Nutrition Officer

Save the Children International is recruiting a qualified Nutrition Officer to support the implementation and monitoring of nutrition programmes in Borno State.

The Nutrition Officer will conduct nutrition assessments, manage programme data, train health workers and community volunteers, promote optimal maternal, infant and young child feeding practices and support quality nutrition service delivery for vulnerable populations.

The position is a full-time national role under the Health and Nutrition Programme. The successful candidate will report to the Nutrition Coordinator.

Key Responsibilities

• Support quality nutrition screening for children aged 6–59 months and ensure appropriate referral and follow-up systems are in place.

• Promote, protect and support optimal Maternal, Infant and Young Child Feeding practices.

• Support Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies activities, including the identification of lead mothers and training of health workers and community volunteers.

• Supervise nutrition support-group meetings within targeted communities.

• Support the implementation of nutrition programmes for children under five.

• Work with health-facility and Outpatient Therapeutic Programme teams to ensure children identified with malnutrition receive treatment according to approved protocols.

• Work with Field Assistants to identify Moderate Acute Malnutrition cases and support appropriate community-based interventions.

• Establish and support Mother-to-Mother and Father-to-Father support groups.

• Provide nutrition counselling to caregivers of children with Moderate Acute Malnutrition.

• Support the referral of malnourished children to health facilities providing Community Management of Acute Malnutrition services.

• Compile monthly nutrition programme data and submit weekly progress reports.

• Support food-demonstration sessions for caregivers, lead mothers and community support groups.

• Train community nutrition mobilisers, health workers and volunteers on IYCF-E and referral mechanisms.

• Conduct regular follow-up meetings with community mobilisers and community leaders.

• Work with the Food Security and Livelihoods team to strengthen the integration of nutrition and livelihood interventions.

• Work closely with the MEAL team to ensure nutrition data is collected and reported accurately.

• Provide supportive supervision to community volunteers and partner staff.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition, Health Education, Food Science, Nursing or a closely related discipline.

• Minimum of two years of progressive professional experience after NYSC.

• Previous experience implementing nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions.

• Experience with community-based programmes in Nigeria, particularly in the North-East, is desirable.

• Experience supporting CMAM, IYCF-E, OTP, MAM or SAM interventions is an advantage.

• Strong report-writing and communication skills.

• Ability to use Microsoft Office applications.

• Fluency in written and spoken English and relevant local languages.

• Willingness to live and work in a challenging security environment.

The position requires regular contact with children and is subject to Save the Children’s safeguarding, background-check and child-protection procedures.

Interested and qualified applicants should submit their applications through the official Save the Children recruitment portal before the deadline.