Health and Nutrition Manager (Blue Nile) – Relief International

About RI:

Relief International is a leading nonprofit organization working in 18 countries to relieve poverty, ensure well-being, and advance dignity. We specialize in fragile settings, responding to natural disasters, humanitarian crises, and chronic poverty. RI has been working in South Sudan since 2005, delivering integrated Health, WASH, and Nutrition projects. 

Relief International combines humanitarian and development approaches to provide immediate services while laying the groundwork for long-term impact. Our signature approach — which we call the RI Way—emphasizes local participation, an integration of services, strategic partnerships, and a focus on civic skills. In this way, we empower communities to find, design, and implement the solutions that work best for them.

Duties and responsibilities:

Position Summary:

The Health and Nutrition Manager is responsible for the strategic direction, leadership, and quality assurance of health and Nutrition programs in Blue Nile State, Sudan. This position will oversee health and Nutrition program implementation, monitor and assure technical quality, and coach and mentor program staff. Specific technical areas under the portfolio include primary health, sexual and reproductive health, community-based and mental health, and community health service across a wide range of geographic locations. 

The  Health and Nutrition Manager’s role is to lead and provide technical support for the planning and smooth operation of health and nutrition activities, with a focus on quality implementation of project activities. In addition, the Health and Nutrition Manager will build the capacity of the RI health and nutrition team, health workers in the supported health facilities, and when available, the capacity of partners (NGOs). 

Position Responsibilities and Duties:

Program Development and Management

• Provide technical leadership and support to the health and nutrition program teams.
• Oversee and coordinate the health and nutrition activities in line with project document, budget, and LGF and detailed implementation plans and budget forecasts.
• Coordinate referral pathways for MHPSS, CMR, and GBV, ensuring appropriate detection and referral
• Work closely with the Nutrition and Health Technical coordinators to ensure technical aspects of any project design and proposal development process for new or adapted health and nutrition programming, including the development of proposal narratives, log frames, budgets, and other supporting documents. Ensure compliance with RI technical standards and policies. 
• Carry out field monitoring missions in the areas of interventions
• Work closely with the Nutrition and Health Technical coordinators to identify gaps in quality of care and provide appropriate training and support to all medical and nutrition staff as needed.
• Work with operations staff and partners to ensure pharmaceutical and medical commodities and services are procured, handled, and run properly, in accordance with the organization’s supply-chain management protocols.
• Develop actionable plans to ensure that health and nutrition project objectives are regularly evaluated and achieved. 
• Implement and maintain reporting systems to monitor and evaluate the health and nutrition objectives, indicators, and outcomes of the projects
• Contribute to the creation of reports, ensuring the quality and accuracy of technical information provided as well as the confidentiality of internal information as required. Support field teams in regular budgetary follow-up to ensure timely expenditure of health budgets.
• Work closely with program support functions (logistics and finance departments) for Health and Nutrition program supplies and activities planning.
• Assist with the recruitment of new health and nutrition staff.
• Oversee development and revision of functional project management tools, including work plans, procurement plans, and accurate financial forecasts.
• Coordinate closely with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) Coordinator to develop effective monitoring and measurement tools and collect relevant data. Maintain a strong information management system and use findings to inform and improve program delivery. Carry out regular data review exercises. 
• Ensure that all internal and external reports are submitted on time and to a high standard.

Team Leadership & Management

• Coach, mentor, and lead the health and nutrition teams to implement programs to a high standard of quality. 
• Ensure all team members are well-versed in job expectations and have clear performance objectives and professional development goals. 
• Identify training needs and develop capacity-building plans for health and nutrition staff to improve management capacity. 
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being.

Technical Quality

• Ensure all health and nutrition projects are implemented in accordance with the WHO’s and MOH’s technical guidelines and global best practices.
• Conduct monthly support supervision of health and nutrition facilities and build the capacity of health and nutrition workers.
• Monitor progress on the delivery of all health and nutrition-related activities and ensure that objectives are being met on time and on scope, in line with annual work plans.
• Ensure all facilities have SMOH-recommended standards, including the availability of guidelines, job aids, and IEC materials.
• Provide ongoing technical coaching, guidance, and supportive supervision to RI staff, SMOH staff, and partner staff.
• Promote effective integration of health, nutrition, WASH, FSL, and CP/ GBV services at the point of care. 
• Ensure service delivery modalities are responsive to patient needs and location-specific constraints. 
• Regularly monitor and report on unmet needs and service delivery gaps across RI health and nutrition program; make informed recommendations to senior management on the capacity of the RI to address identified needs. 
• Regularly review MEAL data and apply indicator findings to improve program quality. Ensure all programs are data-driven. 

Coordination

• Working with the Area Manager and the sector Technical Coordinators, ensure consistent RI representation in relevant clusters, technical working group meetings, and other coordination structures
• Work closely with the Area manager and the humanitarian access & security team to ensure concerns and challenges at the service delivery level are addressed appropriately.
• Proactively collaborate with other RI sector technical leads to promote program integration and ensure effective internal referrals. 

Other

• Other relevant duties as assigned by supervisor to further RI programs.

Minimum Qualification, Skills, and Experience Required:

Qualifications & Requirements:

This position demands a dynamic individual with a demonstrated ability to achieve results in a demanding and fast-paced environment. 

• Medical Doctor. Having a master’s degree is an added advantage. 
• At least 3 years implementing health and nutrition projects in Sudan of which two years should have been with an INGO. Having worked in Blue Nile is an added advantage. 

• Having worked in INGOs and/ or UN Agencies (e.g. UNICEF, WHO, UNFPA) is an added advantage.
• Experience in the implementation of CMAM and maternal infant and young child nutrition (MIYCN).
• Strong project management and monitoring & evaluation skills.
• Excellent written and oral English skills are required. Must be able to draft high-quality, donor reports.
• Must be able to work independently, with minimum supervision, within the context of a larger team.
• Strong coordination skills; flexibility, adaptability, and patience; facilitation and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work under pressure to strict deadlines. 
• Analytical and problem-solving skills. 
• Ability to understand and address gender-related challenges within the beneficiary groups. 

RI Values:

We uphold the Humanitarian Principles: humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and operational independence.  We affirmatively engage the most vulnerable communities.

We value:

• Inclusiveness
• Transparency and Accountability
• Agility and Innovation
• Collaboration
• Sustainability

How To apply: 

Please, submit your CV, work certificates, and qualifications and state the name of the position on the envelop, a telephone contact number, and three professional references to Blue Nile Labor Office  or HAC, Closing date: 02.12.2023, at 14:00 

• Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for the interview. To find out more about Relief International please visit our website at http://www.ri.org