

Professional Standards: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity Anti-Retaliation and Combating Trafficking in Persons

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols, and other supportive benefits and allowances