Nepal: Chief of Party Suaahara II (good nutrition)

Established in 1915 with Helen Keller as a founding trustee, Helen Keller International (HKI) is dedicated to saving the sight and lives of the world’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged. Headquartered in New York City, HKI currently conducts programs in 21 countries in Africa and Asia, as well as in the United States. Renowned for its reliability, efficiency and high level of technical expertise, HKI promotes the development of sustainable, large-scale programs that deliver effective preventative and curative services for nutrition, eye health and neglected tropical diseases. The hallmark of the organization’s work is its proven success in developing, testing and scaling-up health interventions, and integrating them within government and community structures to support and build local capacity and sustainable solutions.

HKI is currently seeking a Chief of Party to lead and manage Suaahara II, an integrated nutrition program funded by the USAID’s Global Health Initiative to ensure technical excellence in the delivery of all activities.

Country Program Overview:

Since 1988, HKI Nepal has been providing technical assistance on a range of programs that include the government’s National Vitamin A Program; prevention and treatment of trachoma; programs for visually impaired–inclusive education and livelihood opportunities; blindness prevention and curative treatment–and homestead food production for prevention of micronutrient deficiencies. HKI’s enhanced homestead food production programming is designed to improve health and nutrition behaviors at the household level through promotion of the Essential Nutrition and Hygiene Actions (ENHA), particularly for improving Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN), and increasing the availability and utilization of nutrient-dense foods, especially for pregnant and lactating women and children under two.

USAID’s Global Health Initiative intends to award a five-year Cooperative Agreement for the Suaahara II (*good nutrition*) integrated nutrition project with the goal of improving the nutritional status of women and children in Nepal. The Suaahara II project will be a follow-on to the Suaahara Project (August 2011-August 2016), which has worked in 41districts in Nepal to deliver nutrition services to women and children, along with water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); homestead food production (HFP); and maternal, newborn, and child health services, including family planning, in a comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach. HKI is the senior consortium partner on Suaahara I. The intermediate results for Suaahara II are:

1. Improved household nutrition and health behaviors
2. Increase use of quality nutrition and health services by women and children
3. Improved Access to diverse and nutrient-rich foods by women and children
4. Accelerated roll-out of the Multi-Sector Nutrition Plan through strengthened local governance.

Scope of the Position:

Reporting to the Country Director, Nepal, the Chief of Party serves as the representative and consortium member lead for Suaahara II. S/he is responsible for the overall leadership, management, coordination and operations of the project, and works in close collaboration with the deputy chiefs of party to ensure achievement of its objectives and maximize project resources.

Specific Responsibilities:

· Serve as the primary conduit of information to/from the USAID mission regarding the project.

• Ensure that all technical areas of the project are integrated and delivered at high quality, making the most effective and efficient use of all program resources.
• Oversee strategic planning and work plan and budget development, quarterly reporting and other requirements, including periodic “success stories.”
• Provide management expertise technical and programmatic decisions in coordination with the Deputy Chief of Party Programs and the donor.
• Ensure the program is well monitored; data collected, analyzed and reported to appropriate stakeholders, in a timely manner.
• Ensure all program deliverables are successfully completed.
• Ensure that activities are implemented in compliance with the requirements of USAID and HKI rules and regulations.
• Create a supportive working environment to optimize communication and performance of team members.
• Ensure coordination with development partners, implementing partners and other stakeholders.
• Manage national level relationships with Ministry of Health and Population, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development and other key Government of Nepal partners.
• Represent the program at meetings and other functions with other consortium partners, collaborating partners, senior government officials and donor agencies.
• Oversee project finance and operations ensuring effective use of resources at all levels of the project.

****Qualifications:****

• A minimum of ten years of directly relevant experience in a managerial position in nutrition or public health programs in developing countries, and ideally in Nepal or elsewhere in Asia, with a minimum of three years of developing country field experience in management or technical assistance to a large community nutrition or primary health care program.
• A post-graduate degree (master’s or doctoral level) in public health, nutrition, health sciences, or a related field and demonstrated experience in management of large, community-based projects and in management of large inter-disciplinary teams.
• At least three years of experience in program management and administration, financial management, award compliance, sub-award management, and tracking performance and costs via specific funding streams.
• Experience with organizational capacity development, strengthening systems, management and leadership skills, decentralization, and good governance of the public sector, civil society organizations, NGOs, or multi-sector bodies to achieve sustainable outcomes, especially in developing countries.
• Demonstrated knowledge and background in community mobilization strategies.
• Demonstrated problem solving skills, collaboration experience, creativity and willingness to innovate.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with host governments, donors, other donor-funded projects and stakeholders, local organizations, and partners.
• Proven leadership skills plus demonstrated experience recruiting, developing, and managing staff.
• Excellent written and speaking English skills.Employment is contingent upon USAID award.

Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to HKI.Recruitment@hki.org noting the job title in the subject line. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.