Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF Officer -Melkadida, Ethiopia

Background:

The International Rescue Committee, one of the world’s largest humanitarian international NGOs, provides relief, rehabilitation and development support to vulnerable people and communities over 40 countries. We began work in Ethiopia in 2000 in response to severe drought in Ethiopia’s Somali region and are currently providing assistance to Ethiopians and refugees in six regions in Ethiopia, 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.

Position Overview:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of the largest humanitarian agencies in the world, providing relief, rehabilitation, and post-conflict reconstruction support to victims of oppression and violence. IRC has worked for over seven decades in the world addressing both the immediate, lifesaving needs of conflict-affected people in an emergency and the reconstruction needs in post-conflict societies. IRC is committed to a culture of results-oriented leadership, innovation in all aspects of our work, creative partnerships, and detailed accountability to those we serve. With the direct supervision of the Health and Nutrition Manager (from the perspective of the whole Health and Nutrition project nature and goal) as technical oversight of the technical team in Addis Ababa the IYCF-E Officer is responsible for the timely reporting and supporting the HCs and Hospitals Health in any related IYCF-E activities and any other work required by the project in Target Woredas and maintenance of Partially damaged health and Nutrition sites.

Major key Responsibilities:

• Closely follow the implementation of nutrition program agrees with the overall IYCF Program activities according to IRC and national standards.
• Ensure that IYCF service is integrated with all maternal and child health services such as under 5 OPD, EPI and ANC.
• Facilitates the trainings under the project regarding IYCF.
• Supports and liaise with the health center staff and provide on the job training and capacity building.
• Select and establish counsellors on IYCF from the health facilities and the community.
• Establishment and strengthening of MTM support groups, train them and close follow up for supporting IYCF_E promotion activities.
• Assess and diagnose for difficulties of feeding for all PLW coming for other services, for screening and at the community.
• Ensure provision of daily one to one and group counselling for PLW regarding IYCF practices at facility and community level.
• Makes sure that the health staff have adequate training on providing proper IYCF counselling.
• Conduct formative assessment for key behaviors and skill for IYCF and develop culturally appropriate and effective IEC materials and adopt it to the day-to-day counselling.
• Ensures the availability of job aids, reporting formats and all other supplies for IYCF.
• Creates and maintain relationship with local health and other authorities and try to link IYCF program with the existing health structure smoothly,
• Makes sure that health professionals from the health facilities to participate on the daily routine work for sustainability and smooth phase out strategy,
• Provides technical support and training where required to all team members, outreach team including health extension workers and community volunteers on IYCF.
• Works and liaise with any local health workers to integrate the IYCF program from the start in annual and quarter planning of health facilities.
• Support and ensure record and report of IYCF activities at health post and health center level.
• Organizes monthly report of community mobilization, IYCF and report on time to the Project Manager, Nutrition and provides updates when needed.
• Analyze monthly performance of all IYCF activities and take appropriate measure with CMAM officer for better performance.
• Reports any problems in a timely manner to the Health& Nutrition Manager,
•  Work with CMAM officer, OTP/SC Nurses, Mobile health and nutrition team for integrating IYCF practice promotion activities to their daily health and nutrition works.
• Always upholds the image and values of IRC

Requirements:

·         Minimum two years working experience for Degree and three years’ experience for Diploma holders out of which two-year experience directly related to emergency health & nutrition related fields Knowledge, training and experience in IYCF and community mobilization/BCC

·         Demonstrated skills in program planning, implementation, and monitoring.

·         Demonstrated skills in peer group training, Training of Trainers, and development of training materials.

·         Proficiency in spoken and written English and Local language.

·         Strong computer (Microsoft skills), all and interpersonal skills.

·         Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team environment.

·         For only female candidate is recommended to apply.

Educational Requirements:

• BSC/Diploma in Nursing, Midwife or Public Health (Senior Clinical/Public Nurse or above).

Language Skills: 

Language skills: local language the Somali language is mandatory, English and Amharic are essential.