The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

Background/IRC Summary: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

IRC has been working in Pakistan for over 40 years, and manages and delivers large, complex programs to meet the needs in health, education, protection, environmental health, and livelihoods for displaced, poor and disaster affected communities. IRC works in partnership with local government and non-governmental organizations and currently works in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Baluchistan, and Sindh provinces.

About the position:

The International Rescue Committee is initiating a short-term nutrition focused project funded by UNICEF. The initial duration of the project is 4 months with possible further extension. 

The project will contribute to improving the nutrition service delivery and outreach in seven districts of Punjab province.

The IYCF / ECD Counselor will work as part of the community outreach team to deliver Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) counseling and Early Childhood Development support at household, village, and community level, including mother and father groups, and, where applicable, ECD Play Lab level. The role includes conducting assessment of IYCF practices among mothers and caregivers with children under 24 months, providing tailored counseling on breastfeeding and complementary feeding, promote responsive caregiving and early stimulation, and support screening, and supporting the Nutrition Facilitator in screening, referral and follow-up activities. The IYCF/ECD Counselor will be based in one of the seven target districts (Multan, Khanewal, Layyah, Vehari, Bahawalnagar, Lodhran and Rahim Yar Khan) will work closely with the Nutrition Facilitator and Community Outreach Worker as part of a three-member outreach team and will report to the respective  Program Officer/ Project Manager.

Major Responsibilities:

IYCF Assessment and Counseling

·       Conduct assessment of IYCF practices among mothers and caregivers with children under 24 months

·       Identify IYCF malpractices or gaps and provide practical, tailored one to one counseling based on the mother's specific needs.

·       Counsel pregnant women on preparation for breastfeeding and importance of colostrum feeding.

·       Use approved education materials on breastfeeding and complementary feeding to provide accurate and practical advice.

Group Sessions

·       Deliver IYCF group counseling sessions to communities, including separate sessions for mother groups and father groups, on a regular basis in each village.

·       Facilitate mother to mother support group sessions at community level.

·       Identify model mothers with good feeding practices and share their experience with other mothers to encourage positive practice.

·       Prepare and organize sessions in advance, including materials, venue, and invitations to caregivers.

Facilitation Skills

·       Facilitate sessions in an interactive and easy to understand manner, encouraging participation from mothers and fathers.

·       Respond clearly to questions raised by participants, including addressing doubts, misconceptions, or resistance to recommended practices.

·       Handle difficult or challenging questions calmly and provide correct information without dismissing participant concerns.

·       Adapt session delivery style and language based on the audience, including for participants with low literacy.

·       Support delivery of ECD activities and ECD Play Labs where established, including caregiver participation and use of approved ECD materials.

Support to Screening, Referral and Follow-up

·       Support the Nutrition Facilitator during community screening activities, including door to door and village level screening.

·       Assist in identifying and referring malnourished children for treatment, and reinforce referral messages with caregivers.

·       Coordinate with the Nutrition Facilitator and Community Outreach Worker during joint outreach visits.

Records and Reporting

·       Maintain records of counseling sessions conducted, including number of participants and topics covered.

·       Prepare and submit monthly reports on IYCF activities to the District Program Officer on time.

·       Perform any other relevant task assigned by the line supervisor.

Team Coordination

·       Work as part of a three member outreach team, together with the Nutrition Facilitator and Community Outreach Worker, to plan and carry out joint outreach activities.

·       Coordinate with team members to divide villages and households for coverage of both screening and counseling activities.

·       Report progress and any challenges to the District Program Officer on a regular basis.

Key Working Relationships:  Position Reports to District Program Officer at the district level. The person will work in a team of  Nutrition Facilitator and Community Outreach Worker in the field.  

Job Requirements:

a)      Education:

Minimum Bachelors, Master’s degree will be advantaged. An academic background related to nutrition; health will be valued.   

b)      Work Experience:

Minimum 03-year work experience with an INGO or in offices. Prior experience or familiarity with community health, nutrition, or MNCH programs and IYCF counseling session delivery is desired.

• Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Good session facilitation and presentation skills, with ability to engage mother and father groups effectively.

• Strong knowledge of IYCF practices, breastfeeding, and complementary feeding guidelines.

• Ability to respond to questions and handle resistance or difficult questions during sessions confidently and respectfully.

• Good communication and interpersonal skills to counsel individuals and facilitate group sessions.

• Ability to work well as part of a small team.

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• Willingness to travel extensively within community/outreach areas, including door-to-door visits.

Note: The recruitment will be on conducted on rolling basis

Gender Equality:

IRC recognizes that gender equality is fundamental to the achievement of our organizational mission. As such, IRC is committed to the promotion of gender equality in all aspects of our operations and programs. Our organizational policies, procedures and actions demonstrate this commitment. Women candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

Professional Standards: All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.

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