Nutrition Field Facilitator

POSITION: NUTRITION FIELD FACILITATOR

Location: Blantyre and Balaka

Project: Advancing Maternal and Children’s Health and Nutrition Project (ACHIEVE)
Duty Station: Blantyre and Balaka, at community level (Traditional Authority level)
Contract Period: 10 Months
Reports To: Programme Officer
Entry Level: Grade 3, Step 1

JOB SUMMARY

The Nutrition Field Facilitator will be responsible for direct community-level facilitation, implementation, mobilisation, and monitoring of integrated health, nutrition, food security, biofortification, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) interventions under the ACHIEVE Project.

The Facilitator will work closely with local governance structures, Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs), Agricultural Extension Development Officers (AEDOs), Care Groups, community volunteers, and other stakeholders to improve the health and nutritional status of under-five children, pregnant and lactating women, women of reproductive age, and adolescents.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

1. Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) and Growth Promotion

• Coordinate and conduct monthly Growth Monitoring and Promotion (GMP) sessions for under-five children in collaboration with HSAs.
• Mobilise pregnant women and caregivers of under-five children for monthly growth monitoring, antenatal care (ANC) visits, and nutrition screening.
• Facilitate Community-Led Complementary Feeding and Learning Sessions (CCFLS) and supervise the distribution and utilisation of fortified blends such as Likuni Phala.
• Plan and conduct community cooking demonstrations and nutrition open days to promote appropriate feeding practices and the use of locally available nutrient-dense foods.
• Orient cluster leaders and promoters in mass nutrition screening using Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) tapes.
• Conduct door-to-door follow-up visits for children discharged from Nutrition Rehabilitation Units (NRUs) and Outpatient Therapeutic Programmes (OTP).
• Disseminate Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) messages and distribute Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials promoting dietary diversification.

2. Biofortified Food Production, Agriculture and Livelihoods

• Establish and manage community demonstration backyard gardens using the Care Group approach in collaboration with AEDOs.
• Train target households, promoters, and cluster leaders in Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), food processing, utilisation, and preservation.
• Facilitate community procurement, distribution, and monitoring of planting materials for biofortified and micronutrient-rich crops, including high-iron and zinc beans, Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP) vines, orange maize/sorghum, fruit trees, and indigenous vegetables.
• Facilitate basic entrepreneurship and income-generating activities for local Care Groups and nutrition structures.

3. Adolescent Health, SRHR and School Health and Nutrition

• Conduct youth-focused cooking demonstrations and nutrition awareness sessions for adolescent groups.
• Facilitate training for adolescents on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and essential life skills.
• Support School Health and Nutrition teachers, HSAs, and promoters in implementing Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) supplementation and deworming campaigns for in-school and out-of-school adolescents.
• Oversee community delivery and distribution of youth recreational supplies, including sports equipment and board games, to promote group participation and peer support.

4. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Community Sensitisation

• Facilitate community roadshows, dialogue sessions, and awareness campaigns on WASH, hygiene practices, and disease prevention.
• Work with theatre groups and other community communication platforms to promote WASH and hygiene messages.
• Lead community campaigns promoting the construction, maintenance, and hygienic use of household sanitary facilities.
• Train cluster leaders, promoters, and community structures in hygienic child-feeding practices and food safety.

5. Capacity Building and Community Structure Governance

• Support the formation, revitalisation, and ongoing mentorship of community structures, including Village Nutrition Coordination Committees (VNCCs), Area Nutrition Coordination Committees (ANCCs), Community Leadership Action Networks (CLANs/ACLANs), and Care Groups.
• Orient local committees, including VDCs, ADCs, ANCCs, and VNCCs, as well as community initiators, on Maternal, Infant and Young Child Feeding guidelines.
• Facilitate periodic review and planning meetings with ANCCs, VNCCs, promoters, and cluster leaders to monitor progress, address operational challenges, and gather community feedback.

6. Monitoring, Reporting and Field Logistics

• Maintain up-to-date beneficiary registers, activity logs, and training records.
• Compile and submit routine monthly field progress reports to the M&E Officer and Programme Officer.
• Oversee field-level distribution of project inputs, including seeds, Likuni Phala, IEC materials, and youth kits.
• Compile attendance lists for local activity stipends and allowances.
• Document success stories, case studies, lessons learned, and best practices emerging from community interventions.

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES

Required Qualification

• Minimum of a Diploma in Nutrition and Food Sciences, Public Health, Human Nutrition, Community Development, or a closely related field.

Required Experience

• 1 to 3 years of practical, field-based experience implementing community nutrition, maternal and child health, biofortified agriculture, or WASH programmes in Malawi.
• Demonstrated experience working with Ministry of Health structures, including HSAs, and Ministry of Agriculture structures, including AEDOs, as well as local governance bodies such as VNCCs, ANCCs, VDCs, and ADCs.
• Practical experience in Care Group methodology, Growth Monitoring and Promotion (GMP), Community-Led Complementary Feeding and Learning Sessions (CCFLS), and community-level training.

KEY KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES

• A valid Malawian motorcycle riding licence, or willingness and ability to ride a motorcycle daily across rural terrain, is strongly required.
• Fluency in Chichewa and relevant local community languages is required.
• Good spoken and written English for reporting and communication purposes.
• Strong community mobilisation, public speaking, group facilitation, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Basic computer literacy, including proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and mobile data collection tools.
• Strong commitment to child protection, gender equality, inclusion of vulnerable groups, and community accountability.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Interested candidates should submit an application addressed to:

The National Coordinator
Civil Society Nutrition Alliance (CSONA)
P.O. Box 1697
Lilongwe, Malawi

Applications should be submitted by 12:00 noon on 8 October 2026.

Applications must be sent only via email to:

[email protected]

Applicants must demonstrate proven experience working on similar assignments, including practical community experience and strong community mobilisation skills.

The application must include:

• A one-page cover letter.
• A two-page Curriculum Vitae (CV).
• A copy of the required Diploma Certificate.

Applications that do not follow the stated application requirements will not be processed.

Email Subject: Nutrition Field Facilitator