Project Officer – Nutrition | Mekelle

Job Description

Job Title: Project Officer – Nutrition

Term of Employment: Definite period (till February 28, 2026)

Job Grade: 7

Department: JEOP – CRS/Ethiopia

Reports to: Senior Project officer – Nutrition

Job Location: Mekelle, Tigray Ethiopia (Tigrigna language required)

Important Note: Candidates selected for this role should be available to start effective November 1, 2025.

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 80 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. For nearly 60 years, CRS has taken the lead in responding to natural and man-made disasters affecting Ethiopia’s most vulnerable communities. Moving beyond emergency response, CRS’ disaster mitigation and recovery projects in drought and flood-prone areas have rebuilt individual and community assets through non-food aid in the form of agriculture, livestock, health, nutrition, and water and sanitation assistance. CRS’s humanitarian work in Ethiopia also provides livelihoods support to farmers and entrepreneurs, promotes equality and inclusion, and mitigates the impact of COVID-19.

The Joint Emergency Operation (JEOP) is an emergency food assistance program targeting transitory food insecure households through a vulnerability-based targeting system. JEOP provides emergency assistance to protect their lives and livelihood where recurrent drought resulted in significant harvest loss, livestock death and price increase of essentials. The JEOP has integrated emergency nutrition since 2023 to treat and prevent moderate (MAM) and severe acute malnutrition (SAM) through provision of the respective nutritional commodities (e.g., Ready to Use Supplementary Foods, Super Cereal Plus, and Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods), screening and referral, and Social Behavior Change Communication (SBCC). JEOP has acquired additional funding to expand its emergency nutrition work in more woredas across several regions in Ethiopia. This new expansion is solely focused on the management of SAM cases. The consortium for the emergency nutrition activity is led by CRS and includes partners, such as CARE, GOAL, World Vision, Food for the Hungry, ORDA-Ethiopia (ORDAE), and Relief Society of Tigray (REST).

Job Summary:

As a member of the JEOP nutrition team, you will monitor and report on all project activities in support of CRS’ work serving the poor and vulnerable. Your thorough and service-oriented approach will ensure that the project consistently applies best practices and constantly works towards improving the impact of its benefits to those we serve.

Responsibilities

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Support the coordination and implementation of all assigned project activities as outlined in the detailed implementation plan and technical narrative documents (such as the original proposal and annual narrative plans) in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices.
• Collect information on partners capacity and technical assistance needs and monitor capacity building and technical support activities to ensure effective impact.
• Provide technical expertise for nutrition data management.
• Ensure quality of services (screening, treatment of SAM without complication, referrals, and IYCF-E) provided at health facilities through regular monitoring.
• On-the-job training of health workers and relevant outreach staff in screening, assessment, admission, management, discharge from OTP, and transfer to and from the community or other source, as per the national guidelines.
• Engage with Woreda Health Office (WoHO) to identify training gaps and use improved tools and job aids to provide HWs and HEWs with the protocols to treat and follow up SAM cases and improve counseling and negotiation skills on IYCF-E.
• Conduct routine monitoring visits to the HFs within the consortium partners and report any challenges and/or gaps identified to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules.
• Ensure adequate availability of Therapeutic food supplies and ensure stock is pre-positioned as planned by discussing with consortium partners and logistics.
• Collaborate with consortium partners to collect and analyze information from health facilities.
• Ensure timely submission of facility data and compile reports for stakeholders.
• Determine essential data elements required for project support.
• Maintain electronic records of all nutrition data from facilities.
• Develop databases and ensure the quality and integrity of high-value data.
• Act as a focal point for the collection and dissemination of relevant information.
• Organize evaluations and analyses of datasets related to project activities.
• Develop new indicators to measure program effectiveness.
• Produce maps, charts, and infographics to convey nutritional data effectively.
• Support the Senior Project office program in producing accurate reports during updates on nutrition situations.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications

• BSC Degree in Health, Nutrition or related field of study with 2 years’ relevant experience
• Experience in monitoring projects and collecting relevant data preferred.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).

Personal Skills

• Observation, active listening and analysis skills with ability to make sound judgment
• Good relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners and community members
• Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities
• Proactive, results-oriented and service-oriented

Required/Desired

• Foreign Language: Proficiency in spoken and written English and
• local language: (Tigrigna).

Travel Required: Extensive travel within the cluster of woredas s/he is responsible for Ethiopia (60-80% to JEOP implementation sites)

Supervisory Responsibilities: None.

Agency Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

• Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity – Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission. Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust – Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.

 

What we offer

CRS offers U.S. based staff a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and a generous retirement savings plan. Benefits packages for successful candidates employed outside the U.S. are based on the country of employment/in-country office where the candidate will perform the role. CRS´ work culture is a collaborative, mission-driven culture committed to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world.

***Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.

CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people – especially children and vulnerable adults – to live free from abuse and harm.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

About Us

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Catholic Relief Services works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality.  Catholic Relief Services’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding.  We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants, community members, staff and volunteers from all forms of exploitation and abuse.  The successful candidate is expected to sign and adhere to CRS´ Code of Conduct.

CRS talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people – especially children and vulnerable adults – to live free from abuse and harm.

Disclaimer:  This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position. 

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

General Requirements

CRS offers are contingent on the selected candidate’s ability to legally work where the position is to be performed. Every government has a unique set of work permit eligibility requirements.  All positions requiring residence or frequent travel outside a home country must undergo and clear a pre-employment medical clearance; some work permit processes require clearing a separate government administered medical examination.

CRS prioritizes candidates who are citizens/ permanent residents of the countries where we have CRS offices.

 

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