Technical Specialist – Health & Nutrition

Save the Children is the world’s leading independent organization for children. Our Vision is a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation. In Zambia, Save the Children works in the following Thematic areas: Education, Health& Nutrition, Child Protection, Child Rights Governance and Child Poverty; including Humanitarian response. Save the Children wishes to invite qualified individuals to apply for the following new position:

Position : Technical Specialist – Health and Nutrition

Duty Station : Lusaka Office
Role Purpose : The position is responsible for developing and supporting the implementation of Save the Children’s Health and Nutrition Program in Zambia. S/he is responsible for the
achievement of the Health and Nutrition program objectives as set by the Country Strategy Plan 2019-2021. The Technical Specialist Health and Nutrition will ensure program development through the identification of new funding opportunities, program design and development of high quality proposals.

The position reports to Director, Programme Development and Quality dotted reporting line to Director of Operations.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

1. Strategic Program Leadership

• Support the Health and Nutrition projects and related staff, translating strategy into concrete projects and annual plans and ensuring coordination of technical input into donor reports.
• Participate and contribute to interagency Health and Nutrition coordination meetings and relevant networks/working groups within Save the Children and externally.
• Analyse the outcomes of the program and changes in the external operating environment and incorporate findings in to the ongoing development of the program.

2. Programme Development/New Business Development

• Take a lead role in growing the Health and Nutrition program in Zambia, both in terms of new and innovative ideas and funding.
• Provide technical leadership in the identification of new business development opportunities, positioning for new opportunities, participating in the design of new projects and contribute to writing concept notes, proposals including logical frameworks and budgets. The post holder will ensure that new projects are consistent with the country strategic plan.

3. Technical Assistance

• Provide technical support to the CO and local partner staff as required. This includes assistance with defining and /or setting up Minimum Operating Standards or Quality Benchmarks for key Health and Nutrition interventions.
• Take the lead in training new and existing Save the Children staff in Health and Nutrition. Coordinate with other TS positions in the organisation and with external Technical Advisors from RO or member offices.
• Provide technical support to the relevant government offices including MoH, MoCDSS through participation in meetings, work groups, and task forces, as well as consultation and targeted field visits.

4. Advocacy

• Articulate top priority advocacy objectives in line with the Country Strategic Plan and work with the TS Advocacy to identify key opportunities for Save the Children Zambia to position itself as the leading organisation for Health and Nutrition in Zambia.
• Strengthen the capacity of the CO to work in advocacy work at all levels related to Health and Nutrition and strengthen children’s meaningful and safe participation in such initiatives.

5. Knowledge Management, Learning and Innovation

• Tap into internal and external best practice in the Health and Nutrition sector and introduce this for the benefit of the country Health and Nutrition programme. Meanwhile make learning from Zambia available for other programs.
• Strengthen the professional quality of the Health and Nutrition programme through, among other means, engaging in relevant sector networks (involving partners in Zambia, relevant Government Ministries, other Save the Children members, donors, SCI in the region and centrally, UN and other global partners in child rights work) at both national and global levels.

6. Representation, Engagement and Partnership Building

• Represents Save the Children to national and international partners in Lusaka, in the donor community as requested by the Director of Program Development.
• Maintain a good flow of information and knowledge on Health and Nutrition among relevant stakeholders, this could include, but is not limited to monitoring and evaluation, programme reporting, advocacy issues, contextual information from Zambia

7. Human Resources

• Review the structure of the Health and Nutrition teams periodically and map out the staffing needs in alignment with program size and any expansion plans. This includes participation in the recruitment of Health and Nutrition staff to fill in gaps identified in order to advance the country program strategic goal and objectives.
• Ensure that the Health and Nutrition programme staffs under his/her management have clearly defined objectives and understand their responsibilities.

The post holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Qualified clinical health professional (Medical Doctor, clinical officer, graduate nurse) with advanced degree
• At least 7 seven years of relevant experience managing health and nutrition programmes in developing countries. Experience working with and providing support to Ministries of Health will be a strong added advantage.
• Knowledgeable of SDGs and global health issues and trends, particularly in primary health care, reproductive health & family planning, maternal and newborn health, nutrition, child health (e.g., IMNCI, iCCM), immunization, WASH, TB, health systems strengthening, nutrition and gender equality.
• Demonstrable experience in programme design and proposal development, programme implementation including budget monitoring, human resource management, preparation of reports for various technical and non-technical audiences and in monitoring and evaluation.
• Experience supervising and managing highly skilled technical teams is required.
• Strong, demonstrable analytical and conceptual skills and the ability to think and plan strategically.
• Substantial experience of developing working relations with government, UN agencies INGO partner’s community stakeholders and beneficiaries.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team as well as independently as required.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills and commitment to capacity building of staff with proven skills as a trainer/facilitator and mentor.
• Ability and willingness to travel to projects and stay in basic conditions.
• Computer skills e.g. Word, Power Point and Excel.

Child Safeguarding:

Level 3 – the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young people.

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