Deputy Programme Manager - Nutrition and Health

Company Overview
Action Against Hunger is an international humanitarian organization committed to ending world hunger. For almost 45 years, across countries, we have been working to fight undernutrition and support communities affected by crisis across the globe.

We carry out innovative, lifesaving programs in Health, Nutrition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, Food Security and Livelihoods and Social Protection.

Action Against Hunger began operations in Nigeria in 2010 in response to the high rate of chronic malnutrition in Northern Nigeria, focusing on integrated programming. Action Against Hunger currently implements multi-sectorial humanitarian and development interventions in Northeast and Northwest Nigeria, funded by AFD, EU/ECHO, French Government, GAC, GFFO, SIDA, US Government, and WAM Foundation.
Action Against Hunger is currently looking to fill the role of Deputy programme Manager – Nutrition and health to contribute to the to the successful implementation of nutrition and health program activities in Sokoto State through extending capacity building to nutrition and health officers, LGA PHC health facilities staffs in the program supported areas.
The DPM will also oversee the implementation of nutrition and health programmed, complementary activities on nutrition and health, sensitization and counselling, active case finding and integration and referral with health, nutrition, FSL and WASH components of the project
Position Details
Reporting to: Nutrition and Health PM
Proposed start date: October 2026
Work location: Sokoto, Sokoto State

Key Responsibilities:
Mission 1: Mapping of nutrition and health services and gaps in the targeted Local Governments

The Deputy Manager (DPM) is responsible for:

• Carrying out LGA assessment
• Determine the needs at the LGA primary health care department and health facilities.
• Ensure on-going high quality relationships with the LGAs, Health facilities and its representatives

• Coordinate with the respective PMs/project coordinators (where applicable) to ensure that data generated from ACF supported health facilities is submitted to the LGA HMIS for compilation and utilization
• Update stakeholder contact information at state level and targeted local government area (LGA) for nutrition and health sector on a regular basis.
• Develop health facility matrix for tracking gaps in service provisions, HRH, supplies, technical capacities, information management and availability of policies/guidelines at health facility level
• Liaise with Nutrition and Health service delivery team; and keep them updated about the identified gaps on a regular basis
• Ensure a feedback mechanism is established-between health facility-LGA-state with active participation from State and LGA authorities
• Joint planning with state and LGA authorities to conduct review meetings and supportive supervision alongside project staff to monitor the quality of nutrition and health services
• Work with project staff and LGA counterparts to continually monitor the supply chain for nutrition and health supplies and make timely recommendations on how to address specific gaps sustainably

• Technical support and capacity building of local partners implementing the Porridge mom project
• Management of the project cycle for porridge mum nutrition project.
• Ensure projects are implemented in line with donor proposals and requirements and in accordance with Action against Hunger, Country and international standards

• Ensure the local partner implements the porridge mom project inline with donor proposals and requirements and in accordance with Action against Hunger, country and international standards;
• Finalize and manage the update and implementation of the detailed Project(s) Implementation Plan (DIP);
• Develop detailed monthly/weekly implementation plans in collaboration with the local partner project staff in order to achieve the activities in the DIP;
• In collaboration with the Nutrition and Health PM and HOD, support the development of strategies addressing the problems linked to poor health and malnutrition in the Northeast region;
• Jointly with the SPHCDA and the LGA health authorities promoting and supervising high quality care for beneficiaries of the project;
• Through the local partner, support in the monitoring of community health and nutrition activities and ensure proper linkage and referral with the primary health care services supported by the project.
• Lead assessment, beneficiary identification and implementation of porridge mom in line with the project proposal and donor strategies through collaborating with FSL and H&N team;
• Initiate and oversee needs and technical assessments and analysis, as well as preparing the follow up reports in coordination with the Program Manager , Project Coordinator, HoD/DHoD Nutrition and Health, M&E HoD/DHoD and DCDs;
• In keeping with the policy of ACF - NIGERIA LTD/GTE as a learning organisation, contributing to building on good practice, experience, and assessments, and working with the health and nutrition officers to ensure proper documentation of all aspects of the nutrition and health interventions.

• Involving State and LGA in evaluating the skills and technical level of the teams in health facilities
• Consulting with LGAs/State to determine their training needs
• Proposing training plans to SPHCDA staffs at LGAs and health facilities.
• Developing the skills of Health workers across project supported LGAs.
• Ensuring, with the SPHCDA, the quality and appropriateness of the training programmes put in place

• Identifying the training needs of government staff having regard to the level of expertise within the SPHCDA.
• Proposing sequences of training sessions and integrating them into the working routine of the Health workers in the health facilities.
• Setting out the specifications of the training sessions to be put in place
• In collaboration with the DHODs, Identifying resource people in the SPHCDA to create training modules and their educational material, and contact them, whilst taking consideration throughout of the local cultural context
• In coordination with the DHODs, planning joint training sessions in the areas identified
• Training and monitoring the partner's teams of trainers
• In coordination with the DHOD, ensuring that the training content offered takes account of such issues as the protocols in line with the National standard protocols.
• In coordination with the nutrition and health teams, facilitating the organisation and execution of training programmes
• Carrying out on the spot as well as considered assessments and analyses of the training sessions undertaken (quality of the session(s), degree of retention= before and after testing)

• The professional image of ACF programme
• Respect for the principles and values of ACF in the framework of the partnership
• The quality of the relationship with the government partners

• In collaboration with the nutrition and health team, strengthen the state and LGA level data quality review and use for decision making

• In collaboration with the N/H PM ensure that all training database for health workers, community health workers/volunteers are collected and archived.

• Identify key progresses, gaps and challenges with proposed solutions from the monthly follow up visits, health facility matrix updates and inform N/H Programme Manager for follow up.
• Conduct regular meetings with other ACF project staff or partners to discuss and document lessons learned
• Regularly report and coordinate with line managers regarding challenges, issues faced in the field for timely and appropriate decision making
• Closely coordinate with State/LGA representatives from SMoH and health care agencies responsible for service delivery for the targeted LGAs
• Support the LGA to organize and lead the LGA based monthly coordination meetings and support LGA teams on structuring LGA coordination mechanisms with health workers and partners
• In coordination with the DHOD, participate in the relevant sector meetings (nutrition and health) and other related forum at LGA or state and provide feedback to the DHOD and nutrition and health teams and ensure action points due to specific projects are followed through
• In coordination with the DHOD, representing the health and nutritional dimension of the ACF programme in respect of the geographical area covered at coordinating meetings, meetings with the authorities
• Developing and structuring communications with local contacts (regular meetings, identification of key local contacts and development of collaboration with these contacts) in order to promote harmonious and productive relationships
• In collaboration with respective PMs and Project Coordinators (where applicable), applying the articles of agreements signed with the state government and carrying out regular checks to ensure that the collaboration conforms to the plan
• Ensuring that the relationship with state government is consistent with the orientation and the ethos of ACF's partnership policy (currently under development: mutual trust, respect, shared aims, complementarity, transparency and mutual support, shared learning....)
• Build strong partnerships with the government at state and LGA level and other key stakeholder to ensure that ACF - Nigeria Ltd/Gte projects are in line with government priorities and the successful implementation of the projects
• Represent ACF - Nigeria Ltd/Gte professionally ensuring the ACF - Nigeria Ltd/Gte projects are well regarded at LGA and State level
• In coordination with the DHOD, ensure streamlined external communication with the LGA and State actors and partners, to ensure harmony internally and externally.

• Bachelor’s degree in medicine/public health/nutrition/Health Systems/Health Economics/Health policy or related field
• 3 years’ experience in primary health care system, CMAM AND IYCF;
• Good understanding of health systems strengthening;
• Demonstrated experience and knowledge of primary health care and nutrition services in Nigeria;
• Previous role at coordination level is required;
• Ability to engage and build effective working relationships at multiple levels with Ministry of Health personnel, implementing partners, NGOs and INGOs;
• Demonstrated ability to develop individual and institutional capacity;
• Fluency in Hausa and English;

• 100% health care coverage
• Free and direct access to Talent Soft e-learning platform
• Maternity or Paternity leave
• Compassionate leave for a hospitalized child
• Creche facilities for babies
  

Application Instructions:
All applicants MUST answer every question in the application form. Incomplete applications will not be considered.