National Nutrition Coordinator, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea 11.5 months (Only nationals of PNG to apply)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Nutrition

With over 850 indigenous languages and one of the most ethnically diverse populations, widespread poverty, and gender inequality make it hard for many children to realize their rights. In Papua New Guinea, UNICEF’s works effectively both ‘upstream’ (with governments) and ‘downstream’ (at the grassroots level) to carry out its mission through a programme of cooperation jointly developed with the government guides our work in the country.

How can you make a difference?

The Government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) continues to demonstrate strong leadership and commitment in addressing malnutrition, with the Child Nutrition and Social Protection (CNSP) project serving as a flagship initiative to reduce stunting and improve child nutrition outcomes. Malnutrition remains severe: around one in two children under five are stunted, 16 per cent are wasted, and 27 per cent are underweight, alongside widespread micronutrient deficiencies, including anemia among nearly half of children under five and 35 per cent of women of reproductive age, and Vitamin A deficiency affecting 26 per cent of children. To address these challenges, the Government is implementing the CNSP, through three components: (1) community-based approaches to reduce stunting led by Village Health Assistants (VHAs); (2) Child Nutrition Grants to strengthen household purchasing power; and (3) advocacy, coordination, monitoring and evaluation.

UNICEF is providing technical support to the Government to implement component one. This component seeks to promote the demand for and utilization of high impact health and nutrition services including critical positive nutrition behaviors, early stimulation, and positive childcare practices as well as multi-sectoral nutrition-relevant services such as WASH and kitchen gardening among households with pregnant women and mothers with children under 2 years (first 1,000-day).

It is with this background that UNICEF is seeking to hire a qualified Nutrition coordinator to support coordination, implementation and monitoring of the implementation of the CNSP component one. The Nutrition Coordinator will be based at PMU-NDOH and will support capacity building of village Health Assistants and health workers, project monitoring and reporting as well as coordination.

Scope of Work/Objectives.

Working under the direct supervision of the Nutrition Specialist and in collaboration with component one Manager, the consultant will.

i)Support capacity building and coordination of the implementation of component one of the CNSP.

ii)Provide technical support in the monitoring and evaluation of component one of the CNSP.

iii)Support emergency preparedness and response activities as and whenever required and ensure that the project meets Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) requirements.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• A university degree in one of the following fields is required: nutrition, public health, nutritional epidemiology, health sciences, nutritional epidemiology, or another health-related science field.
• NB. For NSO supporting program monitoring: Information technology, statistics or other related field.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

a. Necessary experience.

• Minimum 2 years of relevant work experience in nutrition, analysis, and data management.
• Experience with information systems, statistical analysis including the use of relevant software.

b. Language skills. Fluency required in English and TokPisin.

c. Other necessary/desirable skills/qualifications.

-Strong verbal and written communication skills

-Willingness to travel and work in field environments.

d. Other requirements.

-Candidate must be a national of PNG.

-Interested applicants must submit a cover letter together with their CV.

-Candidate must include in the cover letter expected monthly consultancy fee (state amount in PGK please)

For every Child, you demonstrate…

For every Child, you demonstrate… our core values of Commitment, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability.

This position is a short-term assignment and doesn’t give rise to a long-term permanent post with the organization.

Applicants are required to include in their applications a financial proposal which includes a lumpsum amount for consultancy fees, local transportation and other miscellaneous costs. Breakdown or details of the fee will be much appreciated.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination.

UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

UNICEF does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, or orientation).

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.