Stabilization Center Officer at Action Against Hunger | ACF Nigeria LTD/GTE

Join Action Against Hunger: Lead the Fight Against Malnutrition as a Stabilization Center Officer

Action Against Hunger | ACF Nigeria LTD/GTE is a leading global humanitarian organization dedicated to eradicating world hunger. Our mission is critical: to save the lives of malnourished children and empower communities with sustainable access to safe water and long-term solutions to hunger. We are seeking passionate and skilled professionals to join our dedicated team in Nigeria.

We are currently recruiting for the pivotal position of Stabilization Center (SC) Officer. This role offers an exceptional opportunity to make a tangible difference in the lives of vulnerable populations. Reporting directly to the Health and Nutrition Programme Manager, the SC Officer will be at the forefront of coordinating and managing the daily operations for treating Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) with medical complications within ACF-supported Stabilization Centres.

As an SC Officer, you will be instrumental in ensuring the provision of high-quality inpatient care, strictly adhering to national protocols, international standards, and Action Against Hunger's rigorous guidelines. This leadership role involves direct support and supervision to all seconded SC staff, including SC Doctors, SC Nurses, and SC Nurse Assistants, fostering a collaborative and effective environment.

Position Details:

• Reporting to: Programme Manager – Health and Nutrition
• Proposed start date: August 2026
• Work location: Katsina (1), Maiduguri (1)

Key Responsibilities:

Mission 1: Ensuring Optimal Functioning of Therapeutic Feeding Centres

The SC Officer is responsible for the overall smooth and effective operation of the Therapeutic Feeding Centre. In collaboration with the Nutrition and Health Programme Manager, you will ensure the centre functions at its best, providing high-quality care, including accurate medical diagnosis and treatment for SAM children with medical complications. A core principle of this mission is to ensure that all beneficiaries, caretakers, and community members are treated with utmost respect at all times.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Re-diagnosing and appropriately documenting referred SAM children from other health facilities or community health workers.
• Strictly adhering to national IMAM Protocol and WHO guidelines for admission criteria into stabilization centres.
• Supporting the medical team in accurately determining malnutrition status and making appropriate referrals within IMAM components (SC/OTP/SFP) by ensuring compliance with discharge criteria.
• Visibly displaying available OTPs in the LGA for appropriate referral of SAM children to facilities nearest to their homes.
• Overseeing the timely dispensing of sugar water and F75 upon admission.
• Ensuring appropriate diagnosis and monitoring of critical complications like hypothermia, hypoglycaemia, dehydration, and severe anaemia, taking prompt action for prevention and treatment in strict accordance with protocols, in collaboration with SC doctors.
• Monitoring anthropometric measurements (weight, MUAC, bilateral oedema, and W/H percentage) to ensure consistent weight gain, in collaboration with the SC team.
• Ensuring comprehensive recording of all necessary information in registration books, treatment sheets, and follow-up cards at admission and discharge for each beneficiary.
• Providing technical coaching to nurses and nurse aids on the calculation, preparation, distribution, and monitoring of therapeutic milk feeding according to standard protocols.
• Encouraging and supporting breastfeeding practices among SC nurses and nurse aids.
• Training nurses and nurse aids on Supplementary Suckling Technique (SST) and ensuring its implementation for mothers facing breastfeeding challenges.
• Ensuring correct administration of systematic treatment and drugs to all patients, in collaboration with SC doctors.
• Regularly providing caregivers with feedback on their children's status.
• Maintaining strict adherence to hygiene and sanitation rules within the centre, ensuring the availability and consistent use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
• Identifying and following up on absent patients and defaulters from the stabilization centre through volunteer networks and/or outreach staff, in collaboration with the Nutrition & Health Sector Manager.
• Conducting daily ward rounds in the morning and evening with SC Doctors and SC nurses, ensuring patients are visited appropriately and notes on patient cards are properly filled after examinations or procedures.
• Ensuring all SC team members are familiar with and adhere to ACF Internal rules and regulations.

Mission 2: Strategic Management of Drugs, Therapeutic Feeding Products, and Equipment

The Stabilization Officer plays a crucial role in the efficient and smooth supply chain management of SC therapeutic foods, essential drugs, and medical supplies, supported by the pharmacist and Programme Manager. This involves meticulous oversight to ensure proper storage, judicious use, and effective monitoring of consumption of all SC stocks.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Ensuring adequate supplies are consistently available in stabilization centres, in collaboration with the SC Manager and Nutrition and Health Sector Manager.
• Maintaining daily records/tallies on the utilization of each medicine and therapeutic feeding product used in the SC.
• Preparing weekly/monthly utilization, requisition, and stock reports for therapeutic feeding products, medicines, and medical equipment, with validation from the SC Manager.
• Liaising proactively with the ACTION AGAINST HUNGER pharmacist to anticipate and secure necessary supplies.
• Regularly monitoring the utilization and expiry information of all therapeutic feeding products and medicines, informing the ACTION AGAINST HUNGER pharmacist for appropriate action.
• Preparing and ensuring order forms conform to requirements (including consumption coherence and SRO) and anticipating needs to prevent stock-outs.
• Providing technical support for milk preparation in strict accordance with protocols and hygiene rules.
• Ensuring rational use of medicines and therapeutic foods at the centre.
• Ensuring all medical devices and equipment are properly handled and functioning at all times.
• Facilitating and tracking food provisions for caregivers in collaboration with the logistics department.

Mission 3: Systematic Capacity Building and Performance Management of SC Health Workers

A key aspect of this role is the continuous professional development of SC Health Workers (SC Doctors, SC Nurses, and SC Feeding Assistants). The SC officer is responsible for assessing their skills and knowledge, developing comprehensive capacity-building plans, delivering training and coaching, and conducting post-training follow-ups to ensure sustained improvement. This includes overseeing team management, leadership, monitoring, and motivation.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Supporting the Nutrition and Health Manager in facilitating and organizing technical trainings for SC health workers.
• Organizing training and refresher sessions for SC Health Workers on SAM management.
• Developing customized, need-specific guidance notes for on-job coaching on various modules based on national protocols.
• Conducting regular technical on-job coaching for SC health workers.
• Ensuring the use of predefined quality assessment checklists and on-job coaching guidance, and supporting SC Doctors and Nurses in utilizing these tools effectively.
• Providing technical training and regular guidance to health workers on appropriate stock management and reporting (LMIS).
• Leading continuous learning and improvement initiatives for the SC team.
• Respecting existing working rules and being attentive to the working conditions of personnel.
• Assisting SC doctors in developing monthly rosters for different SC staff and ensuring their effective monitoring.
• Distributing and delegating work within the personnel according to their knowledge and expertise.
• Organizing and conducting weekly medical meetings with the team to discuss mortality reviews and case studies, in collaboration with the Nutrition and Health Programme Manager.
• Informing line managers promptly of any difficulties and challenges faced for timely remedial action.
• Ensuring optimal hygienic conditions of the centre through regular daily cleaning and monthly comprehensive cleaning of the entire facility.

Mission 4: Robust Information Management, Reporting, and Coordination

The Stabilization Officer is central to effective information management and reporting. This involves ensuring regular, accurate reports are produced by health workers, supporting local government areas (LGAs) in consolidating quality facility data, analyzing service delivery data, and facilitating coordination meetings.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Ensuring all information from initial diagnosis and previous diagnoses/treatments (if referred from OTP) of SAM children is captured in the CCP card and admission register.
• Ensuring all data collection tools (e.g., screening registers, patient registers, patient CCP cards, patient feeding charts, patient’s diagnosis test reports) are regularly updated and always available.
• Ensuring all actions carried out on any SAM patient, no matter how minute, are recorded in the patient file.
• Compiling and analyzing data to determine the centre's performance, and sharing the monthly Activity Progress Report in collaboration with the Nutrition and Health Sector Manager.
• Regularly reporting and coordinating with the Nutrition Sector Manager regarding challenges and issues faced at the centre for timely and appropriate decision-making.
• In coordination with the Nutrition and Health Sector Manager, Logistics Department, and Base Pharmacist, ensuring an appropriate weekly/daily supply plan for the stabilization centre.
• Communicating in advance any issues identified to ensure the functioning and maintenance of the SC ambulance and generator.

Additional Responsibilities:

This role extends beyond the outlined duties; the employee will perform other related tasks as required, taking responsibility for reporting and communicating progress and achievements of specific assigned tasks. The SC Officer is expected to maintain high technical standards and conduct all duties professionally, adhering to ACF Nigeria mission staff regulations, ACF mandate, and charter, including the promotion of gender equality.

Position Requirements:

We are seeking candidates with a strong blend of academic qualification and practical experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, Midwifery, Public Health, or other relevant qualifications, with proven experience in Public Health and IMAM programming.
• Minimum of three (3) years’ experience in inpatient management of SAM cases with medical complications and IMAM programme implementation.
• Excellent report-writing skills, including proficiency in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Fluency in both written and spoken English and Hausa.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated team management experience within similar programs.
• Ability to observe, provide constructive feedback on activities, and effectively manage staff according to local culture and organizational policies.

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to a vital humanitarian mission. If you are a dedicated professional with the required expertise and a passion for saving lives, we encourage you to apply and become a part of Action Against Hunger's impactful work in Nigeria.

Method of Application:

Interested and qualified? Go to Action Against Hunger | ACF Nigeria LTD/GTE on acfinternational.applytojob.com to apply