Health & Nutrition Advisor

Organization Background

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian non-governmental organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.  We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And its girls who are most affected. Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children. We support children's rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for - and respond to - crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.

Working in Zambia since 1996, Plan International Zambia’s development and humanitarian programmes focus primarily on Inclusive Quality Education, Skills and Opportunities for Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship, Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights, Early Childhood Development and Gender Responsive Child Protection. Child protection is key in all that we do. Plan International Zambia has Programme Areas (PAs) in; Central, Luapula, and Eastern Provinces including in Lusaka, where the Country Office is located.

Plan International Zambia is seeking to hire a full-time Health and Nutrition Advisor.  The purpose of Health and Nutrition Advisor is to provide strategic leadership and technical expertise in promotion of health and nutrition programming, with a focus on adolescent     Reproductive Health and Rights, Maternal and Child Health, Nutrition and WASH initiatives. The role reports to the Head of Programs to be based at the Country Office in Lusaka.

The full role profile is on this link: Health and Nutrition Advisor_JD .pdf

Do you have what it takes to be successful in this role?

Essential

• Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health, Populations Studies, Demography, Health Promotion or relevant qualifications
• A minimum of 5 years related experience in similar settings
• Experience in Capacity building, training & facilitation skills, and community managed programmes
• Experience in working with local communities and networking with local implementing partners, and private sectors.

Desirable:

• Knowledge on health and nutrition programming, with a focus on adolescent Reproductive Health and Rights, Maternal and Child Health, Nutrition and WASH programming
• Youth Advocacy and Influencing skills
• Networking skills

Competencies:

• Understanding linkages between gender-based violence including harmful practices, Reproductive Health Rights (RHR) and social and gender norm change theory and its relevance and application to norms and harmful practices related to sexuality as well as their practical implications for work targeting our primary impact group.
• Ability to applying effective strategies to change social norms related to harmful practices and sexuality, and to improve access and uptake of multi-sectoral services to prevent and respond to RHR: improving access to quality and all health and nutrition programming, with a focus on adolescent Reproductive Health and Rights, Maternal and Child Health, Nutrition and WASH; provision of services on birth control, family planning, reproductive health, pregnancy and childbirth; and support to the provision of integrated RHR services in emergencies.
• Applying a range of evidence-based strategies and approaches to provide children, adolescent, youth with quality comprehensive sexuality education in formal and non-formal settings, and supporting positive dialogues on all health and nutrition programming, with a focus on adolescent Reproductive Health and Rights, Maternal and Child Health, Nutrition and WASH between the primary impact groups and caregivers as well as community dialogues
• Ability to shape strategy, policy, standards and plans clearly aligned with relevant priorities and stakeholder interests and based on rigorous internal and external evidence

Location: Lusaka, Country Office

Reports to: Head of Programs

Grade:  Hay Level 16

Closing Date: 20 September 2024

Plan International provides equal employment opportunities to qualified and experienced women and men, Women are especially encouraged to apply. 

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International's Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Early application is encouraged as we will review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early.  

Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.