UNICEF recruits 01 Karamoja Nutrition Programme (KNP) Coordinator

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Uganda is one of the over 190 countries and territories around the world where we work to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease, and discrimination place in a child’s path. Together with the Government of Uganda and partners we work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the objectives of the Uganda National Development Plan, and the planned outcomes of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework.

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How can you make a difference?

Under the direct supervision of the UNICEF Nutrition Manager, and working closely with WFP colleagues, the KNP Coordinator will support the joint partnership coordination of the KNP on behalf of both UNICEF and WFP to achieve set targets and ensure the sound implementation of the programme in line with DFID policies, procedures and guidelines.

Background:

There have been significant investments by the government of Uganda (GOU) and development partners to improve security, infrastructure and basic services in Karamoja over the past decade. Despite these investments, the sub-region continues to have the worst economic indicators in Uganda. The extreme poverty in Karamoja has severe impacts on health, wellness, and the societal coherence of the region. Poor market access increased poverty induced sales of food, and cultural and social resistance to change increase the risk of malnutrition among children in the sub-region. Despite the increased investment in the health services, poor WASH and health seeking practices, increase the risk of diseases associated with malnutrition in the region. Undernutrition and food insecurity prevails in the sub-region and continue undermining the health and education opportunities and thus minimise the likelihood of significantly transforming livelihoods for years to come. The prevalence of global acute malnutrition (GAM) in Karamoja has remained unacceptable (above 10%) over the last five years despite the implementation of high impact nutrition interventions at facility and community levels.

The Karamoja Nutrition Programme (KNP) is a continuation of the Department for International Development (DFID) or UKAID investment in Karamoja region. The earlier DFID funded Enhanced Resilience in Karamoja Programme (ERKP) between 2013 and 2017 made significant progress in the move away from humanitarian-style programming towards longer-term programming favouring a systems approach and focusing on resilience. Lessons learned from the ERKP pointed to the need for a shift in approach with the aim of strengthening longer-term preventive actions such as nutrition-sensitive activities, to strengthen the enabling environment further and to promote a more convergent approach focusing on multi-sectoral nutrition activities around vulnerable households. The nutrition contribution to health systems strengthening (HSS) will be sharpened. A clear shift in strategy in the KNP is the Joint UN programming approach whereby WFP and UNICEF are working together right from the planning, design phase of the programme through to joint implementation and oversight of the programme.

The KNP consists of the following components: Effective leadership and coordination, improved Human Resources for nutrition and health, evidence generation and application, strengthened supply system and improved service delivery. In order to coordinate overall implementation of the UNICEF/WFP joint KNP program, it was decided to create the position of a KNP coordinator.

 Key Tasks: 

Planning of joint KNP activities

• Compile individual inputs from UNICEF and WFP and develop joint annual micro-work plans for KNP in close consultation with the UNICEF/WFP technical teams, to present the work plans to the KNP nutrition focal persons and the heads of nutrition at WFP and UNICEF, and to monitor implementation of the work plans;
• Based on joint annual work plans, develop joint quarterly and monthly action plans for Kampala and 8 Karamoja districts in coordination with UNICEF and WFP technical teams;
• Consolidate potential changes to the joint work plan and get approval from heads of nutrition at UNICEF and WFP;
• Support the establishment of a KNP Programme Management Committee (PMC);
• To provide overall support for coordinated planning, implementation and monitoring of UNICEF and WFP KNP programme activities as per approved plans, budgets and M&E framework to achieve the set project objectives and targets;
• To liaise and coordinate with the Ministry of Health and district local governments (DLGs) to help UNICEF and WFP ensuring that KNP joint programme activities reflect their priorities, work plans and annual budgets;

Implementation coordination:

• To play the lead role in ensuring that both partners (UNICEF, WFP) work together to deliver the programme, in compliance with the work plan;
• To support and coordinate the efforts of  the KNP focal points from UNICEF and WFP on the implementation of the joint programme, according to the work plans, and to make recommendations on substantive issues;
• To provide secretariat services for the PMC and to follow up on the decisions taken;
• To establish and maintain working-level coordination mechanisms, including serving as a focal point to WFP and UNICEF for routine information sharing;
• To support coordination of the successful joint implementation of programme activities between WFP and UNICEF implementing partners;
• To facilitate the resolution of disputes among implementing partners and address in a timely manner, any obstacles that may impact joint implementation;
• To coordinate joint meetings between UNICEF and WFP at Kampala and Karamoja levels on a monthly basis;
• To provide inputs to UNICEF and WFP on coordination and joint implementation for the DFID-led KNP quarterly review meetings in Kampala;
• To organize biannual KNP detailed review meetings with WFP, UNICEF and DFID/MQSUN;
• To share weekly notificationswith WFP and UNICEF technical teams on the planned activities to be implemented that week;
• To support coordination with other implementing partners in Karamoja and Kampala, and support the organization of the Karamoja-related health and nutrition meetings with other implementing partners at national, regional and district levels;
• To inform partners of one’s travel plans and organize biannual and adhoc joint monitoring trips;

Monitoring and Evaluation of the KNP

• To plan, organize and document joint UN donor field monitoring missions to Karamoja
• To support UNICEF and WFP technical teams on the implementation of the monitoring and evaluation plan, in a participatory manner;
• To ensure transparency of the M&E process by disseminating information to partners and relevant stakeholders;
• To coordinate program evaluation and review;

Reporting and documentation

• With inputs from UNICEF and WFP, prepare quarterly updates of the KNP annual workplan for review by the PMC;
• To support drafting of updates of joint activities in bi-annual reports to the donor;
• To review UNICEF and WFP bi-annual reports and provide inputs on linkages between both reports, and completeness and compliance with DFID standards;
• To draft and share minutes from all consultations, meetings and workshops;
• To document and disseminate lessons learnt regarding improved coordination among UNICEF, WFP and implementing partners;
• To forge links with other initiatives from development partners, with special emphasis on USAID’s initiatives in Karamoja, to identify best practices and share lessons with partners
• To document donor missions and any others missions on behalf of  WFP and UNICEF;

Communication & Advocacy

• To support coordination and implementation of the joint KNP communication and advocacy plan;

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

• Advanced degree in Human Nutrition, Public Health, Biology, Epidemiology, Agriculture, Food Security or Food Science, Anthropology, Social Sciences, Public or Business Administration, Communication or related area.
• Minimum of 8 years’ experience in coordination and management of a development project at a senior level, including coordination with government, development partners and UN agencies at national and sub-national levels;

• Experience in facilitating multi-partner and multi-sector working groups in national and sub-national settings;
• Familiarity with UN programming;

• Knowledge of human nutrition and a clear understanding of the factors that influence maternal and child nutrition and food security in developing countries;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Excellent interpersonal skills; ability to interact and influence with senior-level decision-makers at the ministerial level and across different organisations; and capacity to act with credibility, tact and diplomacy on sensitive issues;
• Strong administrative and organizational skills along with ability to maintain and report accurate data;
• Familiarity with past and ongoing nutrition and food security programs in the Karamoja region;
• Knowledge on health systems strengthening

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The competencies required for this post are….

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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 to become a part of the organization.

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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

Remarks:

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