Nutritionist CST-2 (Juba, South Sudan)

South Sudan remains one of the most complex and protracted humanitarian crises globally, driven by recurrent conflict, displacement, climate-related shocks, economic instability, and limited access to basic services. These drivers have contributed to widespread food insecurity and alarmingly high levels of malnutrition. According to the 2025 Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), over 7 million people are estimated to be acutely food insecure, and malnutrition rates in many counties remain above emergency thresholds. 

In addition to ongoing internal conflict in Jonglei and Upper Nile, the spillover effects of the Sudan crisis have significantly impacted South Sudan since April 2023, particularly in border and displacement-affected areas. The convergence of high morbidity, poor dietary intake, food insecurity, and suboptimal infant and young child feeding practices continues to fuel high levels of acute malnutrition, particularly among children under five and pregnant and breastfeeding women (PBW). 

WFP’s Country Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023–2026 provides a framework for delivering life-saving nutrition assistance while supporting resilience, systems strengthening, and national capacity. In partnership with government institutions, UN agencies, academia and NGOs, WFP implements both nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions. These include prevention and treatment of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) through Community‑based Management of Acute Malnutrition / Targeted Supplementary Feeding Programme (CMAM/TSFP) approaches, blanket supplementary feeding for vulnerable groups, social behaviour change (SBC), and community-level outreach. Interventions are aligned with national priorities, including the South Sudan National Nutrition Policy (2024–2034) and the Health Sector Strategic Plan. 

The Nutritionist (Activity Manager – Nutrition) will strengthen WFP South Sudan’s capacity to deliver high-quality, well-coordinated and evidence-based nutrition programming across all Field Offices (FOs). The position will provide technical guidance and operational oversight to FOs and partners, strengthen government capacity and multi-sectoral coordination, and ensure timely, accurate reporting and learning. The incumbent will also ensure strengthened collaboration with government, UN agencies and as well as internal WFP business units as required to ensure continuity of leadership, coordination and decision-making for the nutrition portfolio. 

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Human Capital Development/Head of Nutrition (Functional Supervisor), and in close coordination with relevant Country Office units and Field Office Heads/Programme leads, the incumbent will be responsible for activity management, technical oversight and coordination of WFP-supported nutrition interventions across South Sudan. 

• Ensuring quality planning, implementation oversight, risk management, and performance tracking of nutrition activities across all Field Offices. 
• Provide overall technical advice and guidance on nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive programme and policy issues including assessment and analysis, objectives, activities, transfer modalities and commodity choice in line with WFP standards and processes. 
• Coordinate and support emergency nutrition responses at country level, including planning, partner coordination, Field Level Agreement (FLA) development and implementation follow-up in collaboration with Field Offices. 
• Support Field Offices and partners to develop operational and implementation plans, estimate beneficiary caseloads and calculate commodity requirements and pipeline needs for CMAM/TSFP, BSFP (Blanket Supplementary Feeding Programme) and other nutrition interventions. 
• Work with procurement, logistics, finance and other programme units to ensure effective design and delivery of WFP nutrition programming, including timely dispatch, last-mile delivery and mitigation of supply and pipeline risks. 
• Support strengthening of national nutrition initiatives, including contributing to development and/or implementation of government policies, strategies, action plans, protocols and guidelines aligned with international guidance and evidence, including Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement commitments. 
• Support proposal development, grant monitoring, tracking and reporting for the nutrition response in collaboration with the relevant support units. Support the organization and functioning of national and sub-national nutrition coordination forums, technical working groups, trainings and learning events, ensuring coherent messaging and follow-up of agreed actions. 
• Support quality implementation of Community‑based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) and Maternal Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) approaches, including supportive supervision, harmonized guidance and quality assurance across Field Offices. 
• Strengthen the technical capacity of WFP programme staff and cooperating partners (CPs) through coaching, mentoring, orientations and refresher trainings on CMAM/TSFP, BSFP and IFP implementation, reporting and quality assurance. 
• Ensure national and WFP nutrition policies, standards and guidelines are applied consistently in WFP-supported nutrition projects, including partner compliance and programme quality measures. 
• Support and/or oversee nutrition and HIV&AIDS/TB-related assessments where applicable and contribute to evidence-based programme adjustments. 
• Support monitoring, evaluation and learning for the nutrition portfolio, providing technical analysis and interpretation; prepare accurate and timely reports and learning products that contribute to a knowledge base informing decision making. 
• Support Food and Nutrition Security Monitoring System (FNSMS), Standardized Expanded Nutrition Surveys (SENS), and Joint Assessment Missions (JAM) processes at national and field level, including planning, training, quality assurance and use of findings. 
• Contribute to emergency preparedness actions, including contingency planning, risk analysis and early warning related to nutrition risks; act in an assigned emergency response capacity as required. 
• Be flexible to accommodate additional tasks as required. Mission travel to deep field locations will be required based on operational needs.

• Weekly consolidated national nutrition update covering implementation progress across Field Offices, key operational bottlenecks, priority actions and emerging risks (including emergency response updates as applicable). 
• Bi-weekly coordination/touch-base meetings convened with Field Office nutrition focal points/alternates, with documented action points and follow-up status tracking. 
• Monthly national nutrition performance snapshot by Field Office (planned vs reached beneficiaries, commodity utilization/pipeline status, key constraints and corrective actions). 
• Bi-annual review of CMAM/TSFP, BSFP and IFP implementation across Field Offices, including recommendations and an agreed corrective action plan with timelines. 
• Operational planning package for nutrition updated at least quarterly (caseloads, commodity requirements, pipeline risk mitigation actions and operational priorities by Field Office). 
• Field monitoring/supportive supervision missions conducted (prioritized based on risk and performance), with mission reports and follow-up recommendations shared and tracked. 
• Partner submissions (FLAs, amendments/addenda and NFRs) technically reviewed and cleared within agreed timelines, with documented technical feedback to partners/Field Offices. 
• Third-Party Monitoring (TPM) issues for nutrition followed up and concluded, evidenced by an updated TPM feedback action plan and documented closure of actions. 
• Regular funding/resourcing status updates for nutrition activities shared with relevant CO units and Field Offices (including mitigation actions where needed). 
• Support provided to FNSMS/SENS/JAM nutrition components, including training/coaching, quality assurance and documentation of use of findings for programme adjustments. 
• Coordination support to national/sub-national technical forums documented (minutes, action trackers, key decisions), including follow-up on commitments. 
• Where applicable, periodic donor/project updates and reports for nutrition contributions provided to ensure timely reporting and accountability for donor contributions. 
• Any additional priority outputs assigned by the supervisor(s) delivered within agreed timelines. 

Education: Advanced University degree in Nutrition, Public Health, Food Technology, Medicine or another relevant field. Or first university degree (bachelor’s) in the above field with additional years of related work experience.

For master's degree holder or higher : A minimum of 5 years of postgraduate progressive international experience in implementation of emergency nutrition programmes in complex emergencies and/or hardship setting is required. For a candidate with a first university degree, a minimum of 7 years of the above experience is required.

Experience in working in public health and nutrition related activities in field-based settings

Proven end-to-end implementation of CMAM components and MIYCN interventions in humanitarian contexts is required.

Practical experience planning, supervising, and analysing nutrition/food security assessments, including at least one of: FNSMS, SENS, or JAM; ability to translate findings into programme adjustments.

Strong analytical skills and ability to conceptualize complex nutrition issues, analyse data, produce thorough reports and policy recommendations. Strong initiative, coordination skills with various stakeholders including other UN agencies and partners and ability to effectively lead nutrition programmes in deep field locations.

Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel

Fluency in oral and written English, working knowledge of Arabic is an added advantage

Remark: The recruitment / VA will also serve as a roster for lower grade level, possible placement in different duty stations, in case of future operational need.