CHILD SAFEGUARDING: (select only one)

Level 3:  the post holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

PROJECT OVERVIEW:

Pakistan faces a triple burden of malnutrition, ranking among the countries with the highest prevalence worldwide. Malnutrition, encompassing undernutrition (stunting, wasting and underweight); micronutrient deficiencies; and overweight and obesity, which poses a critical challenge in Pakistan, deeply rooted in socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental factors. Statistics reveal a staggering reality: as per National Nutrition Survey (NNS-2018), 40.2% of Pakistani children under five years of age are stunted, equating to approximately 12 million children. More than 5 million children, 17.7% suffer from wasting, with an estimated 2.5 million children severely affected. Both these figures exceed WHO emergency threshold levels. NNS 2018 also revealed continued high rates of micronutrient deficiencies in children and women. Alarmingly, 54% of children are anaemic, 49.1% have iron deficiency, 52% have vitamin A deficiency, 18.6% suffer from zinc deficiency and 63% lack vitamin D.  Similarly, 43% of women of reproductive age suffer from anaemia, 27% lack vitamin A, 22.1% are zinc deficient, and a staggering 80% lack vitamin D.

This project focuses on advancing maternal, child, and adolescent nutrition through nationwide strategic policy engagement. This initiative aims to address significant nutrition and health challenges affecting vulnerable populations especially women, adolescents, and children in Pakistan, emphasizing sustainable and integrated approaches to improve health outcomes. Under the general direction and guidance of the Health and Nutrition Technical Advisor, the Program Officer / National Coordinator will lead the coordination, implementation, and monitoring of the MNCAH&N initiatives within the project. The post holder is expected to provide technical advice and support to project staff to ensure project objectives are successfully achieved.

Overall Purpose/Broad Function:
The National Coordinator, Pakistan will lead the coordination, implementation, and monitoring of the MNCAH&N initiatives within the project. The role involves strategic engagement with stakeholders, overseeing the development and execution of project activities, and ensuring alignment with national health policies and goals.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Project Development and Planning
Develop annual implementation plans in consultation with SCI’s technical and operational teams and CO country management.

In collaboration with the UNICEF Pakistan (Nutrition Department) and Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination (MoNHSR&C) – Nutrition Wing, translate the developed national project plan into provincial and district plans that will facilitate planning of project activities across the project enablers and support provincial cross-learning and buy-in.

Facilitate the validation and buy in for the provincial project plans from key stakeholders including donors and implementing partners across Pakistan.

2. Project Management

Support field teams in implementation through managing field operations in all the districts of implementation.

Develop detailed implementation plan including budget disbursement for timely execution of planned activities.

Support field teams for timely developing and submission of monitoring and programmatic reports.

Provide administrative support including organizing meetings, taking minutes, and disseminating information to the appropriate audiences.

Organize and execute plans for all project-related travel, logistics for workshops/meetings.

In coordination with the cross-unit team, develop monitoring and reporting plans for the project.

Participate in national, provincial, and district-level reviews to facilitate problem seeking and solving.

3. Project Coordination and Implementation

In coordination with the Project Manager and ACCM Department, and according to the workplan, manage subcontracting agreements and relations with service providers and consultants/firms of the project, according to Save the Children International procurement policies which includes the development of Terms of Reference (ToR), Request for Proposals (RFP) and Quotations (RFQ), review proposals and consultant/firm selection and contracting.

Oversee the performance of vendors against agreements and negotiating corrective actions with them as needed to ensure that technical and operational deliverables, milestones, and quality standards are met.

Work with the cross-unit project team and global technical services to generate evidence on feasibility of MMS/WIFAS to inform MMS/WIFAS Scale up recommendations and policy guidelines in Pakistan.

Work closely with the MEAL Officer and the technical teams in efforts that will focus on improving data review and use, including supportive supervision data, to support evidenceinformed decision making from the district, including roll-up to the provincial and national level.

Work with the MEAL officer to ensure proper data flow for the project, the availability of data, quality of data, and to make recommendations to government as well as for project use.

Work closely with the GoP to translate federal directives to provincial-level and develop provincial guidelines on the routine distribution of MMS through routine Ante Natal Care (ANC).

Manage consultant contracts in a timely manner and according to local legislation and organizational policies.

Quality control Terms of References for short term consultants and ensure consultants with appropriate skills and experience for the project activities are recruited.

4. Training and Capacity Building

In collaboration with technical team members, support the adaptation, design and review of the training curriculum/ manuals and SBCC materials based on learnings from the SCI and UNICEF implementation research projects and local and global best practices.

Support training firms/consultants in contextualizing training curriculum and conducting training for flood affected districts of province Balochistan and Sindh.

Facilitate in organizing program-related training where necessary.

Ensure timely delivery of the essential logistics and administration to support the implementation of trainings.

In coordination with the National Project Manager and ACCM Department, MEAL, develop monitoring and reporting plans for the project.

Help to build the capacity of officials at the district level to analyze monitoring data and take corrective actions as part of program capacity development activities.

Undertake assessments/audits of changes in knowledge, skills, and attitudes post-training.

In addition to these responsibilities, S/He will conduct program monitoring and supportive supervision activities to uphold project efficiency and effectiveness. This includes the preparation of comprehensive reports, tailored to meet project objectives and reporting requirements. Furthermore, as a representative of the organization, S/He will actively participate in health & nutrition working groups at the national and provincial level and engage in pertinent provincial and district-level meetings involving national/international NGOs/INGOs, UN agencies, and national stakeholders. The success of this role is contingent on the commitment and experience of a dedicated professional capable of driving the delivery of essential health and nutrition services to vulnerable populations while upholding the highest standards of technical quality and program efficiency.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Project Manager – CP & Nutrition.

Role Dimensions: Strong working relationship with the project implementation and technical team, ACCM & MEAL Department; Other technical advisors, operations and field offices, and UNICEF for cross-collaboration as well as quality program implementation.

Staff reporting to this post: NA

Budget Responsibilities: No

Others:

• This job description can and will be amended as required from time to time.
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor.

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values.
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same.
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others.
• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global Scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters.
• Values diversity sees it as a source of competitive strength.
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions.
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity.

EDUCATION:

• A university degree in any of the following disciplines: global development policy/economics, public health, nutrition, global/international health and nutrition, health/nutrition research, policy and/or management, nutritional epidemiology, and/or a related field.
• At least 5 years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: Nutrition / Health / Integration. Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is desirable. 
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of government policies and programs to address malnutrition in Pakistan.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of a local language is an asset. (Urdu, Punjabi, Pushto/Dari, and/or Sindhi)
• Proficient in using Microsoft Office 365 and other software/tools.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with development nutrition programmes and emergency is considered an asset.
• Prior working experience with federal or provincial health department and national/international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) is desirable.
• Awareness and knowledge of health & nutrition issues in general and their relevance to the development programs, humanitarian emergency and post-conflict recovery setting especially refugees, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), returnees and vulnerable host communities in Pakistan, which has a high concentration of Afghan refugees.
• Specialized expertise in Integrated Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health and Nutrition programs.
• Experience in program coordination and community participatory methods for community development and mobilization.
• Ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner.
• Ability and willingness to be flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure contexts, including flexibility to work with incoming emergency response teams.
• Proficiency in relevant data collection and analysis.
• Willingness to travel to field sites.

Additional job responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI’s global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Gender Equality Policies, supported by relevant procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Safeguarding our Staff:

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy.

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Save the Children holds its Safeguarding principles and policies with high importance and commits to rigorous procedures to ensure all our personnel and programs are safe, particularly for children. All candidates will, therefore, be subject to strict background checks. Qualified candidates from minorities, indigenous groups, women and people with disabilities from local level are highly encouraged to apply.