Technical Advisor, Nutrition and Child Health

PROPEL (Promoting Results and Outcomes through Policy and Economic Levers) Health, a USAID-funded five-year $100 million project awarded to Palladium, aims to improve the enabling environment for equitable and sustainable health services, supplies, and delivery systems through policy development and implementation; adequate, predictable, and sustainable health financing; enhanced government stewardship, transparency, and accountability; and use of evidence-based advocacy approaches at global, national, and subnational levels to promote best practices.  
The USAID Integrated Health System Activity in Timor-Leste (PROPEL Health Timor-Leste) shall aim to work with the Ministry of Health and key local actors to accelerate progress toward building a sustainable and inclusive health system – focusing on strengthening family planning/ reproductive health (FP/RH), maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (MNCAH), and nutrition programs and improving related health outcomes through primary health care-based health system strengthening and demand generation approaches. The USAID Integrated Health System Activity will:  

Strengthen effective health governance and efficient health financing mechanisms; Provide technical support to generate and utilize timely and reliable information for decision making within the public health system; Enhance management capacities for human resources for health (HRH); and  Improve the demand for health services through strengthening institutional capacities for social accountability and promoting health-seeking behavior.  

Position Summary

The position provides technical support to improve institutional capacities in Nutrition and Child Health with emphasis on strengthening health systems and primary health care.  This includes strengthening capacity at the central level through engagement of key actors (e.g. KONSANNTIL, the Ministry of Health and its various directorates) to improve financing, coordination, review, and evaluation of high impact nutrition and child health services. As an integrated program, the Nutrition Advisor will also work closely to promote integrated nutrition strategies closely aligned with Family Planning/ Reproductive Health (FP/RH), and Maternal, Newborn, and Adolescent Health (MNAH), Quality Improvement and Social Behavior Change.  

 Primary Duties and Responsibilities: 

Strategic Leadership and Policy Development  

Engage the MOH stakeholders and other implementing partners to develop/update outreach guidelines to encourage proactive outreach services to increase the population with access to Nutrition and Child Health services. (screening, counselling, treatment and case management) with the health sector. This may include development of job descriptions, clinical competencies, the Human Resource for Health manual, adapting or revising training curriculum and plans, and co-facilitating training and other capacity building activities such mentoring. 

Capacity Building and Technical Assistance 

Provide technical assistance to the Government (Ministry of Health and Municipal Assemblies) and stakeholders to Improve the institutional capacities and systems of MOH, select Municipal Assemblies, and other stakeholders to improve the capacity of primary healthcare facilities to deliver integrated high-impact Nutrition and Child Health services.  This may include promoting modelling activities to demonstrate the critical importance of delivering comprehensive, quality Nutrition and Child Health services. Provide technical support to ensure frontline providers have the skills and guidelines to deliver strong Nutrition and Child Health interventions. This may include development of job descriptions, clinical competencies, adapting or revising training curriculum and plans, and co-facilitating training and other capacity building activities such mentoring.

Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement  

Support strategies and action plans to improve collaboration and action planning between development partners in Timor Leste including non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations to strengthen the health sector to deliver high impact Nutrition and Child Health interventions. Establish strong relationship with the key Ministry of Health stakeholders and KONSSANNTIL to ensure activities are tailored to the specific needs and local context; leverage other government agencies, partners and institutions, and other relevant stakeholders in the health system to collectively support the Government of Timor-Leste to achieve its broader nutrition and health goals. 

Project Management and Implementation  

Provide oversight responsibilities, periodic check-ins and capacity strengthening for PROPEL grantees, municipal and village level stakeholders to effectively manage, review and oversee sound Nutrition and Child health systems strengthening strategies.  Design and co-facilitate learning exchanges to best practices between municipalities, partners such as UNICEF, AVANSA San, and other grantees. Contribute to and coordinate with other data use activities to ensure alignment and coherent approaches.  Contribute to the formulation of project strategy, work plans and reports. Other duties as assigned by the Country Director. 

Required Qualifications:

Advanced degree (master's or PhD) in Public Health, Nutrition Sciences or related field. Minimum of 5 years of experience implementing nutrition activities ideally in the primary or secondary healthcare setting. Understanding of community health systems and promotional activities is strongly preferred. Experience working with public health, government stakeholders and systems, development partners, professional associates and other quality stakeholders.  Strong understanding of country nutrition priorities, resources, and systems, including the central leadership for the coordination and evaluation of nutrition specific programs History working with the Ministry of Health, and/or donor-funded projects responsible for carrying out Nutrition and Child Health is preferred. 
Strong analytical, communication and leadership skills. Strong oral and written communication skills in English and preferably in Tetum. Skilled in Microsoft Office Suite programs, including Outlook, Word and Excel and preferably experience with SharePoint. 

Company Overview: 

About Palladium - Palladium is a global leader in the design, development and delivery of Positive Impact – the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value.  We work with governments, businesses, and investors to solve the world's most pressing challenges. With a team of more than 3,000 employees operating in 90 plus countries and a global network of over 35,000 experts, we help improve economies, societies and, most importantly, people's lives. 

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status. 
Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or for any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com and we will be in touch to discuss. 

Safeguarding - We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm.” We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse.  All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.