Nutrition and SBCC Specialist

Location: Dollo Ado, Somali Region, Ethiopia

Organization: Mercy Corps

Deadline: 17 October 2025

Job Description

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

Position Title: Nutrition and SBCC Specialist

Duty Station: Dollo Ado

Open Position: 1

Mercy Corps has been operating in Ethiopia since 2004. In partnership with civil society organizations,
academic institutions, private sector, and the government, Mercy Corps Ethiopia has reached more than five million Ethiopians with interventions to save lives and build secure livelihoods. Our programs
emphasize market-driven solutions, reinforce social bonds, and help communities build resilience to the impacts of climate change. Currently in six regional states – Afar, Amhara, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, and South Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region (SNNPR), and in Dire Dawa Administration and the capital city of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa – Mercy Corps Ethiopia is driven by the mission to contribute the emergence of a peaceful, resilient, and prosperous Ethiopia which is inclusive of youth and women.

Our strategic directions focus in promoting inclusive and dynamic markets; promoting peace and social cohesion through strengthening formal/informal governance structures and citizen engagement; improved natural resource governance; and integrated humanitarian response.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps is currently implementing a WFP funded “Climate-proofing Food security In Ethiopia;s
Drought prone lowland Areas of Dollo ado and Dollo Bay woredas. This ambitious program is designed to revitalize the local food systems, ensuring that they are robust, sustainable, and capable of
supporting the nutritional and economic needs of both refugee and host community populations. By
integrating a variety of support mechanisms—ranging from agricultural enhancement to financial
inclusion, market connectivity, and livelihood augmentation—the intervention is meticulously crafted to foster resilience and improve nutritional outcomes.

The initiative is not a one-size-fits-all solution; rather, it is a carefully orchestrated series of actions, each one building upon the other, to address the unique challenges and leverage the strengths of the households it serves. For instance, agricultural beneficiaries will not only receive support but will also be encouraged to form cooperatives, engage in savings and loan associations, and tap into microfinance opportunities, thereby weaving a strong fabric of communal support and financial empowerment.

The project’s vision extends beyond immediate aid, setting its sights on long-term development and
self-reliance. Recognizing the untapped potential of agriculture in the region, hindered by water scarcity and inadequate infrastructure, the intervention aims to transform these challenges into opportunities. By providing access to irrigated land and modernizing agricultural practices through the introduction of solar pumps and regenerative techniques, the project aspires to unlock the full potential of local agriculture.

This holistic approach includes not only the provision of quality seeds and inputs but also the cultivation of knowledge and skills necessary for sustainable farming practices. Training in climate smart agriculture and business acumen is a cornerstone of this strategy, equipping households with the tools to thrive independently and contribute meaningfully to the local economy.

General Position Summary

The Nutrition and SBCC specialist will focus on improving the development of nutrition and social
behavior change and communication approaches to reach desired outcomes. The Nutrition and SBCC
specialist’s primary responsibility is to work with IFTIIN project team to provide reliable and timely
technical input, contribute to development of relevant knowledge/structures to inform the underlying
causes of malnutrition, provide leadership & deliver sound, harmonized approach, efficient and high
impact activities for improved nutrition outcome.

Essential Job Responsibilities

The Nutrition and SBCC Specialist will implement, manage and monitor the project’s nutrition
component in such a way that program activities results in greater progress, synergies for
nutritional impact.
Design, roll out and monitor Nutrition specific and nutrition sensitive activities.
Collect and compile evidence-based information to influence evidence based innovative
programming approaches to chronic malnutrition, maternal, infant and young child nutrition, and
micronutrient deficiency in target operational woredas.
Using behavior change approaches, support the project team/field officers to address barriers to
effective adoption of appropriate nutrition and change behaviors being promoted by the project.
Contribute to the development of technical resource materials for nutrition including guidelines,
manuals and curricula. Provide training to field staff, government health workers, developments
agents, farmers etc, as necessary.
Actively participate in the development of Social Behavior Change Communication (SBCC)
materials, tools and approaches for Nutrition, crop production and productivity, alternative
livelihood, natural resource management and gender.
Develop assessment tools for nutrition and SBCC
Ensure IFTIIN project conforms to and utilizes evidence-based program global gold standards/
tools (e.g. maternal, infant and young child nutrition (MIYCN), and essential hygiene actions to
implement high impact activities.
Work closely with the Evaluation and Learning (MEAL) unit to monitor performance against set
indicators and document best practices.
In collaboration with the Agronomists, ensure the production of high-nutrient crop varieties
including fruits and vegetables and pilot innovations in demonstration sites.
Practically provide cooking demonstrations to ensure farmers and communities adopt balance
diet.
Put systems in place for practical and sustainable Community conversations/ Social Analysis and
Action dialogues at community and schools’ level as mediums for spreading appropriate nutrition
messages.

STRATEGY & VISION

● Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative
viewpoints are welcomed.
● Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and
contribute to countrywide strategy development.
● Develop and organize activities to secure resources for programs and convince
stakeholders to provide support.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

● Coordinates, participate and facilitate assessments, activities planning, coordination’s
meetings and workshops with stakeholders.
● Work with woreda development agents and extension workers to improve nutrition
extension service to increase production, productivity & utilization.
● Facilitate market linkages between aggregators, agriculture – input suppliers, and
smallholder’s farmers.
● Facilitate woreda and kebele level activities such as, beneficiaries’ selection and profiling,
extension service provision, capacity building trainings and meetings events, market linkage
events, financial inclusion activities,
● Provide work plan, and corresponding activity report about the activities.
● Regularly visits field activities to assess progress and provide formal and informal feedback.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

● Develop the capacity of the community facilitators and enumerators, deepen understanding
of their roles and assist with career development.
● Assist community facilitators with information, tools and resources to improve performance
& reach objectives.
● Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback
informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.

FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT

● Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to emergency
programming.

INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION

 Represent Mercy Corps Infront of partners, communities and stakeholders and in
coordination meetings.

GEDSI (GENDER, EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION)

● Adherence of gender minimum standards
● Make sure GESI issues are properly reflected during program management
● Support the organization’s commitment to age and gender inclusive team building
process
● Increased commitment to Gender Equality Diversity and Social inclusion

Reports Directly To: The Project Manager
Technical Line Report To: The Team Lead
Works Directly With: The GEDSI, MEL and program team

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Knowledge and Experience

Degree in Nutrition Agriculture, Dietetics Management or related international development field
and at least 5 years of relevant work experience in nutrition and/or food security programs
development
Extensive knowledge of programmatic approaches and models used in development nutrition
and SBCC
Experience in both nutrition sensitive agriculture and specific activities
Experience in setting up, supervising and supporting established nutrition groups at woreda and
kebele level.
Strong well-demonstrated organizational and interpersonal skills.
Experience working with multi-disciplinary technical specialists.
Ability to prioritize and manage multiple activities.
Knowledge and experience working in the Somali region-Ethiopia
Experience with the development, implementation & compliance of donor funded programs.
Established ability to manage and communicate effectively with team members of varied work
styles.
Demonstrated flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving
Experience working with host governments, national and international NGOs.
Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.

Success Factors

He/ She must be a tolerant and flexible individual who is able to work in difficult and stressful environments and follow procedures with high commitment to learn and change. He/she must be able
to speak at least one of the local languages of the community in target and knows the culture of the
community.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the
communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and
evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We
actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger
and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal
employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work,
whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

How to Apply

All qualified individuals are invited to apply for the advertised position. All applications, including a CV, three references, and all applicable official papers, must be sent electronically through this >>LINK.

Only candidates that are short-listed will be acknowledged and called for interviews.

“Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer promoting gender, equity and diversity.

Qualified female and young candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We are committed to empower women and youth.”

DEADLINE FOR ALL APPLICATIONS: 17 October 2025 / 4:00 PM

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