TA Terms of Reference

Nutrition Officer

Summary
Type of Contract (tick the Consultant
Individual
Institutional
TA
appropriate box)
Contract
Contractor
Contract
Title
Temporary appointment for Nutrition officer for community Based
Nutrition Program , Amhara, Oromia, Tigray and SNNPR
Purpose
Temporary appointment in order to improve the coverage and
quality of CBN program
One TA for Amhara
One TA for SNNPR
One TA for Tigray and
One TA for Oromia
Expected fee
NOA level
Location
Hawassa
for
SNNP
Mekelle
for
Tigray
Bahirdar
for
Amhara
Addis Ababa
for
Oromia
Duration
11 months
Start Date
June,1 2013- May, 30 2014
Reporting to
Regional APSO of Amhara, Tigray, SNNP and Oromia
Budget Code/PBA No
Non- Grant & SC/11/0037
Project and activity codes 102/008 Community Based Nutrition Program

Background
Almost half of the children in Ethiopia are malnourished. Malnutrition contributes to over half of
child deaths in Ethiopia. Much progress has been made in addressing malnutrition, yet the progress
is not enough to achieve MDGs and the targets set for HSDP and NNP. UNICEF Ethiopia is
therefore committed to addressing malnutrition issues through preventive Community-Based
Nutrition (CBN) project as a contribution to the National Nutrition Programme (NNP) and towards
the achievement of MDGs 1 and 4.
CBN aims to build up communities and families capacity and ownership to make informed
decisions on child care practices at family and community levels. The major implementation
approaches include Growth Monitoring and Promotion, supported by individual counseling and
Community Conversation/Triple-A in which community members ASSESS the situation of their
own children, ANALYZE causes of malnutrition and other problems, and take ACTIONs for their
own children. Community Conversation with in the Health Development Team framework

provides a mechanism to learn from each other and to replicate key nutrition massages and
behaviors to all household through the one to five network. CBN places a significant emphasis on
multi-sectorality within its programmatic activities and actively seeks effective linkages with
related health and nutrition specific and nutrition sensitive services and interventions, such as
Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM), Community-Integrated Management of
Childhood Illness (C-IMCI) and other health services, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH),
Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP)/food security, Agriculture Growth Program (AGP) and
Early Childhood Development (ECD).
The first phase of the UNICEF-supported CBN Programme was initiated in 39 selected districts of
Ethiopia in 2008 and currently implemented in 328 woredas. Using the opportunity of the
C_MNCH IRT to all agrarian regions and the NFS section commitments made against the current
funding from various Donors, CBN is going to be expanded to more woredas in 2013. This is a
process which will require strong technical support mainly at regional and woreda levels.
CBN Programme requires intensive follow up in order to ensure the quality of implementation and
produce tangible results. From 2011 onwards there has been a significant programmatic shift in
terms of the mandate of the HEWs and their focus on community based nutrition interventions.
Coupled with this, the FMOH has deployed a new cadre of development workers called the Health
Development Army with require capacity building.
Justification
Technical support for CBN has been provided for the past 11 months, where the region has
benefited a lot from the support. To mention some: CBN was initiated in 50 new woredas; direct
support provided for the expansion of the CBN program implementation in more than 50 woredas,
woreda level IRT trainings supported, supportive supervision conducted to improve program
implementation
The four RHBs have requested the extension of the technical support which was there for the last
11 months. This requirement is included in UNICEF and Regional BoFED Joint AWP for health

sector 2013/2014. The four regional APSOs also confirmed the requirement of the extension for
2013/2014.
1. Geographic expansion of CBN:
Considering the rapid geographic expansion of CBN, the program requires close follow up, strong
coordination and monitoring not to lose its quality at all of the implementation steps.
In addition to geographic expansion, there are major challenges regarding GMP participation rate
and reporting which are key performance indicators for CBN. CBN require stronger coordination
and support at regional and woreda level to improve on both indicators.
2. Multi-sectoral nutrition coordination:
There is a need to coordinate and support the program in line with multisectroal response for
nutrition security. It is to facilitate nutrition linkages with plans and implementation process of
other sector. (With agriculture, water, education, social protection etc.)
3. Supportive Supervision:
The integrated supportive supervision has been adopted at all levels in the FMoH and is an
important step towards strengthening essential on-the-job training and technical support to frontline
workers (i.e. HEWs). However, nutrition components at all levels need strengthening. to
coordinate their support with CMAM monitors and NGOs if any
4. Building the capacity of health center staff, HEWs and HDA:
There is a need of skilled person to coordinate and support the health center staff training on
nutrition so that they will do on the job mentor for the HEWs. The HEWs require post IRT training
follow up to make sure they are conducting CBN with the required quality. The GoE has also
introduced Health Development Army, a new cadre of workers to intensify community-based
service delivery. They are deployed at a highly intensive ratio of 1 volunteer: 5 households and
they too require capacity building on key nutrition messages.
Specific Tasks

Ensure the expansion of CBN in new woredas in the 4 Regions as per the regional AWP and

ensure they stared implementing monthly GMP and submit monthly report

Conduct capacity gap assessment and capacity building for PHCU staff in CBN Woredas on
preventive nutrition programs using the opportunity of the planed health center staff training
and through on the job support.

Identify opportunities and bottlenecks for multi-sectoral linkages at regional, Zone/woreda

level and make recommendations for better multi-sectoral coordination.

Attend nutrition multisectroal stakeholder planning and review meetings at Region, zone and
woreda level in order to make sure nutrition is well reflected and followed up.

Conduct field supportive supervision to Zones/woredas on monthly basis in order to:

-

Provide on the job support for HEWs

Monitor community mobilization/Community Conversation on nutrition

Build HEWs capacity to implement quality CBN. (check quality of implementation,

weighing skills, data quality/consistency, conducting age specific counseling for
mother/care takers of children under 2)

Visit CBN implementing kebeles/communities which are not submitting reports regularly
at least twice a quarter.

Collect

appropriate

qualitative

and

qualitative

information

on

joint

program

CBN/WASH/Food Security from kebele and woreda level; make analysis of GMP reports
at Woreda and Regional level; prepare and provide feedback; monitor that actions are
taken based on the feedback

to coordinate their support with CMAM monitors and NGOs where applicable

Organization of periodic ( at least once every two months) review meetings at woreda and
regional levels, using the community-generated data, and compile issues discussed in the
review meetings and provide feedback

Collect information about related programs, explore effective linkages, and facilitate the
establishment of linkages at the regional/woreda levels

Closely work and communicate with the Nutrition monitors and NGOs in the region to
facilitate the information sharing and follow up of activities.

Ensure that the CBN supplies are distributed to all CBN implementing woredas and collect
report on utilization and management.

Consolidate on quarterly basis CBN report on progresses in CBN implementation, bottlenecks,

constraints and actions taken to address bottle backs.

Documentation of CBN activities including complementary food as well as linkages with other
sectors

Support and follow the Complementary food production in 5 woredas per region

Methodology
Prepare detail monthly work and travel plan to CBN implementing woredas
Conduct field visits and submit field trip monitoring reports with concrete actions and
recommendations
Participate in review meeting and facilitate experience sharing among woredas
Produce and submit quarterly and annual performance report with lesson learned and best
practices and recommendations to the NFS for further improvement of the UNICEF
supported interventions
Participate in the monthly teleconference convened with all regions on the CBN progress
assessment.
Expected Deliverables

Monthly report which includes

-

GMP participation

Underweight rate

Reporting rate

# of review meetings conducted and analyzed

Training initiatives on the IRT conducted and further capacity development

initiatives on the CBN undertaken and coordinated

best practices and lessons learnt from field observations

and other qualitative

program performance indicators

Reporting
Submit monthly progress report for Regional CBN Nutrition officer and Regional APSO

 Submit quarterly report Regional APSO, Regional CBN Nutrition Officer

and Nutrition

Specialist (CBN team leader) in NFS section chief of NFS

Expected background and Experience
Advanced university degree in human nutrition, public health or related technical field.
Knowledge and experience in training on community-based nutrition programs, preferably with
actual involvement in the CBN training as a trainer. Minimum of three year experience
Excellent spoken and written fluency in English and language of the duty station
Excellent meeting facilitation, communication and negotiation skills
General Conditions: Procedures and Logistics
The TA will have access to UNICEFs materials, i.e. computer, Lotus note, office supplies,, etc.
The TA will be authorized to have access to UNICEF transport to see the actual field
implementation in CBN woredas.
The TA will receive monthly payment and DSA when travelling to the field as per the
organization rate for NOA level
Policy both parties should be aware of:
Under the agreements, a month is defined as 21 working days.
Not entitled to payment of overtime. All remuneration must be within the contract agreement.
No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the staff.
No travel without a signed travel authorization prior to the commencement of the journey to the
duty station.
Please consult with HR on entitlements as many are set by UNICEF rules.

Prepared by

Endorsed by

Reviewed by HR

Wigdan Madani

Joan Matji

Basim Kawash

Approved by
Rep/OIC
Peter Selama

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Title
Signature
Date