BACKGROUND:

Over the past few years WFP Sudan has worked with other UN agencies and stakeholders and supported the Government of Sudan to develop National Micronutrients Strategy, 2017-2025 in which food fortification is one of the key strategic interventions.  This Strategy has four main sub-strategies; fortification, supplementation, dietary diversification and other complementary public health measures. Each sub-strategy has an action plan map that outlines the steps needed for scaling up a harmonized implementation over the next five years.

WFP, jointly with FAO and WHO in 2016 were awarded a multi-year grant on food fortification to work on improving the nutritional status of vulnerable populations across Sudan through increased availability, access, and consumption of fortified food, micronutrient powders and bio fortified varieties of crops. The project focused on three critical aspects: the legal and regulatory environment, the supply and the demand and will collectively strengthen institutional frameworks and increase community, private sector and government awareness of the benefits of food fortification.

The nutrition situation in Sudan is characterized by persistently high prevalence of both acute and chronic malnutrition with little changes observed in the past two decades. Currently, Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) stands at 13.6% nationally while stunting is estimated at 36.3% among children aged 6 to 59 months. In Sudan, micronutrient deficiencies are widespread, most common being iron, vitamin A, and iodine possibly linked to poor dietary diversity with only 24% in children and 8.5% in women having diverse diets. Anemia rates are very high, estimated at 42% for children under 5 years of age, 16% for women while about 13% of women experienced night blindness in their last pregnancy. This has significant consequences on children’s cognitive development, and impact on maternal mortality. Consumption of iodized salt remains low (approx. 15 % of households-only 5% consume adequately iodised salt) meaning that over 1 million infants remained unprotected from iodine deficiency disorders.

Therefore, WFP will further consolidate its lead role and engagement in food fortification and continue to support government, private sector and other stakeholders to enhance the awareness on and capacity for food fortification as critical nutrition strategy to improve the nutrition situation.

JOB PURPOSE

The overall aim of this role is to provide technical assistance and support the various processes for the enactment of the mandatory salt iodization, both to government and private sector, as part of the overall support to food fortification policies, strategies, programming and implementation management, legislation and enforcement of legislation and standards, as well as providing advice to the WFP international food fortification lead and  head of nutrition on the developments in salt-iodization, nutrition and the food fortification landscape, programming and opportunities in Sudan, including WFPs positioning in this area of expertise.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

The Programme Policy Officer for Salt Iodization will work under the Head of Nutrition and the direct supervision of the Food Fortification Manager, and will be

responsible for the following:

• Contribute to the development and strengthening of national nutrition initiatives, projects, plans and processes, including the development of national government policies, strategies, action plans, protocols, and guidelines related to salt iodization in line with international guidance and current evidence.
• Provide project management support to specific and defined programmes and projects of considerable size/complexity, ensuring a coordinated approach with wider programmes that complies with WFP standards and procedures.
• Develop and co-ordinate data gathering and monitoring/assessment systems ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained.
• Research and analyse a range of policy and operational issues to inform the development of policies, programmes and activities, with a focus on the further strengthening of salt iodization interventions to reach a maximum coverage.
• Track and analyse data to provide input into reporting activities and contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on nutrition activities that enables informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.

• Liaise with internal and external counterparts to ensure effective collaboration, monitor ongoing salt iodization and integrated projects and programmes, and highlight potential risks to project delivery, ensuring timeliness and efficiency.
• Support the identification of potential partners and partnership negotiations to ensure a collaborative and holistic approach to meeting nutrition needs e.g. through salt-iodization.
• Support the capacity building of national government staff, private sector, civil society and WFP staff to address nutrition needs, e.g. through providing inputs into training materials and guidelines.
• Contribute towards the development and/or implementation of protocols and tools relating to food technology and supply chain issues for salt iodization, ensuring alignment with government policies and legislation.
• Guide ad supervise more junior staff, acting as a point of referral and supporting them with analysis and queries.
• Undertake additional tasks as required ensuring that salt iodization objectives in specific and nutrition objectives in general are achieved.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Advanced University degree in Public Health Nutrition, Nutrition, Food Technology, Medicine or other relevant fields.

Experience: At least three (3) years of relevant experience with progressively increasing responsibilities in the field of nutrition and health, food fortification and/or food technology in crisis and recovery environments for holders of an advanced university degree OR five (5) years for holders of a first university degree. Experience working with governments on developing nutrition policies, strategies and action plans and/or implementing nutrition programme (within food security or health) is added advantage.

Language: Fluency in English and Arabic

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

• Experience conducting (nutritional) assessments, analysing data and drafting recommendations for programme design and management
• Experience working on the prevention and control of micronutrient deficiencies including food fortification would be highly valued.
• Previous experience working with value chain assessments and strengthening would be highly recommendable.
• Sound knowledge of the status of salt iodization in the country including the vision of the government of Sudan on the same.
• Strong analytical, networking, and coordination skills with excellent written and oral communication. Ability to negotiate with a variety of actors from the public sector, private sector and civil society.

HOW TO APPLY:

To apply, please create a personal account and fill out the profile form with your personal information at http://www1.wfp.org/careers/job-openings. If you are an internal applicant, apply through your E-Recruitment profile.

• In the application form, ensure filling the mandatory sections, attaching your CV, answering the pre-screening questions and agreeing on the legal statement before submitting your application.
• Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis on account of potential and performance. All applicants will undergo a rigorous process which includes screening against job requirements, a technical test, and a panel interview.

TALENTED WOMEN ARE HIGHLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

We look for applicants with the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian values. We commit to promote diversity, gender parity and equality between men and women.
 
WFP strives to build a work environment that is safe and respectful, and free of sexual harassment and abuse of authority. We believe in open communication, and every individual at WFP is treated with respect regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, religious and political beliefs, etc.
 
In this pursuit, WFP assists women to balance work exigencies with personal and family responsibilities by providing an attractive compensation package, including fully paid maternity leave for 16 weeks, breastfeeding time off, and the possibility to avail of flexible working arrangements. Also, we endeavor to provide our staff, women, and men, with training and professional career development.

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Closing date: 20 April 2021

• Female applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.
• WFP has zero-tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.
• This position is open ONLY to Sudanese nationals or those authorized to live and work in Sudan according to Sudanese regulations. Applicants who do not meet this criterion will not be considered for this position.
• WFP does not charge any fees at any stage of its recruitment process.
• CANDIDATES ARE ADVISED TO ATTACH BOTH A COVER LETTER AND AN UPDATED CV OR UNP11 FORM. PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOUR CV OR P11 IS UPDATED