Job Title: Technical Advisor I – Nutrition

Employment Term: Definite term (November 2025 to February 28, 2026) 

Job Grade: 9

Department:  JEOP

Reports To: Program Manager II – Nutrition 

Country/Location: CRS Ethiopia/Addis Ababa

Important Note: Candidates selected for this role should be available to start effective November 1, 2025.

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. For nearly 60 years, CRS has taken the lead in responding to natural and man-made disasters affecting Ethiopia’s most vulnerable communities. Moving beyond emergency response, CRS’ disaster mitigation and recovery projects in drought and flood-prone areas have rebuilt individual and community assets through non-food aid in the form of agriculture, livestock, health, nutrition, and water and sanitation assistance. CRS’s humanitarian work in Ethiopia also provides livelihoods support to farmers and entrepreneurs, promotes equality and inclusion, and mitigates the impact of COVID-19. 

The Joint Emergency Operation (JEOP) is an emergency food assistance program targeting transitory food insecure households through a vulnerability-based targeting system. JEOP provides emergency assistance to protect their lives and livelihood where recurrent drought resulted in significant harvest loss, livestock death and price increase of essentials. The JEOP has integrated emergency nutrition since 2023 to treat and prevent moderate (MAM) and severe acute malnutrition (SAM) through provision of the respective nutritional commodities (e.g., Ready to Use Supplementary Foods, Super Cereal Plus, and Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods), screening and referral, and Social Behavior Change Communication (SBCC). JEOP has acquired additional funding to expand its emergency nutrition work in more woredas across several regions in Ethiopia. This new expansion is solely focused on the management of SAM cases. The consortium for the emergency nutrition activity is led by CRS and includes partners, such as CARE, GOAL, World Vision, Food for the Hungry, ORDA-Ethiopia (ORDAE), and Relief Society of Tigray (REST).

Job Summary:

This position will provide technical leadership and support on the overall implementation of the nutrition interventions in the JEOP emergency nutrition response activities. The position will support the consortium partners to implement nutrition, approaches and protocols for all malnourished children and pregnant and lactating women across JEOP operation areas. S/He will provide technical support to partner staff to improve quality case management of children with SAM at stabilization centers (TFU) and OTP and TSFP sites through conducting frequent supportive supervision and monitoring/coaching of health professionals, ensuring availability of nutrition commodities and basic materials and supplies at all levels and, timely requesting of required supplies. S/He will ensure effective systems and processes are in place that support high-quality programming advancing CRS’ work in serving the poor and vulnerable. Your technical skills and knowledge will ensure that the team continuously works towards improving the impact of nutrition intervention based on CMAM interventions within the JEOP’s nutrition programming. He or she will also ensure GFD and Nutrition linkage program interventions in the JEOP emergency nutrition response activities are appropriately implemented according to agreed standards.

  Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Provide technical support to partner staff to ensure quality nutrition intervention based on CMAM implementation within the project, support the partner and government         staff to provide proper and quality care to all beneficiaries, respecting national protocols, sphere standards and principles of good practice, including application of the admission and discharge criteria and treatment protocols adherence.
• Provide technical support and lead rapid health and nutrition assessments to identify malnourished PLW and CU5s.
• Technically initiate, lead and support the implementation of GFD and nutrition linkages technical strategies, guidelines, rapid needs assessment, response plan preparation, and review, approval, implementation, operationalization, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting processes for the consortium partners. 
• Lead and technically support during the monthly GFD and Nutrition linkage allocation plan and collect data on program effectiveness to inform service improvements. 
• Provide technical support to partner staff to improve quality case management of children with SAM at stabilization centers (TFU) and OTP and TSFP sites through frequent supportive supervision and monitoring, coaching of health professionals, ensuring availability of nutrition commodities and basic materials and supplies at health facility level and timely requesting of required supplies.
• Monitor performance of nutrition interventions based on the CMAM programs protocol and provide technical support to the partner and government staff to improve referral linkage between OTP, SC, TSFP and IYCF-E.
• Support nutrition intervention and CMAM capacity strengthening initiatives to build local capacity for partner and government staff at Woreda, health facility and community level through training, mentorship, and coaching.
• Lead and Support performance/data review meetings/workshops and joint supportive supervision.
• Working closely with the nutrition advisor working on IYCF-E, to ensure continuum of care for CMAM beneficiaries through referrals to IYCF-E services as required.
• Manage the stock levels and ensure adequate availability of all nutrition   commodity supplies for each distribution, provide input into creation and maintenance of a monthly distribution plan and ensure stock is pre- positioned as planned with Program Manager – Nutrition and the supplies/logistics team.
• Work closely with the government structure from FMOH and other regional, zonal and woreda office-based nutrition team members of Emergency Nutrition, Health, EDRMC, nutrition partners and WASH response and related programs to ensure program integration at all levels.
• Support teams to collect, analyze and share data required for monitoring quality of nutrition and CMAM programs based on SPHERE standards, and share lessons learned and best practices to facilitate improvements in decision-making and contribute to the CMAM learning agenda.
• Participate and actively involve on national level nutrition cluster meetings, national nutrition technical working groups, regional level cluster meetings and technical working groups as required.
• Involvement in national level technical workshops, studies, development of guidelines and sharing high level insights to the FMOH.
• Closely work with internal CRS sectors (health, wash, protection, early warning, gender, disability inclusion and general food distribution approach and sharing of best practices
• Strengthen linkage among food assistance and nutrition linkage, nutrition intervention referral linkage, SBC and IYCF in each of the targeted woredas accordingly 
• Perform other related roles and responsibilities as required.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in health, Nursing, Nutrition or Public Health required.
• A minimum of three years relevant work experience with progressive responsibilities, ideally with an international NGO, with minimum of two years relevant field-based experience in implementation of CMAM protocols/interventions.
• Knowledge of technical principles and concepts in CMAM. General knowledge of other related disciplines to ensure proper cross-sectoral approach.
• Experience in conducting assessments and an understanding of nutritional data and information systems.
• Knowledge of capacity strengthening best practices.
• Experience with program monitoring and evaluation and analysis.
• Experience and skills in networking and relations with donors, peer organizations, and faith-based and civil society partners. Understanding of partnership principles.
• Proven capacity to supervise, train and coach staff.
• Prepared to live and work in an uncertain security environment.
• Ability and willingness to frequently travel and stay in the field. 

Required Languages: Proficiency in spoken and written English and local languages. 

Travel: 50% of travel to communities and health facilities is required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge, training, and experience in CMAM and community mobilization/Social Behavior Change (SBC).
• Strong relationship management skills with ability to influence and get buy-in from people not under direct supervision and to work with individuals in diverse geographical and cultural settings.
• Good strategic, analytical, problem-solving and systems thinking skills with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment.
• Good technical writing skills.
• Demonstrated skills in program planning, implementation, and monitoring.
• Demonstrated skills in peer group training, Training of Trainers, and development of training materials.
• Presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills.
• Proactive, resourceful, and results oriented.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information and budget management systems, knowledge-sharing networks.
• Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity – Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission.  Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust – Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.
• Agency Leadership Competencies:
• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.

Travel Required: Extensive travel within the cluster of woredas s/he is responsible for Ethiopia (60-80% to JEOP implementation sites) 

Supervisory Responsibilities: None.

Agency Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

• Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions. 
• Acts with Integrity - Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission.  Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust - Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.

What we offer

CRS offers U.S. based staff a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and a generous retirement savings plan.  Benefits packages for successful candidates employed outside the U.S. are based on the country of employment/in-country office where the candidate will perform the role.  CRS´ work culture is a collaborative, mission-driven culture committed to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world.

***Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.

CRS' talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people - especially children and vulnerable adults - to live free from abuse and harm.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Catholic Relief Services works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality.  Catholic Relief Services’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding.  We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants, community members, staff and volunteers from all forms of exploitation and abuse.  The successful candidate is expected to sign and adhere to CRS´ Code of Conduct.

CRS talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people - especially children and vulnerable adults - to live free from abuse and harm.

Disclaimer:  This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position. 

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

General Requirements

CRS offers are contingent on the selected candidate’s ability to legally work where the position is to be performed. Every government has a unique set of work permit eligibility requirements.  All positions requiring residence or frequent travel outside a home country must undergo and clear a pre-employment medical clearance; some work permit processes require clearing a separate government administered medical examination.

CRS prioritizes candidates who are citizens/ permanent residents of the countries where we have CRS offices.