The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world”s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world”s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you”re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

Main Purpose of the Job:

To support the Nutrition intervention integrated with Health and MHPSS response to reduce excess child morbidity and mortality in highly risky provinces of Afghanistan. She will be responsible for delivering high-quality nutrition service to the client with an integrated approach with Health and MHPSS. Particularly she will be responsible for the implementation of IYCF program activities including the formation of mothers’ support groups and the provision of IYCF counseling sessions. She will ensure the delivery of high-quality IYCF counseling activities to local catchment populations.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Staff Coordination

• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
• Provide nutrition support and mentorship to other mobile clinic staff, providing on-the-job training where needed.
• Ensure non-disclosure of any information whatsoever about practices and IRC activities to any other person or organization without permission, except in the normal performance of the service.
• Consistently and proactively monitor/assess the safety and security of the team; promptly report concerns or incidents to IRC management and liaise with community leaders and other external parties as required to maintain/enhance the security environment for IRC programs.

Objective 1: Screening of all under 5 children and PLW

• Conduct systematic screening of all U5 children (Oedema, MUAC, Height, and Weight) and PLW (MUAC & Oedema) in selected communities.
• Maintain and update the screening, OPD-MAM, and OPD-SAM register books on a daily basis
• Refer children and PLWs who meet admission or discharge criteria to the nutrition nurse.
• Identify children who are absents and defaulted from the program and inform the community volunteers to conduct home visits.

Objective 2: Growth Monitoring all children under 2

• Register and undertake Growth Monitoring and promotion (GMP) including measuring weight, height, and age, and checking edema of all children under two years of age.
• conduct GMP-based counseling of mothers/ caregivers of all children under two years of age on appropriate maternal, infant and young child nutrition MIYCN practice and infection prevention.
• If the child is normal, encourage the counsel mother to reinforce and promote age-appropriate MIYCN practices.
• If a child is suffering from acute malnutrition, refer to the nutrition nurse of MHNT or the Static Health Facility for giving adequate treatment and counseling.
• Counsel mothers or caregivers to bring children under two”s children for the continuous monthly GMP visit.

Objective 3: Counseling on maternal infant and young child nutrition (MIYCN)

• Provide individual nutrition counseling on appropriate practices based on the BMI and MUAC findings.
• Check whether lactating mothers received adequate IFA tablets during three months after delivery.
• If apparently the mothers’ health and nutrition are not suitable refer to the nutrition nurse and medical doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
• Check whether the child has received vitamin A supplementation during the previous national immunization day (NID) if not then refer to the doctor and Vaccinator of the Health Center to obtain vitamin A.
• Conduct complementary feeding food demonstrations to mothers and caregivers.
• Establish Mother to Mother support group.
• Provision of IYCF counseling at IYCF corner to mothers and primary caregivers for children under 2.
• Identify mothers to become peer educators in their villages and support them to undertake sensitization and work closely with CHWs.
• Lead individual and group nutrition counseling sessions tailored to the needs of clients and caregivers.
• Train and work with CHWs to ensure consistent messaging regarding best practices for IYCF and

Objective 4: Recording and reporting:

• Maintain regular reports to monitor and track the delivery of nutrition services.
• Use the MCH handbook in those provinces where the MCH handbook is applied.
• Identify beneficiaries who required follow-up visit and share information with community health volunteers to follow up those beneficiaries.
• Ensure accurate recording of nutrition information in the clinic registers and timely completion of summary reports.

Others:

• Promote and actively participate in GEDI initiatives and efforts to build team engagement, inclusion and diversity in IRC Afghanistan.
• Foster ongoing learning, honest dialogue and reflection to strengthen safeguarding and to promote IRC values and adherence to IRC policies.

Qualifications and Requirements:

Education & Experience:

• Having the Nursing or Midwifery Diploma with at least 1-2 years of experience in the field of health and nutrition.

• Skills:

• Skills to provide sensitive and appropriate counseling and strong communication skills.
• Must be a team player with excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work under pressure in a stressful environment, displaying patience, compassion, and diplomacy.
• Ability to be innovative, flexible, adaptive, and willing to work out of hours, sometimes throughout the night.
• Ability to live in challenging conditions and ability to work under difficult, high-pressure situations.
• Ability to lead, train, supervise, and facilitate other nursing staff and community health workers in their respective tasks.
• Ability and flexibility to understand the cultural and political environment and to work well with the local health representatives.

• Technical Competency:

• Communication and reporting skills
• Fluency in Pashto, Dari, and English
• Computer skills (including MS Word, Excel, Access, and Internet) an advantage.
• Ability to work closely, professionally, and constructively with all others regardless of nationality, ethnicity, gender, religion, race, tribe, or cultural background.

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.