Nutrition Officer

Location: Aysaita, Ethiopia

Organization: Samaritan’s Purse

Deadline: May 12, 2026

Job Description

JOB SUMMARY

The Nutrition Officer, in collaboration with the Program Manager and the entire project ream, is responsible for the care and treatment of beneficiaries in the Samaritans Purses Nutrition Program. The Nutrition Officer will be responsible for nutrition intervention maintaining a high standard of care as they help treat beneficiaries. The workload is intensive and requires a team of dedicated professionals to meet the ever-increasing demand for specialized care and at times the staff may be called upon to fulfill duties not directly involved with this job description.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Provide nutritional care to children under five years of age, as well as pregnant and lactating women, in the management of stable Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) under Samaritans Purse Nutrition Program, ensuring care is delivered in accordance with SP and Ethiopian Government protocols, guidelines, and standards to improve beneficiaries nutritional and health status.
Keep the beneficiary and/or his/her family informed about their nutrition status and provide appropriate explanation/education about the treatment to follow, verifying that they have understood the treatment plan.
Work with staff to ensure care and communication is culturally sensitive.
Follow the evaluation of patients during course of treatment, through consultations and examinations, prescribing the necessary treatment following SP protocols, deciding whether they can be treated or require further care at a different health facility – in collaboration with other SP clinical staff- and informing the patient and their family about the patient’s condition.
Support and coordinate community-based nutrition screening activities in collaboration with Health Extension Workers and community volunteers to ensure active case finding, timely referral of malnourished children and pregnant/lactating women, and follow-up of defaulters and non-responders.
Monitor key nutrition program performance indicators including recovery, default, non-response, and mortality rates, and contribute to continuous program quality improvement through regular analysis and use of CMAM data trends. Submit accurate weekly and monthly reports to the Health and Nutrition Program Manager.
Support clinical leadership to enforce compliance with standard infection prevention and control guidelines.
Participate in the accurate clinical documentation and collection of nutrition data, informing the Program Manager as appropriate, about any problem or complication of the patients illness or medical error (s).
Help IDP and Host community Lactating Mothers on IYCF and related agendas in Mother to Mother Support Group discussions
Support clinical leadership to provide training and mentoring to other clinical staff in dissemination of new knowledge or protocols.
Participate in coordination meetings at Woreda/Zonal level and represent SP as required.
Other duties as assigned by the program or organization.

EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE NEEDED

BSC Nurse, Nutrition, Public Health with experience in Nutrition management,
2 years in hospital or clinic setting, preferably in low-resource setting.
Experience and prior training in Nutrition Preferred.
Renewed professional working licence

LANGUAGE

Proficiency in English and Amharic
Knowledge of the regional language required
Knowledge of any other national language is a plus

SKILLS REQUIRED

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be willing to abide by Samaritans Purses code of conduct and understand the principals of Samaritans Purses Statement of Faith, as well as be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

In addition, the following skills are required

Attention to detail, anticipation and follow up are core values of the job function as well as maintaining the highest levels of confidentiality regarding contracts and salaries.
Possesses strong organizational and problem-solving skills within a fast-paced environment.
Must be a self-starter and internally driven to success and hard work.
Ability to be flexible and adaptable
Willing to travel in and out of the field
Must have analytical and report writing skill
High level of integrity and stewardship
Committed to the SP Values and ethics
Proficient in Making clinical decisions in the care of the patient population serving

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral diagram, or schedule form.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk and run; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate but can be exposed to loud noises around the maintenance and construction workshops.
May travel in country with exposure to communicable diseases, hot and humid weather conditions.
Work in a security context that is fluid

SAFEGUARDING COMMITMENT

The employee is required to carry out his/her duties in accordance with Samaritans Purse Safeguarding policy and Code of conduct.

Employee should remain alert and responsive to any child and adult safeguarding risks, acquire relevant knowledge and skills, which will enable him/her to promote strong safeguarding practices, understand the child and adult safeguarding policy and procedures, and conduct his/herself in a manner consistent with the Safeguarding Policy.