Nutrition Specialist – PCO Dodoma

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania (GoT) have partnered to enhance the livelihoods of rural communities through the Smart Smallholder Dairy Transformation Project (C-SDTP). This initiative focuses on smallholder dairy producers with the goal of transforming the dairy value chain to improve incomes, increase food safety, and mitigate the dairy sector’s environmental impact. The development objective is to enhance income and resilience for smallholder dairy producers while increasing their participation in the dairy value chain.

The project targets 140,000 households, representing 700,000 people, with 40% of direct beneficiaries being women and 30% youth. It will be implemented in the following geographical areas:

• Mbeya (Rungwe DC, Mbeya DC, Busokelo DC)
• Iringa (Mufindi DC, Kilolo DC, Iringa DC)
• Njombe (Njombe DC, Njombe TC, Wanging’ombe DC)
• Tanga (Lushoto DC, Muheza DC, Mkinga DC)
• Morogoro (Mvomero DC, Morogoro DC, Kilosa DC)
• Arusha (Meru DC, Arusha DC)
• Kilimanjaro (Siha DC, Moshi DC)
• Pwani/Coast (Rufiji DC, Mkuranga DC)
• Zanzibar-Unguja (West A, West B, Central, North A, North B, South)
• Pemba (North, South)

The C-SDTP is managed under the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries (MLF), in alignment with the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Vice President’s Office (VPO), President’s Office-Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG) for mainland Tanzania, and the First Vice President’s Office in Zanzibar, along with representatives from the private sector and farmers’ organizations.

The Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries invites applications for the following positions, supported by IFAD’s financial contribution:

Nutrition Specialist – PCO Dodoma

The Nutrition Specialist will provide technical leadership for the project’s nutrition agenda, designing and operationalizing nutrition education and social behavior change communication (SBCC) to ensure dairy value-chain gains translate into improved diets and nutrition outcomes for target households. Responsibilities include promoting safe milk processing/outlets, running a national SBCC campaign, and embedding nutrition education in extension and Livestock Farmer Field Schools (L-FFS), including school-based activities and links to school feeding. The specialist will report to the Project Coordinator and work closely with the PCO Social Inclusion Specialist and Knowledge Management Specialist. Recruitment will be competitive, from seconded government staff and/or external candidates.

Main Responsibilities

• Review and assess current SBCC activities related to nutrition, key partners, activities, and scope/timeline.
• Develop nutrition education and SBCC promotional campaign materials suitable for different audiences, including radio, TV, mobile, and other platforms, to encourage healthy diets.
• Design and conduct Training of Trainers (ToT) on nutrition education for agricultural extension staff.
• Incorporate nutrition education in L-FFS, preparing detailed session plans and handouts.
• Liaise with partner institutes to ensure SBCC and nutrition education materials are disseminated under the national nutrition campaign.
• Prepare nutrition messages and information for use through SMS applications.
• Identify and facilitate marketing campaigns with private sector cooperatives to increase demand and consumption of high-quality dairy products.
• Organize a national workshop to share lessons, materials, and create national awareness across sectors/stakeholders.

Academic Qualifications, Experience, Skills, and Attitudes

Educational Background: Master’s degree in Nutrition or related field. Advanced training in SBCC is an asset.

Experience:

• At least five (5) years of experience in designing nutrition education and SBCC materials, preferably in rural/agricultural contexts.
• Good understanding of behavior change communication theory and nutrition education strategies/examples; previous similar experience is an asset.

Skills and Attitudes:

• Strong understanding of dietary diversity, underlying causes of malnutrition, and behavior change theory.
• Proficient in developing multimedia materials.
• Working experience in nutrition education programs.
• Good communication and results-oriented skills.

Duration

The contract duration is one (1) year, renewable based on satisfactory performance.

Application Details

Deadline: October 22, 2025

Submission Requirements: Qualified candidates should submit their application, including a letter of interest, complete Curriculum Vitae, and copies of Certified Academic Qualifications.

Submission Address: Permanent Secretary Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries P.O. Box 2870 Dodoma Email: barua@mlf.go.tz