Global Technical Senior Specialist for Nutrition | LAC, West Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, the Middle East and Europe, and Asia | 2024

Chemonics seeks a Global Technical Senior Specialist for Nutrition (GTSS-N) to be based in countries in which FEWS NET 8 operates. The GTSS-N will support nutrition-related efforts across six regions located in LAC (Guatemala), West Africa (Niger), East Africa (Kenya), Southern Africa (Zimbabwe), the Middle East and Europe (TBD), and Asia (Sri Lanka), under the direction of the Nutrition Advisor based in Washington, D.C., and collaboration with key partners in the broader food security and nutrition community.  Highly qualified candidates who have legal work authorization and are based in select countries in which FEWS NET 8 operates may be considered. Countries are as follows:

  • LAC region: Guatemala, Colombia, Haiti, Honduras, and El Salvador.
  • East Africa Region: Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda;
  • West Africa Region: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Mali, Nigeria, Niger, Benin, and Togo.
  • Asia region: Afghanistan, Burma, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
  • South Africa region: Sri Lanka, Angola, DRC, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
  • MENA and Europa: Lebanon, Yemen and Ukraine.

 

We are looking for individuals who have a passion for making a difference in the lives of people around the world.

FEWS NET is an integrated set of activities funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and is intended to provide timely, accurate, evidence-based, and transparent food security early warning information and analysis. The eighth phase of FEWS NET includes the Decision Support (DS) project which is charged with providing integrated monitoring and analyses of current and forecast acute food insecurity in countries worldwide to support the USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) policy and programmatic decisions. Based on an in-depth understanding of local livelihoods, the FEWS NET DS Team members monitor information and data on factors that affect food security, such as conflict, weather conditions and climate, crops, pasture, markets and trade, and nutrition. The work of the FEWS NET DS Team relies on close collaboration with international, regional, and national partners on food security data and information gathering and analysis. Major activities include joint monitoring and assessments, data sharing and exchanges, collaborative analysis and reporting, and technical capacity strengthening.

Responsibilities include:

The main responsibilities of the GTSS-N include, but are not limited to:

  • Supporting the Nutrition Advisor on the identification and implementation of work plan activities and other nutrition activities as needed
  • Advising on best practices for the use of nutrition data and information in food security and nutrition analysis, including analysis of nutrition data and development of nutrition assumptions
  • Supporting the development, refinement, and delivery of guidance and capacity development materials for the nutrition sector and FEWS NET DS staff engaging with nutrition data or information
  • Supporting the FEWS NET DS Team’s efforts to access nutrition-related data, information, methods information, and metadata, and supporting the Data Management Advisor in the maintenance of related databases
  • Under the direction of the Nutrition Advisor, leading on the development of assumptions on the likely evolution of nutrition for countries monitored by the FEWS NET DS Team as a part of the DS Team’s projection of acute food insecurity up to 12 months into the future. Collaborating with regional technical specialists to ensure alignment of nutrition assumptions with conflict, livelihoods, agroclimatology and markets and trade assumptions
  • Under the advisement of the Nutrition Advisor and needs identified by Regional Technical Leads, supporting FEWS NET DS nutrition data collection activities, including leading planning, management, implementation, and review of primary data collection activities
  • Supporting sector-specific collaboration and participation in FEWS NET and cross-sectoral activities, including but not limited to qualitative and quantitative data collection, Expanded Global Early Warning (EGEW), Early Warning Assessment (EWA), and Rapid Monitoring & Assessment (RM&A) activities, Humanitarian Assistance Decision Support Tool (HADST),
  • Collaborating with members of the FEWS NET DS Team, including the Data Management Advisor, Data Management Specialists, and Quality Assurance and Methods Advisor to ensure coordination on delivery of data and data analysis products in fulfilment of USG and USAID regulations and in accordance with FEWS NET Data, Learning and Communications Hub (Hub) standards. This includes, but is not limited to:
    • Liaising with FEWS NET DS project staff and partners to facilitate timely data flows.
    • Working closely with the Country Technical Leads to ensure that nutrition data and information collected in the region are obtained, cleaned, organized and uploaded in accordance with guidance provided by the Nutrition Advisor and Data Management Advisor
    • Contributing to the regular collection, organization, and storage of data as set out by the FEWS NET Senior Management Team in collaboration with the FEWS NET Data, Knowledge, and Learning Hub (Hub).
  • Supporting nutrition analysis for FEWS NET’s monthly acute food insecurity analysis and engagement in IPC/CH analyses
  • Closely collaborating with other mechanisms of FEWS NET, as relevant
  • Contributing to the nutrition sector’s bilateral and multilateral engagements with nutrition and food security partners, including but not limited to IPC/CH analyses, IPC/CH technical development activities, food security/nutrition cluster meetings, and other engagements as relevant.
  • Supporting the Nutrition Advisor in meeting USAID’s expectations on timely delivery of decision support products, which include, but are not limited to: responding to urgent questions within one day; providing briefings within one week of request; and contributing nutrition assessments to requests for acute food insecurity analysis in EGEW countries that will be delivered within one week of USAID request.
  • As needed, contributing to the FEWS NET DS Team’s decision support efforts to identify as early as possible potential or emerging nutrition crises. The GTSS-N will be expected to demonstrate the ability to respond quickly to sudden increases and decreases in analysis needs globally by, under the direction of the Nutrition Advisor, re-orienting work plans and initiating new lines of monitoring and reporting outside of traditional areas of coverage.

Qualifications

  • At least 10 years of relevant experience (with Master’s degree), or 12 years of relevant experience (with Bachelor’s degree).
  • Studies in a discipline relevant to the work of FEWS NET, such as economics, agricultural economics, agronomy, nutrition, climatology, anthropology, or social geography is required.
  • Proficiency in written and spoken English and other local language skills relevant to the region of location are desirable.
  • Significant regional experience in analyzing and interpreting nutrition data and understanding of nutrition surveillance and information systems.
  • Demonstrated ability to effectively conduct nutrition assessments (SMART surveys), focus group discussions, key informant interviews, other rural rapid appraisal techniques, analyze information from relevant sectors using both qualitative and quantitative methods is required.
  • Detailed knowledge of, and experience with, the IPC’s technical methods and approach are desired.
  • Previous experience living and working in a region or country in which FEWS NET project staff work is highly desirable.
  • Previous experience with the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) is preferred.
  • Experience with USAID/Washington and field operations, programs, policies, and procedures are desirable.
  • Excellent writing, editing, and presentation skills are required.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are required, including demonstrated ability to coordinate productively with diverse partner stakeholders (e.g., UN, non-governmental organizations, host government entities) and multidisciplinary, multicultural teams, and to work effectively with remote-based colleagues.
  • Excellent computer skills (e.g., Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint) are required; the ability to effectively use statistical software packages and/or GIS applications is desirable.

Application instructions

Please apply using the following link by November, 21 2024 at 11:59 PM ET. No telephone inquiries, please. Chemonics will contact short-listed candidates.

Chemonics is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.

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