Expert in Nutrition , Save The Children in Tanzania

Save the Children is the world's leading independent organization for children, made of 30 member organizations working in almost 120 countries to save children's lives, fight for their rights and help them fulfil their potentials. Save the Children works to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. Save the Children's core values are: accountability, ambition, collaboration, creativity and integrity. Save the Children has been present in Tanzania since 1986, initially in Zanzibar and then introducing a programme on the mainland in 1994 in response to the Rwandan refugee crisis. Currently, Save the Children works in several core thematic areas of Child Protection, Health and Nutrition, Child Rights Governance, Food Security and Livelihoods and Emergencies. In achievement of its strategic objectives, Save the Children works closely with the government both at the national and local level, as well as with a number of civil society partners.

We are looking for Two Consultants to conduct a study into Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture in Tanzania as follows: Expert 1: Agronomist or Agricultural Economist (Team leader) and Expert 2: Nutritionist.

Job Purpose

Save the Children is funding research into Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture and other interventions. The objective of the assignment is to contribute to the writing of the Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture paper by assessing the different nutrition sensitive interventions at a household level. The lessons learnt and the experiences, both positive and negative, can be built into more policy level recommendations, for use by Governments, international organisations and Development Partners.

 Key Accountabilities

The consultancy will produce a clear narrative and explanation of the nutrition sensitive interventions seen and will:

Outline the genesis and trajectory of the nutrition sensitive intervention and its impact on other agricultural enterprises (Livestock, other crops, forestry and aquaculture).

Will assess the impact, effectiveness and sustainability on the household diet or daily ration.

 In broader terms, the consultancy will assess the impact of the nutrition sensitive intervention at a field level and more importantly at a policy level. The anticipated purpose of the Save the Children (UK) paper is to explore how households, with differing access to resources can cultivate crops, leading to a more diverse and high quality diet, without compromising their ability to cultivate cash crops through which to generate an income. More importantly, what steps and/or policy changes does government have to take for rural households to successfully use this modified approach to farming and livelihoods improvement? How the CAADP plans can be meliorated to better deliver nutrition sensitive results at a community and national policy levels.

Based on the above, the paper will inform the debate on Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture; to inform the private sector, how the private sector can modify or mitigate their approach to the production and sale of cash crops, to make the production system (or rotation) more oriented towards the provision of a diverse diet at a number of different levels; firstly in all facets of agricultural production; crops, restock, fishery and forest products. Secondly, to encourage the farmers, public and private sectors how to explicitly consider nutritional outcomes in their planning activities.

Requested Services

For the study, Save the Children requires the services of 2 senior experts or Consultants. One expert or consultant should be an agronomist or agricultural economist (hereinafter designated as "Expert 1 ") and one Expert should be a nutritionist (hereinafter designated as Expert 2). Either expert can be the Team Leader. Team Leadership must be designated in the bid.

Whichever expert is designated as the Team Leader, s/he will be responsible for guiding and coordinating work under this contract. S/he will be responsible for consolidating and reporting on all findings of both team members.

Expert 2, if not the team leader, will be responsible for consolidating and reporting back to the team leader on all findings related to /her specific assignment as well as participating in the overall analysis of the conclusions and recommendations for the final report.

During the field work, the two consultants may deploy jointly or individually. Deploying jointly will enable the consultants to agree upon, finalise and consolidate their methodology. By deploying individually (separately) will increase coverage. To that end, at the start of the assignment the two consultants will prepare a tentative itinerary, with the proposed details for the entire consultancy, preliminary activities, field work and report writing.

Essential Personal specification

Expert 2: Expert in Nutrition

Post graduate degree in nutrition or related field.

At least 10 years professional experience in nutrition at a household level, related to agricultural production and diversification.

In-depth knowledge of and demonstrable experience of working in child and adult nutrition, related to calculating or creating a ration for children and adults, experience in child health, micro nutrient deficiency, malnutrition and diseases associated with poor or insufficient diet.

Both consultants should have extensive experience of working in Tanzania and of undertaking research projects, in both agriculture and nutrition. In addition, to demonstrated knowledge of gender equity analysis in examining social development and participatory processes.

Both consultants will be fluent in oral and written English and have excellent communication skills including analytical writing.

Gender balance within the team is highly desirable. Consultants should be physically fit and be able to undertake field work and field visits in difficult environments and remote locations, by plane, vehicle and on foot.

The Consultants should have no previous direct involvement with projects that are to be the subject of field work.

Application Instructions:

Recruitment process is organized by Save the Children. For more details and to apply for the position please send an e-mail to the Human Resources Department of Save the Children in Tanzania at:Tanzania.jobs@savethechildren.org

to request for the Job Profile and a Save the Children Job Application Form.

ONLY return the completed Job Application Form bye-mail to: Tanzania.Cd@savethechiidren.org

Please note that our recruitment and selection procedures and checks reflect our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Qualified women and men are strongly encouraged to apply.           

Only short listed candidates will be contacted.