Nutrition Technical Advisor

About IsraAID

IsraAID is an international non-governmental humanitarian aid organization with its HQ based in Israel. Since we were founded in 2001, our teams have worked in emergency and long-term development settings in more than 60 countries around the world. IsraAID responds to emergencies and helps communities affected by crises rebuild their lives, and their futures, together. From hurricanes to refugee crises to global pandemics, we mobilize quickly and collaborate with communities at the deepest level, accompanying the process of becoming self-reliant in the ability to prepare and respond to emergencies and crises and return to adaptive functioning.

In Africa, IsraAID implements multisectoral health and resilience programs, with a strong focus on integrated interventions across Health, WASH, Protection, Education, and incorporates Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Triple I (Innovation, Information, and Impact). Health programming prioritizes nutrition, sexual and reproductive health (SRH), and communicable disease prevention and response, delivered through community-based, multi-sector integration and systems-strengthening approaches.

About the Position

The Nutrition Technical Advisor provides technical leadership, capacity strengthening, and strategic guidance for nutrition programing, within the Integrated Community Nutrition Management Program and across IsraAID’s Africa Region to ensure high-quality, evidence-based, and multisectoral integrated interventions. The role operates within a matrix structure, supports community-based, context-specific, and decentralized nutrition programmatic approaches across multiple countries in the Africa Region. It works closely with IsraAid COs health teams, the Regional Desk, the Program Manager, Health Sector, and the Technical Unit Director in the design, planning, implementation, monitoring, and quality assurance of nutrition interventions, with a particular focus on community-based management of malnutrition programs (CMAM/IMAM/MIYCN/ Blanket feeding program, Deworming and Vit. Supplementation. The position plays a key role in leading, supporting, and scaling up community-based malnutrition management program across IsraAID Africa Region Country Offices, with a particular focus on the implementation and expansion of nutrition initiatives delivered in partnership with Edesia. The role will contribute to advancing IsraAID’s programmatic approach, Global Health Strategy, and Resilience Framework while strengthening the quality, coverage, and impact of acute malnutrition prevention and treatment services. Nutrition Technical Advisor is one of four core cross-country roles supporting the Integrated Community Nutrition Management Program. The role operates in close coordination with the Program Manager, SCM Coordinator, and MEAL Coordinator, contributing to a coordinated program structure that connects technical guidance, operational systems, and implementation across countries.

Scope & Context: Revolution:

The Technical Advisor role is a regional technical advisory position within a complex multi-country nutrition program. It focuses on providing technical leadership, guidance, and capacity strengthening while remaining closely connected to program implementation realities. The role does not directly manage Country Office teams but supports them through technical guidance, coordination, and structured follow-up within a matrix system. Success in this role will be reflected in consistent technical quality, practical implementation support, strong cross-country alignment, and effective integration between technical standards and program delivery.

Duties and Responsibilities

Technical Leadership & Strategy

• Provide strategic and technical leadership for nutrition programming across IsraAID country offices in the Africa Region.
• Lead the development and implementation of regional nutrition priorities, approaches, and technical frameworks in alignment with IsraAid’s Global Health Strategy and Resilient Framework.
• Ensure nutrition programming is aligned with national policies, technical guidelines, and global standards.
• Guide the design, planning, and implementation of community-based nutrition interventions, including the screening, prevention, community management of malnutrition, referral pathways, in collaboration with country offices and partners.
• Ensure the integration of health and nutrition programming with WASH, Protection, Education and cross cutting Triple i, and DRR.
• Provide strategic technical oversight and support the translation of technical guidance into practical implementation approaches across program sites.
• Support the identification of emerging nutrition priorities, risks, and opportunities, and advise COs, the Regional Desk, Program team, and TU on appropriate programmatic responses.

Capacity Strengthening & Field Support

• Lead the development and implementation of coordinated capacity-strengthening approaches across program countries, ensuring alignment with program models, tools, and implementation priorities.
• Design, adapt, and facilitate training, mentoring, and on-the-job coaching on nutrition programming, including nutrition screenings, assessments, community-based management of malnutrition (CMAM/IMAM/ MIYCN/, Blanket feeding, Deworming and Vit. Supplementation programs).
• Conduct regular supportive supervision and field visits to provide hands-on technical support, monitor implementation quality, identify challenges, and support corrective actions.
• Strengthen the competencies of national staff and partners in nutrition program implementation, quality assurance, data use, adaptive programming, and adherence to national and global nutrition standards.
• Support country offices in translating technical guidance into practical implementation approaches tailored to the local context.
• Foster continuous learning and knowledge sharing across country offices by documenting lessons learned, best practices, and innovations in nutrition programming.
• Support commemoration and capacity-building initiatives for Global Health Days organized by the Health and Technical Unit sectors, involving Health Rosters and Global Health teams.

Program Quality & Implementation

• Provide technical leadership and oversight to ensure high-quality implementation of community-based and facility-based nutrition interventions across country program, in line with national policies, WHO guidance, and international standards.
• Support the strengthening of community-based and community-led nutrition systems, including Family MUAC approaches, peer support groups, community health worker capacity building, decentralized service delivery models, and other approaches that enhance early identification, referral, treatment, and follow-up of vulnerable populations.
• Support the development, adaptation, implementation, and dissemination of technical guidelines, standard operating procedures (SOPs), tools, checklists, training materials, job aids, and awareness materials to strengthen program quality and consistency.
• Strengthen quality assurance and quality improvement mechanisms, and support the harmonization of technical approaches, indicators, tools, and implementation models across country programs while allowing for context-specific adaptation.
• Support country offices in strengthening referral pathways between communities, health facilities, and other relevant services to ensure continuity of care and timely management of nutrition cases.
• Support the integration of nutrition programming into national and sub-national systems and contribute to transition and sustainability planning through capacity strengthening, institutional embedding, and gradual handover of program components where appropriate.
• Work closely with the Supply Chain Coordinator to ensure that nutrition commodity management, including RUTF/RUSF protocols, forecasting, pipeline planning, and technical standards, is aligned with program needs and supply chain systems.
• Provide technical guidance and support to country offices in emergency preparedness, contingency planning, and adaptive programming to ensure the continuity and quality of nutrition services during public health emergencies, disease outbreaks, humanitarian crises, and other operational disruptions.

 Multisectoral Integration

• Promote the integration of nutrition programming with Health, WASH, Protection, and Education, incorporating Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Triple I as cross-cutting elements where relevant.
• Support the development of integrated, context-adapted programming approaches that address the underlying risks of malnutrition.
• Contribute to strengthening cross-sectoral collaboration at regional and country levels to enhance program coherence, efficiency, and impact.
• Support the adaptation of appropriate technology and innovation in multi-sectoral programming approaches where relevant.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEAL)

• Strengthen the collection, analysis, and use of high-quality nutrition data to inform program performance monitoring, cross-country comparison, evidence-based decision-making, learning, reporting, and adaptive programming within the Integrated Community Nutrition Management Program, in close coordination with MEAL focal points at country office and program team.
• Support the analysis and interpretation of key nutrition indicators to inform program performance, quality improvement, and strategic direction, ensuring strong data quality assurance processes relevant for research, quality reporting and publications.
• Work closely with CO and HQ MEAL teams to ensure quality indicators and digital data collection tools are available, functional, and aligned with national HMIS/DHIS2 systems, SDGs, and global standards.
• Contribute to the production and review of evidence-based reports, dashboards, and technical briefs on nutrition programming outcomes, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and data integrity.
• Document and share lessons learned, success stories, innovations, and best practices across countries to strengthen organizational learning and program improvement.
• Promote a culture of continuous learning, accountability, research and data quality assurance within nutrition programming, including effective feedback mechanisms where relevant.

 Coordination & Representation

• Represent IsraAID in national and regional nutrition technical working groups, clusters, and nutrition platforms.
• Strengthen and maintain strategic partnerships with government counterparts, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, and other key stakeholders, in coordination with COs, Regional Desk, PM, and TU.
• Support effective external engagement with relevant donors, partners, and technical networks, including preparation of technical inputs and briefings where required.
• Contribute to coordinated responses and harmonized approaches to nutrition programming across actors and sectors.
• Ensure IsraAid’s technical positions and programmatic approaches are effectively communicated and reflected in relevant coordination forums.

Essential Skills, Knowledge & Competencies

Education

• 
  BSc degree in Nutrition and master's degree in nutrition or public health
  

Experience

• Minimum 8 years of progressive experience in senior nutrition roles
• Strong expertise in community-based nutrition programming
• Experience working in multi-country or regional programs strongly preferred
• Experience working with multiple stakeholders, technical teams, UN and government actors, and donors
• Proven experience working in humanitarian and development nutrition programming
• Experience working across multiple locations or within matrix management structures is an advantage.

Leadership and Technical Competencies

• Technical & Analytical
  • Strong ability to translate strategy into operational nutrition programming
  • Advanced skills in data analysis and evidence-based reporting
  • Strong understanding of nutrition in emergencies and development contexts
  • Demonstrated expertise in supporting the review and development of log frames and technical program documents.
• Leadership & Capacity Building
  • Proven ability to train, mentor, and develop technical teams
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills across all levels
  • Collaborative, inclusive, and team-oriented leadership style
• Multisectoral & Innovation
  • Strong experience in multi-sectoral integrated programming
  • Innovative mindset and adaptive programming approach
• Interpersonal & Communication Skills
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to coordinate effectively with diverse stakeholders
  • Visionary and strategic thinker
  • Flexible, proactive, and field-oriented
  • Results-driven and solution-focused
  • Commitment to IsraAid’s organizational values: Professionalism, Humanity, Collaboration, Flexibility, and Adaptability
• IT & Languages
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and collaboration platforms.
  • Comfort working with program data, trackers, and reporting tools; familiarity with digital systems is an advantage.
  • Fluency in English required.
• Duty Station & Mobility
• The position will be based in Nairobi, Kenya
• Frequent travel across IsraAid countries of operation and program sites in Africa (at least 60% of time)
• Periodic travel to IsraAid Headquarters in Tel Aviv, Israel
• High flexibility required, including extended field deployments to COs and program implementation sites.

Ethical Standards

IsraAID has zero tolerance towards any acts of misconduct and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA). The recruitment process will include all candidates' declarations and reference checks focused on misconduct and SEA. 

Equal Opportunities

IsraAID is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or disability status.