Food Security and Nutrition Specialist

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Field-Level Program Support:

• Establish efficient systems to manage data generated from MEAL activities, including complaint tracking databases. Perform basic data analysis and share insights to guide program management.

• Collaborate with senior MEAL and program personnel, along with the HR team, to identify staffing requirements for emergency initiatives, facilitating swift recruitment, onboarding, performance oversight, and training.

• Lead regular meetings for the Cash Consortium MEAL sub-working Technical Working Group (TWG).

• Develop baseline assessments, safety audits, post-distribution monitoring (PDM), and end-line MEAL tools, generating comprehensive reports.

• Present findings from baseline assessments, PDM, end-line evaluations, and safety audits at Cash Consortium Coordination Management Unit (CMU), Cash Working Group (CWG), and Cash Consortium Development (CCD) network forums.

• Provide operational and technical guidance to cash consortium MEAL teams across targeted areas, ensuring staff have clear objectives and receive ongoing support and supervision to manage MEAL operations effectively.

• Document and disseminate lessons learned through CWG, CCD network, and Cash Consortium meetings.

• Design and implement suitable accountability and Community Feedback and Response Mechanisms (CFRM) across operational areas.

• Conduct regular quality benchmarks monitoring activities across operational areas.

• Prepare monthly and quarterly plans in close collaboration with government and Save the Children staff, particularly in nutrition and Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL), as well as other stakeholders.

• Update detailed work plans for field monitors in alignment with project implementation, ensuring the entire project team utilizes these plans to track progress.

• Coordinate meal project activities with Nutrition, Protection, and Gender teams to foster linkages with ongoing nutrition initiatives and other projects, ensuring complementarity and maximizing impact.

• Ensure that beneficiary targeting and identification mechanisms adhere to established criteria, collaborating with Nutrition Project Managers and facility-level nutrition staff.

• Ensure beneficiaries receive clear and timely information regarding project objectives, roles, responsibilities, and entitlements in a transparent manner.

• Ensure adherence to established communication protocols and management arrangements by the project team.

• Develop and submit regular standardized reports, including monthly updates, quarterly reports, interim assessments, and final evaluations.

• Collaborate closely with FSL, Nutrition, and MEAL focal points to create an enabling environment for addressing potential complaints, conducting assessments, and learning from processes, including feasibility and risk analysis, cash delivery mechanisms, baseline studies, post-distribution monitoring, knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) surveys, and end-line evaluations.

• Implement accountability mechanisms at the field level, including complaints and feedback response mechanisms—assessment, design, implementation, and review. Conduct activities to raise awareness about the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, ensuring compliance with child safeguarding policies.

• With support from the Lead MEAL Advisor and/or other senior program staff, identify MEAL supply needs and coordinate with logistics teams to ensure timely delivery of materials.

• Assist in coordinating needs assessments, ensuring findings are documented and include an analysis of children's needs. Lead the development of baseline surveys for Save the Children programs as necessary.

• Support technical sector specialists to ensure that projects are executed with participation from all disaster-affected communities, including children, and that information is shared with affected communities through various means, soliciting and responding to community feedback.

• Ensure compliance with minimum humanitarian relief standards in accordance with the Sphere Charter and Red Cross Code of Conduct.

Capacity Building:

• Identify learning and training opportunities for MEAL staff, serving as a mentor for less experienced personnel.

• Conduct training and awareness-raising initiatives for operational and program technical staff at the field level regarding MEAL priorities and quality standards.

Representation, Advocacy, and Organizational Learning:

• Ensure that Save the Children's initiatives are aligned with the efforts of other agencies and government entities, supporting interagency coordination forums and advocating for the specific needs of children. This may involve participating in coordination working groups and inter-agency joint MEAL activities.

• Assist senior technical specialists with learning activities, such as planning After-Action Review workshops, preparing lessons learned reports, and conducting pilots for accountability mechanisms.

• Contribute to communications and media efforts as required.

General Responsibilities:

• Adhere to Save the Children policies and practices concerning child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities, and other relevant policies and procedures.

BEHAVIORS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Takes responsibility for decision-making, efficient resource management, and exemplifying Save the Children values.

• Holds the team and partners accountable for fulfilling their responsibilities, empowering them to deliver in the best manner possible while providing necessary development to enhance performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, taking responsibility for personal development and encouraging team members to do the same.

• Shares their vision for Save the Children widely, engaging and motivating others.

• Future-oriented, thinks strategically, and operates on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships with team members, colleagues, partners, and supporters.

• Values diversity as a source of competitive strength.

• Approachable, a good listener, and easy to communicate with.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages innovative solutions.

• Willing to take calculated risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, promotes openness and transparency, and demonstrates the highest levels of integrity.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Essential:

• 2-3 years of experience working in humanitarian programs, either internationally or nationally.

• Bachelor's degree in Statistics, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Public Health, or a related field.

• Significant experience in a MEAL-related role within a humanitarian context.

• Previous experience managing a team and overseeing projects in a consortium setting.

• Commitment to community participation and accountability systems.

• Demonstrated strong monitoring and evaluation skills, including planning and participating in evaluations.

• Experience in training and capacity building.

• Some experience in representation and the ability to effectively represent Save the Children in external forums.

• Knowledge of institutional donors and experience in proposal development.

• Ability to write clear and well-structured assessment and project reports.

• Excellent communication and influencing skills.

• Politically and culturally sensitive, demonstrating patience, tact, and diplomacy.

• High level of written and spoken English proficiency.

• Capacity and willingness to be flexible and accommodating in challenging and sometimes insecure working conditions.

• Commitment to the aims and principles of Save the Children, particularly a strong understanding of the organization's mandate and child focus.

Desirable:

• Experience or knowledge of working and living in relevant regions or contexts.

• Familiarity with consortium operations.

• Experience in both implementation and design is advantageous.

• Experience with beneficiary communications is a plus.