World Vision International (WVI) began emergency relief operations in Afghanistan in 2001 by addressing the urgent needs of children and families affected by natural disasters and decades of conflict. More than a decade later, World Vision Afghanistan’s (WVA) programs have expanded to development sectors such as health, nutrition, WASH, child protection, and education, empowering women to engage in civil and social change through interfaith partnership.

WVA targets the most vulnerable in its interventions; including children, women, Internally Displace Persons (IDPs), and returnee refugees, as well as the most impoverished and marginalized families. These priorities have been chosen to contribute to our Goal of: “Improved survival and well-being of Afghan girls and boys, building the foundations for a better future for Afghan children and their communities.” 

Our work is well established in Herat, Badghis, Ghor, and Faryab provinces in the western region of Afghanistan. We work closely with all levels of society including children, parents, teachers, village councils, religious leaders, ministries, provincial departments, and other national and international agencies.

The Health and Nutrition Sector Lead will provide strategic leadership, technical guidance, and operational oversight for health and nutrition programs in a fragile and complex humanitarian context. This role ensures the effective design, implementation, and evaluation of interventions addressing urgent health and nutrition needs of vulnerable populations, while aligning with World Vison Afghanistan goals, donor priorities, and global standards.

He/She will actively position WVA with key stakeholders by establishing and maintaining strong relationships with donors, local and national government authorities, including the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), UN agencies, and other national and international NGOs. He/she will represent the organization in relevant coordination structures, such as cluster meetings, to ensure effective collaboration and advocacy. The Sector Lead will also focus on capacity building, resource mobilization, and strengthening health systems to improve access to quality, lifesaving services in WVA operational areas.

Strategy Alignment & Program Development

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement the health and nutrition strategy, ensuring alignment with WVA goals, donor priorities, and global humanitarian standards.
•  Program Design: Lead the design of evidence-based, innovative health, nutrition and MHPSS programs that address acute and long-term needs, incorporating cross-cutting themes such as gender, equity, protection, and resilience.
• Stakeholder Coordination: Collaborate with donors, government bodies (e.g., MoPH), UN agencies, and NGOs to align programs with national priorities and international standards.
• Resource Mobilization: Lead proposal development, concept notes, and funding applications to secure resources for program expansion.
• Monitoring and Learning: Conduct needs assessments, analyse data, and integrate lessons learned into program design to ensure relevance and impact.

Project Implementation, Monitoring and Reporting

• Program Oversight: Ensure timely and high-quality implementation of health and nutrition projects, adhering to WVA policies and donor requirements.
• Technical Support: Provide guidance to project teams on the application of technical standards, protocols, and best practices, including Sphere Standards and WHO guidelines.
• Advice on Medical and Non-Medical Supply Management: Advice on the procurement, storage, distribution, and inventory management of pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, and non-medical supplies, ensuring compliance with quality standards and avoiding stockouts or wastage.
• System Development: Establish and maintain robust digital systems for tracking and reporting on the usage of medical and non-medical supplies, ensuring efficiency and accountability.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Review grant progress reports and develop and oversee robust M&E frameworks to track progress, measure impact, and identify areas for improvement.
• Reporting: Ensure accurate, comprehensive, and timely reporting to donors, partners, support office and internal stakeholders.
• Risk Management: Identify and mitigate risks affecting project implementation, including those related to security, logistics, and supply chain management.
• Lesson learned and Documentation: lead a documentation of case studies, learning reviews, and publications for WV Afghanistan, and as part of WV Regional / Global initiatives relevant to Afghanistan or fragile contexts.
• Advice and support WVA Zone, Consortium and Project Managers who directly manage and implement Health and nutrition projects to ensure quality implementation that meets International and WV standards and donor requirements. 

Advocacy, Networking and External Engagement

• Representation: Actively represent WVA in national and provincial coordination structures, including cluster meetings and technical working groups.
• Advocacy: Advocate for health and nutrition priorities, promoting the inclusion of lifesaving interventions in humanitarian response plans.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain strong relationships with donors, government authorities, UN agencies, and other NGOs to strengthen partnerships and collaboration.
• Policy Influence: Engage with policy makers to influence national health and nutrition policies and strategies, ensuring alignment with humanitarian needs.
• context analysis: Provide ongoing, quarterly context analysis on national ministerial changes/humanitarian context and/or opportunities for policy influence, health and nutrition sector
• Showcase the good practices of WVA health and nutrition programmes to internal and external audience that promote the good work and reputation of WVA

Organizational and Staff Capacity Building

• Capacity Development: Design and deliver training programs to enhance staff and local partner competencies in health and nutrition program management and technical standards.
• Talent and Staffing: Provide technical support to recruit Health and nutrition-related and other technical staff (i.e., JD review based on existing standard JDs, technical short-listing, technical interviews, etc).
• Team Leadership: Foster a positive, collaborative work environment, mentoring staff to build technical expertise and leadership skills.
• Knowledge Sharing: Promote learning and knowledge exchange across teams and partners to improve program quality and innovation.
• Succession Planning: Identify and nurture talent within the organization to ensure continuity of leadership and technical expertise in health and nutrition programming.

Other

Adhere to WV Child and Adult Safeguarding policy and standards.

Adhere to WV accountability standards.

To be aware and prepared to implement WV Afghanistan Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs plan under the context of (please add functional area or project) interventions.

Required Education, training, license, registration, and/or Certification

Advanced degree (master’s or equivalent) in Public Health, Nutrition, Medicine, MD or a related field.

Required Professional Experience

• Minimum 10 years of experience in a technical position related to health and nutrition in humanitarian settings, with comprehensive experience in managing both curative and preventive health and nutrition interventions.
• Proven experience in identifying health and nutrition resource opportunities, engaging with donors and partners on health and nutrition issues, and designing high-quality health and nutrition programs and budgets.
• Experience mentoring and coaching staff to improve health and nutrition technical quality, as well as mainstreaming health and nutrition into key sectors such as Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL), WASH, Protection, and Education.
• Prior experience in the design and management of integrated health and nutrition projects, including components such as treatment of acute malnutrition, maternal and child health, and immunization.
• Experience in donor-related program design and proposal development, including grant acquisition with public and private donors such as USAID/BHA, ECHO, FCDO, Canadian DFATD, GFFO, Australian DFAT, etc.
• Strong presentation and facilitation skills to represent the organization in health and nutrition cluster meetings and technical working groups.
•  Expertise in developing and adapting health and nutrition training materials and curricula aligned with international guidelines and local contexts.
• Ability to work as a team player and coordinate activities across multiple operational areas, fostering collaboration and shared learning.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct and monitor health and nutrition assessments (eg. SMART, Coverage survey. Etc)
• Experience in leading or contributing to health and nutrition-focused advocacy campaigns to influence national policies and funding priorities.
• Strong understanding and application of the Humanitarian-Development Nexus in health and nutrition programming.
• Deep knowledge of international humanitarian frameworks, including Sphere Standards, WHO guidelines, and national frameworks for health and nutrition.
• Creative and innovative in refining, creating, testing, and producing methodologies, approaches, and training materials informed by international guidelines and best practices in health and nutrition.
• Proven collaboration and teamwork skills, with a strong track record of working with external partners (UN, NGOs, local actors) and actively participating in health and nutrition technical working groups.
• Solid understanding of humanitarian architecture, including the clusters' approach and the humanitarian funding cycle.
• Team leadership and people management skills, with a demonstrated ability to engage staff on health and nutrition issues and support the professional development of national staff.

Required Language(s)

Fluent in verbal and written English and local language.

Required travel and/or work environment accommodations

The position requires ability and willingness to travel to the field locations up to 60% of the time.

The application closing date is 09-Jan-2025. Qualified applicants can apply for the position by filling in the online application form in WV Career portal. applicants can also attach their CV and cover letter in the online system. Please note that only the applications received through the online portal will be considered for this position.

Applicants can login to WV online application system by copying and pasting the following link into their web browser

Female Candidates are highly encouraged to apply

Submission Email:

https://www.myworkday.com/worldvision/d/inst/9925$41346/rel-task/2998$16774.htmld