Summary  

Save the Children is seeking a Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) for an anticipated five-year USAID-funded Multi-Sector Nutrition Activity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The Activity will improve nutrition outcomes in rural and hard-to-reach communities in the DRC, particularly for women and children, through locally led, multi-sectoral approaches integrating health, agriculture, WASH, education, and social and cultural norm shifts. The DCOP will report directly to the Chief of Party and ensure integrated implementation of high impact, quality programming, and proven interventions that meet stated goals and reporting requirements. 

This is a Key Personnel position, subject to USAID approval as well as project award and funding. It will be based in Kinshasa, DRC, for the five-year period of performance. Congolese candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.  

What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Duties)  

Provide technical leadership for the overall integrated project design and approach, including issues of food security, WASH, gender mainstreaming, and social and behavior change (SBC).   Lead the rapid start-up, work planning, and implementation of integrated nutrition and SBC activities in collaboration with partners and government stakeholders.   Work with the MEAL Director to oversee and coordinate formative and evaluative research using participatory methodologies to build local capacity and to design high impact interventions based on the social and cultural context in target areas. Lead development of the nutrition strategy and ensure integration of nutrition analysis recommendations into project plans.     Update the nutrition strategy annually alongside the project work plan using formal and informal feedback.    Coordinate with project staff, including managers and technical specialists, to ensure high quality and timely implementation of the integrated program strategy and project activities.  Design and conduct nutrition components of assessments or standalone nutrition assessments as appropriate, ensuring use of findings to adapt project implementation.   Based on research findings and stakeholder consultations, coordinate with the technical team to lead the development of evidence-based nutrition tools and materials.   Provide technical oversight for the design, development, and implementation of all nutrition-specific and nutrition sensitive tools and training materials in collaboration with partners and stakeholders to maintain a quality and consistent approach across all target areas and technical interventions.   Support project work planning and reporting, ensuring that updates and progress on related indicators and successes are included in project reports and annual work plans.   Work with and support the MEAL team to develop context-specific indicators for all technical areas, measure outcomes, and collect and analyze data.   Build capacity of project and partner staff in nutrition principles.  Represent technical aspects of the project to external stakeholders, such as the donor, governments, and partners; disseminate learnings and best practices; and participate in technical working groups.  

  Required Qualifications  

Master’s degree or higher in nutrition, public health, or in a closely related field.   At least seven years of experience designing, implementing, or supporting nutrition programming, preferably in West or Central Africa. Experience in DRC is highly desired. Prior experience delivering large-scale nutrition (nutrition-specific and sensitive) or multi-sectoral projects of similar or related nature, size, and complexity and demonstrated experience managing large interdisciplinary teams.   Strong technical skills in multi-sectoral nutrition programming, including health, WASH, and food security, and SBC.  A history of providing technical assistance to governments to improve nutrition through governmental health systems, processes, and service delivery models.  Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to lead and work effectively in team settings.   Strong working familiarity with USAID requirements, regulations, and policies.  Demonstrated ability to address behavior change issues in improving household nutrition status.   Experience in nutrition research, indicators, monitoring and evaluation.    Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and French. Proficiency in additional languages such as Kiswahili, Tshiluba, Kikongo, Lingala, etc. preferred.

About Save the Children

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.

Our work for children and their families requires that we commit—at every opportunity—to work together to identify and dismantle persistent systemic and structural racism, inequality, and any other forms of discrimination in this country and beyond.  As an anti-racist organization, Save the Children will not tolerate discrimination in any form—in our employment practices, amongst our staff, in our leadership or toward the people we serve. We stand in solidarity with all people to fight for equal rights, justice, inclusion, and belonging.

Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom we are in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse.

Save the Children is committed to minimizing safety and security risks for our valued employees, ensuring all are given training, support and information to reduce their risk exposure while maximizing the impact of our programs for children and families. Our shared duty, both agency and individual, is to seek and maintain safe working conditions for all.

#LI-MD1