BACKGROUND

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is a regional bloc of 16 Member States with a combined population of over 400 million people. Its mandate is to promote sustainable and equitable economic growth and socio‑economic development through deeper cooperation, good governance, and lasting peace and security, positioning the region as a competitive and effective actor in the global economy. The SADC region faces persistent nutrition challenges, with stunting affecting 34% of children under five. Childhood overweight prevalence has risen to 5.2% in 2025 from 4.9% in 2024. Anaemia among women of reproductive age remains high affecting over one in three women. Despite some progress in exclusive breastfeeding, poor dietary diversity, poverty, diseases and climate-related shocks continue to drive malnutrition. These trends underscore the urgent need for coordinated interventions to improve nutrition, food security, and health outcomes.

CONTEXT

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), is implementing the SADC Integrated Nutrition Programme, a Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP 2020–2030) prioritised project. The project responds to persistent and emerging nutrition challenges in the SADC region, including undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, wasting, overweight and obesity, and inequitable access to nutritious, healthy, and safe diets. The programme adopts a multi-sectoral, systems-based approach to nutrition, working across food systems, health and nutrition systems, WASH, education, and social protection systems, and strengthening accountability for nutrition outcomes in Member States. The key regional frameworks and global guidance underpinning programme implementation include, the Maternal Nutrition and Complementary Feeding Action Frameworks, WHO Guidelines on Prevention and Management of Child Wasting (2023), SADC Food Fortification Minimum Standards, International Code and WHA Resolution 69.9 on the Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, Emerging regional priorities on prevention of overweight and obesity and the First Foods Africa as well as the food systems transformation agenda. The programme aims to strengthen nutrition outcomes across the region by improving access to safe, nutritious and diverse diets, promoting the well-being of women and adolescents, reducing all forms of malnutrition, and enhancing the prevention, detection and management of child wasting, while also increasing domestic investment in nutrition. It is against the above background and with the Support of the United Nations Children’s fund, that the SADC Secretariat is recruiting a Senior Project Officer -Nutrition to lead the implementation of the programme.

The SADC Secretariat invites suitably qualified and experienced individuals who are 52 years and below to apply for the position of Senior Project Officer based at SADC Secretariat in Gaborone, Botswana.

For detailed job descriptions and Submission of applications, please visit the following link: https://sadc.mcidirecthire.com/external/currentopportunities

Applicants are advised to apply online by attaching Motivation Letter, CV’s, certified copies of educational and certificates. Applications with inadequate supporting documents will not be considered.

Only applicants who meet the requirements of the SADC Secretariat will be considered for interview. Should you not hear from the SADC Secretariat within two months after the closing date, kindly consider your application unsuccessful.

Closing Date: Applications must be submitted not later than or on the 30 April 2026.

Applications received through any other sources will not be considered.