NUTRITION & SBCC SPECIALIST

Youth Impact Labs East Africa; Makkah Region; On-site; SAR 168,000 - 207,000; Full time

Job summary

A humanitarian organization is seeking a Nutrition and SBCC Specialist to implement nutrition programs in Dollo Ado. The role focuses on improving nutritional outcomes through strategic community engagement and behavior change communication. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in nutrition programming, strong interpersonal skills, and the capacity to work with diverse stakeholders. The position offers opportunities to make considerable impact in vulnerable communities, enhancing both nutrition and food security.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of relevant work experience in nutrition and/or food security programs.
• Experience in both nutrition-sensitive agriculture and specific activities.
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Implement and manage the project’s nutrition component to achieve goals.
• Design and monitor nutrition-specific activities.
• Support behavior change approaches to improve nutrition.

Skills

Nutrition programming

Behavior change communication

Community engagement

Monitoring and evaluation

Interpersonal skills

Education

Degree in Nutrition, Agriculture, Dietetics, or related field

Job description

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

Position Title

Nutrition and SBCC Specialist

Duty Station

Dollo Ado

Open Position

1

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps is currently implementing a WFP funded “Climate-proofing Food Security in Ethiopia; Drought prone lowland Areas of Dollo ado and Dollo Bay woredas.” This ambitious program is designed to revitalize the local food systems, ensuring that they are robust, sustainable, and capable of supporting the nutritional and economic needs of both refugee and host community populations. By integrating a variety of support mechanisms—ranging from agricultural enhancement to financial inclusion, market connectivity, and livelihood augmentation—the intervention is meticulously crafted to foster resilience and improve nutritional outcomes.

General Position Summary

The Nutrition and SBCC specialist will focus on improving the development of nutrition and social behavior change and communication approaches to reach desired outcomes. The Nutrition and SBCC specialist’s primary responsibility is to work with the IFTIIN project team to provide reliable and timely technical input, contribute to development of relevant knowledge/structures to inform the underlying causes of malnutrition, provide leadership & deliver sound, harmonized approach, efficient and high impact activities for improved nutrition outcome.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Implement, manage and monitor the project’s nutrition component to achieve greater progress and synergize for nutritional impact.
• Design, roll out and monitor nutrition specific and nutrition sensitive activities.
• Collect and compile evidence-based information to influence evidence-based innovative programming approaches to chronic malnutrition, maternal, infant and young child nutrition, and micronutrient deficiency in target operational woredas.
• Using behavior change approaches, support the project team/field officers to address barriers to effective adoption of appropriate nutrition and change behaviors promoted by the project.
• Contribute to the development of technical resource materials for nutrition including guidelines, manuals and curricula; provide training to field staff, government health workers, development agents, farmers, etc.
• Actively participate in the development of Social Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) materials, tools and approaches for Nutrition, crop production and productivity, alternative livelihood, natural resource management and gender.
• Develop assessment tools for nutrition and SBCC.
• Ensure the project conforms to and utilizes evidence-based program global gold standards/tools (e.g. maternal, infant and young child nutrition (MIYCN), essential hygiene actions) to implement high impact activities.
• Work closely with the Evaluation and Learning (MEAL) unit to monitor performance against set indicators and document best practices.
• In collaboration with the Agronomists, ensure the production of high-nutrient crop varieties including fruits and vegetables and pilot innovations in demonstration sites.
• Practically provide cooking demonstrations to ensure farmers and communities adopt balanced diet.
• Put systems in place for practical and sustainable Community conversations/ Social Analysis and Action dialogues at community and schools’ level as mediums for spreading appropriate nutrition messages.

Strategy & Vision

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to countrywide strategy development.
• Develop and organize activities to secure resources for programs and convince stakeholders to provide support.

Program Management

• Coordinate, participate and facilitate assessments, activity planning, coordination’s meetings, and workshops with stakeholders.
• Work with woreda development agents and extension workers to improve nutrition extension service to increase production, productivity & utilization.
• Facilitate market linkages between aggregators, agriculture‑input suppliers, and smallholder farmers.
• Facilitate woreda and kebele level activities such as beneficiaries’ selection and profiling, extension service provision, capacity building trainings and meetings, market linkage events, financial inclusion activities.
• Provide work plan and corresponding activity report about activities.
• Regularly visit field activities to assess progress and provide formal and informal feedback.

Team Management

• Develop the capacity of the community facilitators and enumerators, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
• Assist community facilitators with information, tools and resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one‑on‑ones and performance reviews.

Finance & Compliance Management

• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to emergency programming.

Influence & Representation

Represent Mercy Corps in front of partners, communities and stakeholders and in coordination meetings.

GEDSI (Gender, Equality, Diversity and Social Inclusion)

• Adherence to gender minimum standards.
• Ensure GESI issues are properly reflected during program management.
• Support the organization’s commitment to age and gender inclusive team building processes.
• Increase commitment to Gender Equality, Diversity and Social inclusion.

Knowledge and Experience

• Degree in Nutrition, Agriculture, Dietetics, Management or related international development field and at least 5 years of relevant work experience in nutrition and/or food security programs.
• Extensive knowledge of programmatic approaches and models used in development nutrition and SBCC.
• Experience in both nutrition-sensitive agriculture and specific activities.
• Experience in setting up, supervising and supporting established nutrition groups at woreda and kebele level.
• Strong well-demonstrated organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary technical specialists.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple activities.
• Knowledge and experience working in the Somali region‑Ethiopia.
• Experience with development, implementation & compliance of donor funded programs.
• Established ability to manage and communicate effectively with team members of varied work styles.
• Demonstrated flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving.
• Experience working with host governments, national and international NGOs.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.

Success Factors

He/She must be a tolerant and flexible individual who can work in difficult and stressful environments and follow procedures with high commitment to learn and change. He/she must be able to speak at least one of the local languages of the community in target and knows the culture of the community.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercury Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact. We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e‑learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

Application Information

All qualified individuals are invited to apply for the advertised position. All applications, including a CV, three references, and all applicable official papers, must be sent electronically. Only candidates that are short‑listed will be acknowledged and called for interviews. Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer promoting gender, equity and diversity. Qualified female and young candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We are committed to empower women and youth.

Deadline for all applications: 17 October 2025 / 4:00 PM