Nutrition Consultant SSA8 , Nairobi

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WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes. Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

JOB PURPOSE

Kenya has the thirds highest prevalence of HIV worldwide. The Ministry of Health through NASCOP spearheads biomedical interventions on the fight against HIV and AIDS. NASCOP contributes to the bulk of the implementation of the Kenya Aids Strategic Framework (KASF 11 2020-2024). NASCOP in collaboration with WFP recently completed revision of reference charts and protocol, 2024 version for nutritional management of HIV/ TB which are intended for use by health care workers such as nutrition and dietetics service providers, clinicians, nurses, and any other health care workers who offer nutritional assessment, counselling, and support, as well as academia for relevant training and research. The charts support accurate nutrition diagnosis and treatment in HIV, TB/Leprosy, NCDs and other nutrition related conditions. It is specifically used to determine the nutrition status for children below five years, older children, and adolescents (5 to 17 years), adults, and older persons. It will also be used to give guidance to the management of persons whose nutritional status deviates from the norm.

The Kenya National guidelines on HIV and Nutrition were last updated in 2019, there is need to appraise this with current WHO guidelines on wasting treatment and prevention and other key relevant guidelines, evidence, new drug regimen and emerging issues. The guideline will aid in mainstreaming nutrition interventions into the national HIV response and provide simple and practical ways to assess the nutritional status of HIV-infected persons and assess their risk of malnutrition. Through this consultancy, WFP will provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Health (NASCOP) for the review of the National Nutrition and HIV Guidelines and develop a pocket guide and tool kit. The consultancy will also support dissemination of the finalized reference charts and protocols that were developed and validated in March 2024.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

Under the overall authority of the NASCOP nutrition technical lead and WFP program officer, the Consultant will:

• that will require harmonization with the National Nutrition and HIV guidelines
• Lead consolidation of outputs from stakeholders for the updated National Nutrition and HIV Guidelines, a pocket guide and tool kit.
• Assist and facilitate the high-level validation and dissemination workshops.
• Align the National Nutrition and HIV guidelines to the National Nutrition Action Plan 2023-2027, Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) guideline (2024) and other national guidelines mapped above.
• The consultant will lead in the updating of the Nutrition and HIV guidelines and job aids for HIV clients to be used by HIV programs frontline service providers in the health, nutrition, agriculture, education, civil society and social services sectors among others. This will include a multi-sectoral capacity development plan for implementation of the updated guidelines and support materials

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Master’s degree in Human Nutrition, Nutrition and Dietetics, Public Health, social or development studies, project management or related field.
• PhD degree will be an added advantage.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in HIV and Nutrition field working in Kenya

Knowledge and Skills:

• Has advanced technical knowledge in human nutrition and nutrition and dietetics through professional work experiences.
• Experience in Public Health and HIV
• Understands theory and practice of Nutrition in HIV.
• Proven track record of participating in Kenyan nutrition activities in HIV care and programing is a strict requirement.
• Has taken leadership in review of Nutrition/HIV and other health-related documents, coordinating or managing projects and establishing processes with strong follow-up to achieve results in the Kenya
• Has provided input into strategies, policies and guidelines in the context of HIV and Nutrition.
• Detail-oriented, Well-organized, Excellent communication, Ethics & Values, Team Work, Client Orientation, Cognitive Capacity, Interpersonal Relations, Stress Resistance, Behavioural Flexibility.

Language:

• Fluency (level C) in English and Kiswahili language

FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES

Capability Name Description of the behaviour expected for the proficiency level Knowledge of Nutrients Utilizes knowledge of vitamins and nutrients to understand the causes of malnutrition, the relationships between the different types of malnutrition, and is able to articulate the UNICEF conceptual model. Situation Analysis and Evidence Assessment Able to appropriately interpret the nutrition situation, analyze primary causes of malnutrition, define limitations to the analysis (e.g. seasonality) and prepare an overview of the food security and nutrition situation in country. Knowledge of Public Health Has foundational knowledge of the core public health sciences (i.e., biostatistics, epidemiology, social science, environmental health, and prevention of chronic and infectious disease and injury) in order to assess a country’s/region’s health situation. Knowledge of Food System Ability to analyze how food systems influence the diets of vulnerable groups and identify how and where food systems may contribute to specific nutrient gaps. Applying Programme & Policy Standards Leverages nutrition knowledge to provide technical advice to governments to design and implement country nutrition programmes that follow international and WFP agency standards and guidance.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT

• Complete an updated National Nutrition and HIV guideline adapted to the Kenyan context, and a multi-sectoral capacity development plan for practitioners.
• User-friendly booklet of the final validated guideline on nutritional management of PLHIV.
• Toolkit for service care providers in the comprehensive care centers
• Dissemination of reference charts and treatment protocol.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

• Experience and exposure to implementation of national/international development programmes.
• Experience working in public health/food security/ nutrition related activities.
• Experience identifying and defining nutrition issues/problems within a country.