2. Purpose of the Position
The Nutrition Counsellor will provide practical, culturally appropriate nutrition counselling and health education to mothers, caregivers, and families, with particular emphasis on infant and young child feeding, maternal nutrition, dietary diversity, hygiene, and prevention of malnutrition.
The postholder will support nutrition screening and assessment within their training and authorized scope, identify children and caregivers requiring further assessment, monitor follow-up needs, and facilitate referrals to authorized health professionals or appropriate nutrition services.
The female counsellor will primarily support nutrition counselling and related services at the assigned SHC, while the male counsellor will support counselling, screening coordination, community outreach, and follow-up through the assigned MHNT. Both positions will collaborate with health staff, community health workers, mobilizers, and MEAL personnel to promote quality, continuity, and accountability in nutrition service delivery.
3. Key Responsibilities
3.1 Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) Counselling
- Provide individual and group IYCF counselling to mothers and caregivers of infants and young children in accordance with approved national guidance.
- Promote early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, and continued breastfeeding alongside appropriate complementary feeding.
- Counsel caregivers on introducing complementary foods at six months and providing safe, adequate, age-appropriate, and diverse foods.
- Promote appropriate feeding frequency, food consistency, responsive feeding, and hygienic preparation and storage of food.
- Provide practical advice on feeding during and after common childhood illnesses, consistent with approved guidance and the counsellor's training.
- Identify common breastfeeding and complementary feeding concerns and provide appropriate counselling within the postholder's competence.
- Refer persistent breastfeeding difficulties, suspected feeding disorders, or other complex concerns to an appropriately qualified health professional.
- Address cultural beliefs and misconceptions about infant and young child feeding respectfully and without judgment.
- Involve fathers and other caregivers in counselling where appropriate and acceptable to the mother.
- Document counselling sessions, key concerns, advice provided, and follow-up requirements using approved formats.
3.2 Nutrition Assessment and Screening Support
- Support nutrition screening for eligible children under five and other target groups according to the approved project service package.
- Use approved screening tools and anthropometric equipment only after receiving the required training and authorization.
- Assist with measurement and recording of indicators such as MUAC, weight, and height or length, as applicable to the approved protocol and the counsellor's authorized role.
- Support identification of children who may be at risk of acute malnutrition or require further nutrition assessment.
- Ensure that measurements are recorded accurately and that screening procedures are conducted respectfully and safely.
- Coordinate with the nurse, Medical Doctor, or designated clinical supervisor when results indicate possible malnutrition or other health concerns.
- Refer suspected cases of acute malnutrition for assessment, classification, and management by authorized health personnel in accordance with national protocols.
- Avoid independently diagnosing malnutrition or making clinical treatment decisions beyond the position's training and authorization.
- Maintain screening records and ensure that clients requiring follow-up are appropriately documented.
3.3 Prevention of Malnutrition and Promotion of Dietary Diversity
- Provide nutrition education on the importance of dietary diversity and age-appropriate feeding for infants, young children, and other eligible household members.
- Promote consumption of locally available, nutritious foods where feasible, using culturally appropriate examples.
- Explain the importance of adequate feeding frequency, appropriate food consistency, and responsive feeding practices.
- Counsel caregivers on practical ways to improve food hygiene and reduce contamination during preparation, serving, and storage.
- Promote continued breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding during periods of increased nutritional need, in accordance with approved guidance.
- Reinforce messages on nutrition, safe water, handwashing, sanitation, and prevention of diarrhoeal disease in coordination with WASH staff.
- Identify common feeding and hygiene barriers reported by caregivers and communicate them to the supervisor for appropriate action.
- Avoid making unrealistic recommendations that fail to consider local food availability or household circumstances.
- Refer households requiring additional nutrition, health, or protection support through approved pathways where such services are available.
3.4 Maternal Nutrition Counselling
- Provide nutrition education to pregnant and lactating women within the approved project service package.
- Promote adequate dietary diversity, appropriate meal frequency, food safety, and healthy nutrition practices during pregnancy and lactation.
- Encourage pregnant women to attend antenatal care and follow guidance from authorized health professionals.
- Reinforce appropriate maternal nutrition and breastfeeding messages during routine consultations and community outreach.
- Identify pregnant or lactating women who may require further nutrition or clinical assessment and facilitate referral.
- Coordinate with the SHC or MHNT midwife and other health staff to support integrated maternal and child health services.
- Respect women's privacy, cultural preferences, and informed choices during counselling.
- Maintain confidentiality when documenting or discussing maternal health and nutrition concerns.
3.5 Nutrition Counselling at the Sub-Health Center (Female Position)
The female Nutrition Counsellor assigned to the SHC will:
- Provide nutrition counselling to mothers, caregivers, and eligible clients attending the SHC.
- Support nutrition education during maternal, newborn, and child health consultations, as appropriate.
- Coordinate with the SHC nurse, midwife, Medical Doctor or other designated health staff to identify clients requiring nutrition counselling.
- Support routine nutrition screening and follow-up according to the approved service package and assigned responsibilities.
- Provide counselling in a private and respectful setting, particularly when discussing breastfeeding, maternal nutrition, or sensitive household concerns.
- Help caregivers understand nutrition recommendations, follow-up schedules, and referral instructions.
- Identify clients who miss planned nutrition follow-up visits and coordinate appropriate follow-up through authorized staff.
- Maintain complete counselling records and submit routine activity data according to SHC reporting procedures.
- Inform the SHC supervisor about service gaps, common counselling concerns, and resource needs affecting nutrition services.
3.6 Nutrition Counselling through the Mobile Health and Nutrition Team (Male Position)
The male Nutrition Counsellor assigned to the MHNT will:
- Provide nutrition counselling and education during scheduled MHNT visits to designated communities.
- Support community-level nutrition awareness and caregiver education in coordination with the MHNT team.
- Assist with nutrition screening activities within the approved scope of practice and under the established clinical supervision arrangements.
- Coordinate with the MHNT Medical Doctor, Female Nutrition Nurse, midwife, vaccinator, and other team members to identify clients requiring counselling or referral.
- Support follow-up of eligible children and caregivers in accordance with approved schedules and protocols.
- Work with community health workers and mobilizers to communicate outreach schedules and encourage attendance, while respecting confidentiality.
- Facilitate referrals to the appropriate SHC, health facility, or specialized nutrition service where indicated.
- Record counselling activities, screening support, referrals, and follow-up actions using approved MHNT forms.
- Participate in field briefings and debriefings and report operational barriers affecting access to nutrition services.
- Conduct field travel according to the approved MHNT deployment schedule, including approximately six field-travel days per month as specified for the position.
3.7 Follow-Up of Children and Caregivers
- Support follow-up of children identified as having nutrition concerns or requiring repeated counselling.
- Explain the importance of attending scheduled appointments and following approved clinical or nutrition advice.
- Maintain records of follow-up visits, counselling provided, progress reported, and outstanding concerns.
- Coordinate with authorized health staff and community health workers to identify missed appointments and support appropriate follow-up.
- Identify children whose condition appears to worsen or whose caregivers report danger signs and immediately refer them to an authorized clinical provider.
- Reinforce appropriate feeding and hygiene messages during follow-up interactions.
- Document referral outcomes where information is available and follow-up is authorized.
- Respect confidentiality and avoid disclosing individual nutrition information to unauthorized community members.
- Never independently change a prescribed treatment plan or nutrition management decision.
3.8 Referral and Linkage to Health and Nutrition Services
- Identify children, mothers, and caregivers who require additional assessment or services beyond routine counselling.
- Explain referral recommendations clearly and respectfully to clients and caregivers.
- Coordinate with the designated SHC or MHNT clinical supervisor to facilitate appropriate referrals.
- Refer suspected acute malnutrition, medical danger signs, severe feeding difficulties, or other complex cases to authorized health professionals.
- Follow approved referral pathways for urgent cases and do not delay emergency referral for routine documentation.
- Complete the relevant referral documentation in coordination with authorized clinical staff.
- Support follow-up on referrals when feasible and consistent with the approved service package.
- Maintain a referral register or relevant documentation as required.
- Coordinate with community health workers and mobilizers to support continuity of care without sharing confidential information unnecessarily.
3.9 Health and Nutrition Education
- Conduct individual and group health and nutrition education sessions for mothers, caregivers, and community members.
- Deliver approved messages on breastfeeding, complementary feeding, maternal nutrition, dietary diversity, food hygiene, and prevention of malnutrition.
- Reinforce relevant hygiene and safe water messages in coordination with WASH personnel.
- Use approved information, education, and communication (IEC) materials where available.
- Adapt communication to the literacy level, language, culture, and needs of the target population.
- Encourage questions and participation from caregivers and provide practical, realistic recommendations.
- Ensure that education activities are respectful, non-discriminatory, and accessible to vulnerable households.
- Document sessions and participant numbers accurately.
- Refer technical or clinical questions beyond the counsellor's competence to the appropriate health professional.
3.10 Coordination and Teamwork
- Work closely with SHC or MHNT personnel to ensure that nutrition counselling is integrated into primary health care services.
- Coordinate with nurses, midwives, Medical Doctors, Female Nutrition Nurses, vaccinators, and other relevant staff.
- Work with community health workers and mobilizers to support nutrition awareness, referrals, and follow-up.
- Coordinate with WASH personnel on relevant hygiene and nutrition-related health messages.
- Participate in routine team meetings, service planning, supportive supervision, and review sessions.
- Communicate supply shortages, service-delivery challenges, referral barriers, and community concerns to the designated supervisor.
- Coordinate with the M&E Assistant and designated MEAL focal point on activity reporting and data quality.
- Maintain respectful professional relationships and follow the established reporting structure.
3.11 Record Keeping, Reporting, and Data Quality
- Maintain accurate, complete, legible, and up-to-date counselling records and assigned nutrition registers.
- Record the number and type of counselling sessions, participants, screening support activities, referrals, and follow-up actions.
- Use approved HDDO and MoPH formats and follow established reporting definitions.
- Check entries for missing information, duplicate records, inconsistencies, and calculation errors.
- Ensure that reported activities reflect services actually delivered.
- Submit routine activity reports within the deadlines established by the supervisor.
- Cooperate with authorized monitoring visits, data verification, and quality reviews.
- Correct errors transparently according to approved procedures and never fabricate or deliberately alter records.
- Protect all patient and caregiver information from unauthorized access or disclosure.
- Maintain records securely and share them only with authorized personnel.
3.12 Supplies and Counselling Materials
- Monitor the availability of approved nutrition counselling materials, screening forms, registers, and assigned equipment.
- Use approved educational materials and screening equipment appropriately.
- Maintain assigned equipment in good condition and report damage or loss promptly.
- Inform the supervisor when materials or supplies require replenishment.
- Ensure that nutrition commodities, if assigned to the position, are handled and documented according to authorized procedures.
- Do not independently distribute therapeutic or supplementary nutrition products unless this responsibility is explicitly authorized under the approved service package and applicable protocols.
- Support stock documentation and accountability when assigned.
- Prevent loss, misuse, or unauthorized distribution of project supplies.
3.13 Infection Prevention, Safety, and Professional Boundaries
- Follow applicable infection prevention and control procedures during client contact and service delivery.
- Maintain hand hygiene and use appropriate protective equipment when required.
- Keep counselling areas and reusable equipment clean and hygienic.
- Report unsafe practices, equipment problems, or incidents affecting client safety to the designated supervisor.
- Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with clients, caregivers, colleagues, and community members.
- Recognize the limits of the counsellor role and seek clinical guidance when a client's needs exceed the position's competence.
- Participate in relevant training and supportive supervision.
- Follow HDDO security and field travel procedures during outreach and community visits.
3.14 Safeguarding, Accountability, and Professional Conduct
- Comply with HDDO's Code of Conduct, Safeguarding Policy, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Policy, Child Protection Policy, and other relevant organizational policies.
- Treat all clients and caregivers with dignity and respect, without discrimination.
- Protect the privacy of women, children, and vulnerable clients during counselling and follow-up.
- Obtain consent where required before providing services or collecting personal information, in accordance with applicable procedures.
- Never request or accept money, gifts, favors, or other benefits in exchange for services or referrals.
- Explain available feedback and complaints channels to clients and caregivers where appropriate.
- Report suspected exploitation, abuse, harassment, discrimination, fraud, or other misconduct through approved HDDO reporting mechanisms.
- Maintain confidentiality of all client information and sensitive organizational records.
- Participate in mandatory safeguarding, PSEA, accountability, and professional conduct training.
4. Key Deliverables
Each Nutrition Counsellor is expected to produce the following deliverables throughout the assignment:
- Accurate records of individual and group IYCF counselling sessions.
- Documentation of maternal nutrition counselling and related education activities.
- Nutrition screening support records for eligible clients, within the postholder's training and authorized scope.
- Complete records of clients requiring follow-up and the actions taken.
- Referral documentation for clients requiring additional clinical assessment or nutrition services.
- Records of community nutrition education and outreach activities, including participant counts.
- Updated counselling registers, activity records, and other approved reporting forms.
- Timely submission of monthly or periodic activity reports.
- Documentation of coordination with SHC or MHNT personnel regarding nutrition concerns and follow-up.
- Reports of counselling material shortages, equipment problems, and operational challenges.
- Participation in supportive supervision, data verification, and quality improvement activities.
- Compliance with professional boundaries, confidentiality, safeguarding, and infection prevention requirements.
