Senior Program Coordinator

Senior Program Coordinator- USAID Integrated Nutrition

Department: Program Operations
Location: Bara and Saptari

Level / Grade: J

Background

Guided by the remarkable legacy of its co-founder, Helen Keller, Helen Keller Intl partners with communities striving to overcome long-standing cycles of poverty. By delivering the essential building blocks of good health, sound nutrition, and clear vision, we help millions of people create lasting change in their own lives. Working in 20 countries – across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the United States – and together with a global community of supporters, we are ensuring every person has the opportunity – as Helen did – to reach their true potential.

USAID Integrated Nutrition’s primary goal is to improve the nutrition status of women, adolescents, and children in Nepal’s underserved and marginalized communities. The activity will tackle the direct and underlying determinants of malnutrition in Nepal while strengthening the national and local enabling environment to implement multisectoral nutrition programs through four synergistic intermediate results. Success will be measured by improvements in nutrition status indicators among women of reproductive age, adolescents, and children.

Position Overview

The Sr. Program Coordinator will support in design, development and implementation of USAID Integrated Nutrition in assigned geographical locations. The position holder will discharge close technical support for implementing effective, inclusive, accountable, and sustainable nutrition programming, including health, agriculture, WASH, and governance in their respective geographical locations. The position holder will lead annual co-creation at the municipal level and monitor partner non-governmental organizations’ (PNGOs) performance and capacity needs. In addition, the position holder will facilitate in PNGO sub-awards management of the districts, ensuring smooth financial, grant, contract, and operational management under USAID Integrated Nutrition.

In addition, the position holder will consistently support to government and non-government stakeholders and development partners including private sector actors of the districts to maximize synergy on implementation and outcomes within the local government levels and will ensure Gender and Inclusive Development (GID) principles are integrated into the delivery of USAID Integrated Nutrition.

Functional Relationships

Under the direct supervision of the Province Lead and specific guidance from thematic, finance and operations officials of the province, the position holder is responsible to provide technical and managerial support to PNGOs team for USAID Integrated Nutrition implementation. This role requires high-quality project management, coordination, networking, representation, and communication skills. S/he will uphold Helen Keller’s values, committing to the highest standards of ethics, integrity, honesty, fairness, and professionalism, and ensure adherence to Helen Keller’s code of conduct, policies, procedures, and financial accountability.

Direct Line Supervision: Province Lead
Inter-Line Supervision: Thematic and Finance/Operations lead of the province

Collaboration with:

• Internal: All Staffs
• External: USAID, Governmental and non-governmental agencies at the province, districts, and local levels, program partners, and stakeholders

Specific Responsibilities

Grant & Contract, and Operations

• Assist Province Lead for smooth implementation of program and field operations-related actions according to the start-up strategy and subsequent program implementation plans.
• Assist the province team in selecting local partner organizations
• Engage with team in developing partner organization program descriptions, budgets, and budget notes.
• Identify areas for potential revision in current sub-awards and suggest modifications when necessary or as requested by partner organization.
• Ensure that the partners comply with government, organizational, donor, and Helen Keller policies and requirements.

Planning, Implementation, and Capacity Building

• Support in facilitation co-creation workshops at the municipal levels to formulate a detailed implementation plan for USAID Integrated Nutrition, aligning with the nutritional needs and problems of province and municipality under the framework of the Multi Sector Nutrition Plan.
• Provide guidance and assistance to PNGOs in developing monthly plans and budgets.
• Ensure provincial/suboffice technical officers’ expertise are adequately imparted to PNGOs and government counterparts and efficiently execute the activities as per the detailed implementation plan.
• Identify and seek timely technical support from the province team.
• Provide coaching, mentoring, and supervision to the PNGO teams to implement program activities to achieve objectives, goals, and intended results.
• Ensure tailored technical assistance to generate and utilize evidence for effective planning, implementation, and monitoring.
• Identify the capacity needs of the PNGOs and develop and execute the capacity development plans.
• Support and guide the province and PNGO teams to integrate gender and inclusive development in all program efforts.

Collaborating, Learning, and Adaption

• Support in baseline, end-line, mid-term, and final evaluation processes.
• Conduct regular field visits with appropriate tools and checklists to ensure technical officers and field staff are effectively mobilized and to ensure the quality of work.
• Ensure support to the local government with a quarterly review based on the data generated from the systems.
• Undertake quarterly pause and reflect sessions with project staff and partners identifying project strengths and weaknesses and develop action plans to address issues. to improve their capacity in cost efficiency, accountability, and organizational performance.
• Facilitate communication and information sharing within the districts and liaise with the province team of the USAID Integrated Nutrition.

Coordination, Representation, and Networking

• Ensure the representation of USAID Integrated Nutrition at multi-sector nutrition platforms including nutrition and food security steering committees at the municipal level.
• Engage with government stakeholders and advocate for sustained financial resources for health and nutrition programming.
• Establish functional relationships and two-way communication with USAID Integrated Nutrition and the concerned stakeholders.
• Establish strong institutional relationships with municipalities and relevant stakeholders, ensuring effective linkages and coordination with relevant line agencies: municipalities, UN agencies, USAID projects, and community-based organizations, for collaborations and synergetic effects.
• Strengthen coordination at different levels of implementation, accountability mechanisms, annual work planning, and budgeting processes.
• Participate in different forums for mutual learning and convene partners for sharing insights and lessons learned.
• Coordinate with the province team to ensure timely technical and program operation support, and to effectively mobilize the team for smooth implementation of the program.
• Represent USAID Integrated Nutrition, and Helen Keller at the district and municipality, maintaining strategic relationships with stakeholders, including external development partners.

Required Qualifications/Competencies

Education: Bachelor’s degree in social science, management, public administration, health science, or other relevant disciplines.
Experience: Minimum of 5 years of experience in mid-level management in I/NGOs, UN agencies, development partners, and the private sector. At least 3 years of experience must include managing diverse communities to successfully implement nutrition specific and sensitive programs.

Demonstrated track record of:

• Managing programs with grants and budget management across diverse geographies and partners.
• Coordinating with multiple stakeholders and partners including government stakeholders at the local and district levels.

Skills:

• Effective communication and listening skills, balanced and reasoned problem-solving, inspiring trust and confidence, and openness to differing viewpoints.
• Proven ability in decision-making in dynamic environments with a far sight on how future needs may affect those decisions; willingness to iterate strategies and approaches, with the ability to course-correct as necessary.
• Excellent time management, personal organization, capacity building, team building, management, and coordination skills, with the ability to delegate responsibilities effectively and coach and mentor staff.
• Excellent coordination and communication skills with a diverse range of stakeholders, including implementers, government officials, and development partners.
• Proficiency in English and Nepali, both written and spoken; proficiency in major local languages of the applied province is strongly preferred.
• High computer literacy, with proficiency in software relevant to job duties.
• Strong organization management and planning skills.
• Must have a two-wheeler driving license and willingness to travel in remote areas of the project.
• Applicants must be a Nepali national.
• Local candidates with a solid understanding of the socio-economic, cultural, and geographical context of the position location are encouraged to apply.
• Demonstrable respect for all persons regardless of religion, ethnicity, class or gender, with a high comfort level working in a diverse environment with a demonstrated commitment to high professional ethical standards.

Interested candidates can apply until August 24, 2024.

In the spirit of our founder and namesake, Helen Keller is dedicated to building an inclusive workforce where diversity in all its forms is fully valued.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, caste, age, disability, or any other status that has no bearing on the ability of an individual to perform the functions of the job.