Nutrition Cluster Co-Coordinator- National

TITLE: WoS Nutrition Cluster Co-Coordiantor (National/International)
TEAM/PROGRAMME: Nutrition    LOCATION: Damascus, Syria

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

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.

ROLE PURPOSE: 
The role of the Nutrition Cluster Coordinator is to ensure a coherent and effective response to nutrition needs being addressed by agencies engaging in Nutrition interventions, as required by the activation of the United Nations Cluster System. The Nutrition Cluster Coordinator will lead this initiative by working closely with the nutrition stakeholders (children, families, communities, authorities, nutrition institutions and I/NGOs and UN agencies) to provide an effective, timely and strategic collective response to the current situation.

The Nutrition Cluster Coordinator will work impartially, serving the needs of all members of the Nutrition Cluster, and should work closely with coordination staff from our co-lead (UNICEF), UN OCHA, and other country cluster coordinators.  The nutrition cluster is accountable to the Humanitarian Country Team and Humanitarian Coordinators through the lead agencies (Save the Children and UNICEF).

Depending on the scale of the emergency it may be necessary to facilitate the set-up of clusters at sub-national level and to work with/supervise dedicated information management staff.
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Reports to: Director of Program Development and Quality
Staff reporting to this post: One IM Offcer or Coordinator
Direct: None
Indirect: None
Budget Responsibilities: None
Role Dimensions: Represents the Nutrition Cluster to all Cluster members and external donors and actors on strategic issues related to nutrition in Syria.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

•    Ensure the Cluster is guided by a coherent and needs-based strategy developed through consultation with relevant Cluster partners.

•    Coordinate partners (through meetings and other communications channels) in the implementation of the Cluster strategy to ensure response activities are harmonized and that overlap and duplication are prevented.

•    Ensure a continuity plan is in place for the maintenance of Cluster functions following the end of the deployment.

•    Facilitate key activities within the Humanitarian Programme Cycle including development of the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO), development and revision of the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) and, peer review processes for pooled-funding opportunities including Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF) and Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).

•    Ensure that the Information Management function is fully integrated into the Cluster strategy and approach. 

•    Track and monitor cluster members fundraising for Nutrition specific interventions.

•    Ensure that inter-agency response strategy for Nutrition reflects key findings from needs assessments, identifying gaps, and formulating a sector-wide interagency response plan, taking into account the cross-cutting areas from other sectors or clusters.

•    Ensure that information is shared amongst cluster members, and that information from other sectors and clusters is made available to cluster members in order to improve planning, integration and implementation.

•    Work closely with key members of the Nutrition Cluster guaranteeing clear communication with health officials, National, Provincial or Local Governments, OCHA, UNICEF and all other cluster members.

•    Support both multi-sector and nutrition specific needs assessments and utilise existing secondary data to inform sector response planning.

•    Ensure clear and effective communication occurs between sub-national clusters and the national cluster.

•    Contribute to regular OCHA and agency-specific sitreps, and take an active part in OCHA co-ordination meetings.

•    Ensure nutrition is explicitly included and prioritized in all multi-sector assessments and reports, including OCHA Sitreps.
Capacity Building:

•    Ensure that capacity building of country Cluster staff, government counterparts and agency staff in order to guarantee on-going sustainability and quality of the response.

•    Identify learning and training opportunities for Nutrition cluster members and work to increase capacity in preparedness and response within the cluster.

General:

•    Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.

•    Display neutrality and act as representative of all nutrition cluster members.

•    Develop and maintain a strong and positive relationship with key counterparts at the relevant line ministry/department and UNICEF.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Essential 

•    Prior experience of 4-5 years in cluster or sector coordination (senior management of humanitarian and/or emergency nutrition programes 

•    Coordination and related soft-skills (ex. diplomacy) approaches 

•    Understanding of the Humanitarian Program Cycle including experience with Humanitarian Response Planning and/or Humanitarian Needs Overview

•    MSc/MA level in Nutrition (or a related field) or equivalent field experience with nutrition

•    Excellent communication skills, including ability to facilitate diverse groups

•    Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy

•    Demonstrable ability to work and represent views across different stakeholders taking part in the Nutrition Cluster, and maintain neutrality

•    Experience of high level co-ordination and chairing of meetings

•    Demonstrable understanding of international humanitarian response and co-ordination mechanisms

•    Understanding of opportunities to provide integrated or cross-cutting humanitarian interventions with other sectors and Clusters

•    Experience of applying relevant interagency humanitarian frameworks and standards in nutrition in humanitarian contexts 

•    The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.

•    Arabic and English language fluency is a must

Desirable 

•    Strong information management skills

•    Strong influencing skills and experience in advocacy

•    Experience or knowledge of working and living in relevant regions/contexts
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
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 the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and 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.
Health and Safety
The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.