Lactation Specialist – National Post – Lebanon – North

The Lactation Specialist will provide targeted support and counseling to pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as caregivers, who are experiencing Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) challenges. The role focuses on service delivery across Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCCs), collective shelters, and host communities, ensuring that both displaced and non-displaced populations have access to high-quality breastfeeding and IYCF services. The specialist will conduct individualized counseling sessions and facilitate group awareness activities in accordance with national IYCF standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Key responsibilities

Accountability and Complexity

• The position requires a high level of independence and problem-solving skills
• The job holder will have some decision-making authority within the scope of his/her job description; however, he/she needs to discuss decisions with the Health Program Coordinator and
• The job holder needs to have a high level of communication skills and teamwork capacity
• The job holder needs to have an excellent attention to detail and work organization
• The job holder should demonstrate a high level of cultural sensitivity, professionalism, politeness and objectivity when dealing with the beneficiaries under all circumstances.

Support and Counselling

• Provide one-on-one counseling to pregnant, breastfeeding mothers and caregivers in collective shelters, PHCCs and host communities
• Regularly monitor the RIMS account to review and accept cases referred by the IYCF national hotline or other organizations
• Conduct regular follow-up visits or phone calls with assisted women, particularly mothers of infants under 6 months to promote exclusive breastfeeding
• Facilitate awareness sessions in shelters and communities on IYCF
• Join the community health team during outreach activities to ensure proper dissemination of key messages on IYCF
• Collaborate with the PHC’s Gynecologists, midwives and the community health volunteers to identify pregnant and breastfeeding women in need of support

Nutritional Support

Distribute nutrition supplies (Multiple Micronutrient Powders, HEB, SQ-LNS, LNS-PLW and complementary feeding kits) in collective shelters and PHCCs in accordance with the nutrition sector guidelines

Capacity building

Build the capacity of PHCC staff and program team on IYCF, breastfeeding, newborn care, ANC, PNC (as needed)

Reporting

• Report on daily activities using relevant databases including RI’s IYCF database, nutrition supplies database, SRA database etc.
• Collect and report means of verification (MOVs) related to distribution activities
• Respond to any emerging reporting requirements from the nutrition and SRH sectors

Behavior and conduct

• Ensures that behavior inside and outside of work promotes the values in RI’s code of conduct and safeguarding policies
• Acts with integrity and holds themselves accountable for being respectful, inclusive and professional
• Reports any concerns

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Relief International is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact. We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Relief International (RI) is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to RI’s Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.