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 Health and Nutrition Coordinator will provide technical and programmatic support to ensure that health, nutrition, food safety, and related child well-being considerations are effectively integrated into the implementation of the Sindh Sustainable School Meals (SSSM) Project, implemented under the USDA McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, in partnership with the School Education & Literacy Department (SE&LD), Government of Sindh.

The position will support the planning, coordination, implementation, monitoring, and quality assurance of project activities related to school meals, child nutrition, health, hygiene, food safety, and nutrition-sensitive interventions. The role will work closely with the project’s education, school meals, WASH, monitoring, and government coordination teams to ensure that health and nutrition activities are evidence-based, aligned with USDA and Government of Sindh requirements, and responsive to the needs of school-age children.

The Health and Nutrition Coordinator will provide technical guidance on nutrition and health-related components of the project, including nutrition education and awareness, healthy eating practices, food safety and hygiene, school-based health and nutrition messaging, and linkages between school meals, WASH, and child health and well-being. The position will also support the development and review of technical guidelines, training materials, tools, and approaches for project staff, teachers, cooks, school committees, and other relevant stakeholders.

The role will contribute to coordination with SE&LD and other relevant government departments, technical partners, and stakeholders on health and nutrition matters, including participation in relevant technical forums, consultations, and joint planning processes. The position will also support monitoring of health and nutrition indicators, documentation of results and lessons learned, identification of implementation gaps, and development of recommendations to strengthen the quality, effectiveness, and sustainability of the SSSM school meals programme.

The position requires strong technical knowledge of school health and nutrition, excellent coordination and communication skills, and the ability to translate technical nutrition and health concepts into practical interventions within a large-scale school meals programme. The role will require regular engagement with field teams, schools, government counterparts, and communities across the project districts and a strong commitment to improving the health, nutrition, learning, and overall well-being of school-age children.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Education Specialist

Staff Reporting to this role: No

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

1. Health and Nutrition Technical Planning and Strategy:

• Lead the technical planning and coordination of the Health and Nutrition component of the Sindh Sustainable School Meals (SSSM) Project, ensuring alignment with USDA McGovern-Dole requirements, project objectives, Government of Sindh priorities, and relevant national standards and guidelines.
• Develop, review, and periodically update the project’s Health and Nutrition workplan and technical implementation approach, including nutrition education, healthy eating practices, food safety, hygiene, and linkages between school meals, WASH, and child health and well-being.
• Provide technical inputs to annual workplans, implementation plans, budgets, and project strategies to ensure that health and nutrition considerations are appropriately integrated across project components.
• Monitor emerging health, nutrition, food safety, and school health issues that may affect project implementation and recommend appropriate adaptations to project approaches.
• Ensure that the specific health and nutrition needs of school-age children, including vulnerable and underserved children, are reflected in project planning and implementation.

2. Technical Assessment and Programme Design:

• Lead or provide technical support to health and nutrition-related assessments in coordination with the MEAL, Education, WASH, School Meals, and other relevant teams.
• Analyse assessment findings and translate them into practical recommendations for strengthening school meals, nutrition education, food safety, hygiene, and other health and nutrition interventions.
• Provide technical review and guidance on project activities, tools, guidelines, training materials, and approaches related to health and nutrition.
• Contribute to the design and development of nutrition-sensitive, nutrition-specific and school-based health interventions that complement the provision of USDA commodities and school meals.
• Provide technical inputs to concept notes, proposals, donor submissions, project modifications, and other relevant programme documents, as required.

3. Technical Guidance, Implementation and Quality Assurance:

• Provide technical guidance to project teams, field staff, partners, schools, and other relevant stakeholders on the effective implementation of Health and Nutrition activities.
• Support the integration of nutrition, food safety, hygiene, and health considerations throughout the school meals programme, from food preparation and handling to consumption at school level.
• Provide technical guidance on appropriate nutrition messages, healthy eating practices, dietary diversity, micronutrient considerations, and other relevant nutrition topics within the scope of the project.
• Support the development and implementation of appropriate food safety and hygiene standards and procedures for school meal preparation, storage, handling, cooking, and serving.
• Work closely with the WASH team to strengthen the linkages between school meals, safe water, sanitation, hygiene practices, and child health.
• Conduct regular field visits to project schools and implementation sites to assess the quality of Health and Nutrition activities, identify implementation gaps, and provide corrective technical guidance.
• Review progress against Health and Nutrition activities, indicators, targets, and workplans and recommend corrective or acceleration measures where required.
• Provide technical inputs to project reports, success stories, case studies, and other donor and management reporting requirements.

4. MEAL, Monitoring and Learning:

• Work closely with the MEAL team to develop and implement a Health and Nutrition monitoring framework and plan, aligned with the SSSM results framework and USDA reporting requirements.
• Support the development and review of Health and Nutrition indicators, monitoring tools, data collection methodologies, and reporting formats.
• Analyze monitoring and assessment data to identify trends, implementation gaps, and opportunities for improving the quality and effectiveness of project interventions.
• Ensure that findings from monitoring, assessments, feedback mechanisms, and field observations are translated into practical programme improvements.
• Contribute to documentation of lessons learned, good practices, innovations, and evidence related to school meals, nutrition, food safety, and child health.
• Support programme teams in using evidence and data to strengthen implementation and demonstrate project results.

5. Capacity Strengthening and Technical Support:

• Conduct learning and capacity needs assessments for project staff, partner staff, teachers, cooks, school management committees, and other relevant stakeholders involved in school meals and related activities.
• Develop and implement capacity-building plans on relevant Health and Nutrition topics, including nutrition awareness, food safety, hygiene, healthy eating, safe food handling, and school-based nutrition practices.
• Develop, review, and facilitate technical training materials, guidance notes, job aids, and other learning resources.
• Coach and mentor project and partner staff to strengthen their technical capacity and confidence in implementing Health and Nutrition activities.
• Provide technical support to school-level actors to promote sustainable and practical health, nutrition, hygiene, and food safety practices.

6. Government and Stakeholder Coordination:

• Support effective coordination with SE&LD, Health Department, Government of Sindh, and other relevant government departments and technical stakeholders on Health and Nutrition aspects of the SSSM Project.
• Represent the project in relevant technical meetings, workshops, consultations, and coordination forums related to school health, nutrition, food safety, and school meals, as delegated.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with relevant government counterparts, technical agencies, partners, and other stakeholders.
• Support harmonization of project approaches, tools, and technical messages with relevant government policies, standards, and guidelines.
• Facilitate technical discussions with stakeholders to address implementation challenges and identify opportunities for strengthening the health and nutrition component of the project.

7. Accountability, Safeguarding and Quality Standards:

• Ensure that Health and Nutrition interventions are implemented in accordance with USDA McGovern-Dole requirements, Save the Children policies and procedures, Government of Sindh standards, and relevant national and international technical guidance.
• Promote child safeguarding, protection, inclusion, gender sensitivity, and accountability across Health and Nutrition activities.
• Work with the Accountability/MEAL team to ensure that children, caregivers, teachers, and other relevant stakeholders have appropriate opportunities to provide feedback on school meals and related health and nutrition interventions.
• Ensure that feedback and complaints relevant to food quality, meal acceptability, hygiene, safety, and nutrition are appropriately documented, analysed, and addressed.
• Identify and escalate technical, food safety, health, or nutrition risks that may affect children or the quality of programme delivery.

8. Representation, Advocacy and Organizational Learning:

• Represent the SSSM Project in relevant Health, Nutrition, School Health, Food Safety, and School Meals coordination forums, as appropriate.
• Promote the importance of school meals as an integrated intervention contributing to child nutrition, health, school attendance, participation, and learning.
• Support evidence-based advocacy with government and other stakeholders on strengthening school health and nutrition systems and sustainable school meal approaches.
• Document and disseminate lessons learned, promising practices, innovations, and evidence generated through the SSSM Project.
• Contribute to project learning events, technical workshops, publications, case studies, and other knowledge-management initiatives.

9. General Responsibilities:

• Demonstrate leadership and commitment to Save the Children’s values, policies, Child Safeguarding, Code of Conduct, Health and Safety, Gender Equality, Inclusion, and Accountability principles.
• Ensure that all Health and Nutrition activities are implemented in a child-centred, inclusive, culturally appropriate, and participatory manner.
• Maintain professional and constructive relationships with project teams, government counterparts, partners, schools, communities, and other stakeholders.
• Undertake any other Health and Nutrition-related responsibilities assigned by the supervisor that contribute to the effective implementation and achievement of SSSM Project objectives.

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

QUALIFICATIONS:

Essential:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Nutrition, Public Health, Food Science, Health Sciences, Nursing, Dietetics, or another relevant health and nutrition-related discipline from a recognized university.
• At least 5–7 years of relevant professional experience in health, nutrition, school health, school feeding, community nutrition, food safety, or related programmes, preferably with an NGO, UN agency, government institution, or other development organization.
• Demonstrated experience in providing technical support to health and nutrition programmes, preferably including school-based nutrition, school meals, nutrition education, food safety, hygiene, and/or child health interventions.
• Good knowledge of nutrition and health issues affecting school-age children, including healthy diets, dietary diversity, nutrition education, food safety, hygiene, and the relationship between nutrition, health, school attendance, and learning.
• Experience in developing or reviewing technical guidelines, training materials, tools, monitoring frameworks, and capacity-building approaches related to health and nutrition.
• Knowledge and understanding of relevant national health and nutrition policies, standards, guidelines, and food safety requirements in Pakistan, particularly those applicable to school-age children and school-based programmes.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with government counterparts, schools, communities, technical partners, and multidisciplinary programme teams.
• Experience in conducting or supporting assessments, monitoring, data analysis, field supervision, and quality assurance of health and nutrition interventions.
• Strong written and verbal English communication skills, with the ability to prepare technical documents, reports, presentations, and training materials.
• Good interpersonal, coordination, facilitation, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work effectively across different technical and operational teams.
• Willingness and ability to undertake regular field travel to project districts and schools and work effectively in a field-based programme environment.
• Commitment to the aims and principles of Save the Children, including child safeguarding, accountability, inclusion, gender equality, and the promotion of children’s health, nutrition, well-being, and rights.

Desirable:

• Master’s degree in Public Health, Nutrition, Human Nutrition, Food and Nutrition, Dietetics, or a related discipline.
• Professional experience in school meals, school feeding, school health and nutrition, community nutrition, or nutrition-sensitive programming.
• Experience working on USDA McGovern-Dole, WFP, UNICEF, USAID, or other donor-funded school meals, nutrition, education, or child-focused programmes.
• Knowledge and practical experience in food safety and hygiene, safe food handling, school kitchen/meal preparation standards, nutrition education, and nutrition-sensitive WASH interventions.
• Experience working with provincial and district-level government departments, particularly education, health, nutrition, food, or local government authorities.
• Experience in designing and delivering training and capacity-strengthening programmes for teachers, school staff, cooks, community members, government counterparts, or implementing partners.
• Experience working in Sindh or other rural and underserved areas of Pakistan, particularly in large-scale education, nutrition, health, WASH, or school-based programmes.
• Familiarity with relevant national and international technical standards and guidance related to school meals, child nutrition, food safety, school health, WASH, and nutrition-sensitive programming.
• Knowledge of Sindhi is an advantage.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

The position will be based in Karachi with regular travel to project districts, including Thatta, Sujawal, and Tando Muhammad Khan, and frequent visits to schools and field implementation sites. The role requires the ability to work in rural and field-based environments and to travel as required to provide technical support, conduct monitoring visits, facilitate training, and coordinate with government and project stakeholders.

The Health and Nutrition Coordinator will be expected to comply with Save the Children’s safety, security, safeguarding, health, and operational policies and procedures and demonstrate flexibility in responding to changing programme priorities and field requirements.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS:

• Minimum 5–7 years of relevant professional experience in health, nutrition, public health, school health, school feeding, community nutrition, food safety, or related programmes, preferably within an NGO, UN agency, government, or development organization.
• Demonstrated experience in health and nutrition assessment, data analysis, and interpretation, with the ability to translate findings into practical programme recommendations and informed implementation decisions.
• Experience in designing, implementing, monitoring, or providing technical support to school-based health and nutrition, school meals, nutrition education, or child nutrition programmes.
• Demonstrated knowledge and practical experience in nutrition, healthy diets, dietary diversity, food safety, food hygiene, nutrition education, and health and hygiene promotion, preferably in programmes targeting school-age children.
• Experience in developing and implementing technical guidelines, tools, training materials, monitoring frameworks, and quality assurance mechanisms for health and nutrition programmes.
• Demonstrated ability to provide technical guidance, mentoring, coaching, and capacity building to programme staff, partners, teachers, school staff, cooks, community members, and other stakeholders on relevant Health and Nutrition topics.
• Experience working effectively across multiple locations and with field-based teams, including regular field monitoring, technical supervision, identification of implementation gaps, and provision of corrective support.
• Demonstrated experience in establishing or strengthening monitoring, learning, and accountability systems for health and nutrition interventions, in collaboration with MEAL teams.
• Ability to analyse programme data and monitoring findings and use evidence to improve programme quality, measure progress against targets, and document results and lessons learned.
• Experience in coordinating with government departments, technical agencies, implementing partners, schools, and community stakeholders on health, nutrition, school meals, food safety, or related programme areas.
• Experience in developing and maintaining effective partnerships and technical coordination mechanisms with government and other relevant stakeholders.
• Experience contributing to programme design, concept notes, proposals, workplans, budgets, technical reports, donor reports, and other programme documentation.
• Ability to prepare clear, concise, and well-structured technical reports, assessments, presentations, guidance materials, and learning products in English.
• Strong facilitation, interpersonal, coordination, communication, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate technical health and nutrition concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with Education, WASH, School Meals, MEAL, Operations, Supply Chain, and other technical teams to ensure integrated programme implementation.
• Ability to identify technical and operational challenges, develop practical solutions, and influence improvements in programme quality and implementation.
• Strong understanding of participation, accountability, child safeguarding, inclusion, gender equality, and community engagement principles, with the ability to promote their application within Health and Nutrition activities.
• Demonstrated ability to work respectfully and effectively with people from diverse cultural, social, and professional backgrounds, with strong qualities of patience, tact, diplomacy, and cultural sensitivity.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and work independently while maintaining effective coordination with project management and technical teams.
• Willingness and ability to undertake frequent field travel to project districts and schools, including rural and hard-to-reach locations, as required.

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.

Safeguarding our Staff:

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy.

Health and Safety:

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Save the Children has zero tolerance towards Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, Fraud, Bribery and Corruption.