Urgent vacancy announcement for : IYCF-E Officer breastfeeding counsel (Gazo and Angot Woreda)

Who we are

SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia is an International Non-governmental organization and a member of SOS Children’s Villages International Federation. The organization started its humanitarian work with the opening of its first Village in Mekelle, Northern part of Ethiopia in 1974. The organization has been providing life-saving provisions such as food, water and health services for a very significant number of children devastated by severe drought and the subsequent famine.

Today, we have grown significantly to meet the persistent challenges that confront Ethiopian children who have lost parental care and are at risk of losing their parental care. Working in close collaboration with international donors, local government and community based organizations across seven program locations; SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia aspires that every child grows up with love, respect and security.

As part of SOS CVE's effort to respond to different emergencies such as drought, flood, conflictetc, which arise from time to time in different parts of the country, the organization has secured funding from Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to implement an eleven months Emergency Nutrition project in the North Wollo zone of Gazo and Angot Woredas of the Amhara region.

We are looking for a IYCF-E officers/breastfeeding counselors who will be responsible for implementation of IYCF-E component of this project. 

What we provide...

An amazing work environment that promotes personal growth through providing professional space to grow and advance your career

Your role....

While working with as an IYCF-E officer/breastfeeding counselor you will be in charge of:

• Ensuring that all caretakers of the beneficiaries at the distribution sites OTP and TSFP have get the IYCF counselling by the health extension workers of each program.
• Accomplishing project site activities and supporting of community-based groups – HDAs, mother support groups, local committees, etc.
• Participating in providing IYCF technical support to Woreda health officers/HEW 
• Ensuring that all staff understand and implement the IYCF-E program guidelines.
• Ensuring appropriate and consistent education messaging to mothers (at PHC, Hospitals, HCs and community levels).
• Advising the best feeding options/ practices and follow ups as appropriate.
• Participating in the development of mother support groups and mother-baby areas.
• Participating in developing regular work plans for the HWS, HEWs, HDAs and mother support etc.
• Identifying and addressing appropriately the violations of the code of marketing of breast-milk substitutes and violations of the MOH guidelines.
• Ensuring the availability of teaching aid and IEC materials for program implementation.
• Providing support to CMAM team members as necessary.
• Ensuring that IYCF tools are properly utilized and documented; prepare IYCF reports regularly and submit to project coordinators.
• Creating a link between CMAM team and Woreda health officers/HEW or partner staff (such as promoting excellent communication and referral between IYCF counsellor, CMAM and CP).
• Assisting in the development and review of educational material (IEC /BCC).
• Preparing training materials and conduct IYCF trainings when necessary.
• Ensuring all IYCF records are regularly filled and submitted (awareness sessions, database of counselled cases, etc.) with support from M & E officer, 
• Liaising with ZHO, WHO,  and Health facilities and ensure the quality of  IYCF-E/Nutrition  capacity building activities are technically sound, aligned with proposed  implementation plan and adhere  to standard guidelines;
• Providing mothers with practical advice on correct attachment and positioning when breastfeeding, timely introduction of complementary foods and respond to any concerns or local taboos associated with IYCF.
• Providing consultation, education and emotional support to a caseload of prenatal and breastfeeding women and their families(Who are affected emotionally by the current conflict)
• Providing appropriate counseling when discussing breastfeeding concerns; anticipatory guidance based on assessment; recommendations for referrals to secondary health faciality or physician, when concerns and problems are identified
• Supporting the mothers suffering from insufficient milk production with advice on re-lactation.
• Assuring the availability of IYCF training and counselling materials prior to any training.
• Supporting community assessments related to CMAM & IYCF and strengthen capacity of various health, agriculture, and other sectors’ front line workers to improve the quality of nutrition intervention.
• Conducting regular follow up site visits to provide support quality implementation, and document field all through submission of complete, accurate and timely feedback reports along with other SOS CVE partner staffs.
• Ensuring IYCF indicator well captured and adhere to the national protocol guideline by CMAM team.
• Preparing monthly and quarter reports on overall nutrition activities.

Child Safeguarding 

• Responsible to ensure that all beneficiaries are receiving ongoing, age-appropriate verbal or written information in relevant languages about SOS Children’s Villages Child Protection Policy and Code of Conduct.
• Ensuring that all support is provided on the best interest of the child.
• Responsible to take part in raise awareness raising sessions and capacity building trainings in relation to CS and Code of Conduct and  to prevent and protect children and young people from all forms of abuse, abandonment, exploitation, violence and discrimination
• Supporting children and young people to make them understand the CS risks and protection mechanisms 
• Responsible to report any CS suspicion, concern, allegation or incident immediately, following Child Safeguarding reporting procedures. CS reports should be made to the CS team at programme level and/or to the respective line manager   

Up for the challenge...

Then check out our criteria’s:

The must haves:

Education 

• BSc. degree in public Health, Nursing, Nutrition and  other relevant fields of study

Experience

• A minimum of 3 years’ experience of working in an Emergency Nutrition programing(IYCF & CMAM)  in IYCF programing as IYCF nurse or officer.
• Previous experience of providing technical support to Health and Nutrition teams in the areas of CMAM, IYCF-E  and maternal health

Additional Requirements and required competencies

• Proven ability of mentoring, coaching and training on health and nutrition subjects
• Excellent communication skills, politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy
• Demonstrated experience supervising, managing, and providing technical support and assistance to field-based program/project staff
• The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes tough terrain working circumstances.