Organization Overview
VSO is the world’s leading international development organisation that works through volunteers to fight poverty. Working in 24 countries around the world, our unique role in international development is to place committed volunteers with carefully selected organisations where their skills can have the greatest impact. As a VSO volunteer you’ll live and work in some of the world’s poorest communities. By sharing your unique skills and experience you’ll help generate new ideas and new ways of doing things, helping the communities you work in lift themselves out of poverty. We’re not about delivering quick fixes, but instead we focus on long-lasting, sustainable change, that will impact generations to come. Join us as a VSO volunteer and help us work towards our vision of a world without poverty.
Role overview
The Kila Mtoto, Kila Mama project aims to save the lives of vulnerable mothers, new-borns and young children in Mtwara region of Tanzania. Focusing on strengthening both the supply and demand side of maternal new-born and child health (MNCH) continuum.
The MNCH Nutrition advisor will provide technical advice and capacity building to the Regional Health Management Team (RHMT), Council Health Management Teams (CHMT’s), Nutrition Committees at the regional and district levels and Health Care Workers - on how improve individual behavior and household practices, promotion of collective actions in communities and creating enabling environment for good nutrition outcomes for expectant mothers, new-born babies and under 5 children.
The volunteer will focus on developing sustainable locally owned resilient nutrition interventions which involve social behavioral change and communication (SBCC) approach in health facilities and community level in Mtwara region related to MNCH; promoting male engagement.
If you are passionate about making a difference for marginalized mothers and babies, giving them a voice, this is your role!
Skills, qualifications, and experience
Essential
- A degree in Nutrition (specialty MN nutrition).
- Minimum of 5 years relevant work experience
- Teamwork, with the ability to work collaboratively in diverse multi-cultural groups.
- Ability to work in an institutional environment, - hospital and health facility settings - as well as in the community setting
- Experience and knowledge in Maternal, newborn and child nutrition.
- Proven coaching and mentoring skills
- Effective communications skills (report writing, verbally)
- Fluency in Swahili and English and ability to communicate with different stakeholders on different levels within organisations
- Experience of developing communication materials for nutrition
Desirable
- Master’s degree is added advantage
- Experience of community engagement approaches
- Experience of conducting assessments
- Interest/experience in social and gender inclusion; social accountability
- Prior experience in Mtwara region is an added advantage
Competencies and Behaviour
At VSO we believe progress is only possible by working together. Whether you want to join us as an employee, or as a volunteer working in your own country, overseas or online, our selection process includes an assessment based on these core competencies:
- Ability to be open-minded and respectful
- Ability to be resilient and adaptive to new situations
- Ability to facilitate positive change and build sustainable working relationships
- Ability to seek and share knowledge
Equal Opportunities
VSO promotes equal opportunities and values a diverse workforce.
Allowance and accommodation
All volunteers have an allowance paid in local currency. The allowance meets reasonable living expenses in the country, but will not be enough to send money home.
VSO works with some of the poorest communities in the world which means accommodation varies and will be basic.
