International Consultant - to support Social and Behavior change strategic approach in Myanmar (Open to Non-Myanmar Nationals Only)

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UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

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Application deadline 1 year ago: Wednesday 20 Jul 2022 at 17:25 UTC

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Contract

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a future

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

To provide technical support for the development and implementation of evidence-based costed national SBC strategies along with contextualized action plans to address the urgent needs and issues of children and women in the country, including the preparedness and response plan for crisis communication to support the SBC Unit of UNICEF Myanmar Country Office.

Geographic Area:

Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar (in-country) / Remote until visa approved

Duration of the consultancy:

26 September 2022 to 10 September 2023

11.5 months, 21 working days per month, consultant manages his/her own time.

How can you make a difference?

Key tasks to carry out:

Support to strategy design and development of SBC activities

  • Conduct desk reviews of available data (surveys, studies, etc.) and support primary research on the dynamic and depths of social, cultural and political issues in the country to develop desk review report on key behavioural-related issues and bottlenecks to promote a better understanding of children's and women's issues that need urgent SBC interventions and response and identifying opportunities and feasible entry points.
  • Lead the assessment of communities’, community mobilisers and Health workers’ knowledge, behaviour, attitude and practice for COVAX and routine immunization.
  • Draft of SBC strategy for COVID-19 vaccine and routine immunization demand generation and its implementation developed by RCCE Cluster and key stakeholders and partners including EPI/WHO for RI
  • Final costed demand generation plan, keeping in mind the phased approach with the targeted population groups over the designated time period including oversight to IEC materials and messages.

Implementation of SBC Strategies and interventions through various community engagement and consultations

  • Produce and present community engagement strategic concept and guidelines including rumour tracking for review and provide comments.
  • Identify key partners in states for developing a network of grassroots social mobilisers and social mobilisation activities. Develop strong partnerships with community groups, leaders and other partners in the community and civil society to promote UNICEF efforts aimed at social and behavioural changes
  • Develop contextualized community engagement and consultation tools and materials to assist staff and partners to effectively engage communities in the planning, design and implementation of the activities.
  • In the design plan, ensure to assess and appreciate local contexts and to build on existing local civil societies, actors and networks present at grassroots level, ensuring Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) component through community participations and consultations.

Advocacy, networking, and partnership building

  • Identify, build, and maintain partnerships through networking and proactive collaboration with strategic partners, e.g., institutions, academia; social networks; clusters/working groups, faith institutions/groups, celebrities, media, all sectors/levels of society and critical audience to reinforce cooperation and pursue opportunities for S&BC approaches to better align the needs and reach of the populations.
  • Develop advocacy briefs and packages as necessary to advocate various key stakeholders in order to assist in their decision makings and ultimately to achieve buy-in and collaborations from them on UNICEF’s interventions.
  • Initiate/lead national-level technical working groups/task forces, as required, to deliberately build networking with partners and different actors and to exchange of information and ideas supportive of programme goals and strategies. Coordination with national and sub-national stakeholders, including government, implementing partners and working groups over the designated time period including oversight to IEC materials and messages.
  • Reports and meeting minutes on the support from national stakeholders, field offices and partners capacity building of health workers, community mobilisers, CSOs, frontline workers on demand generation for RI and COVID linking it with the gains made in RCCE.

Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

  • Implement innovative practices, approaches and latest technology on multiple media and social/digital platforms and networks for social and behavior change that are appropriate/available for the CO context and audience.
  • Develop/Adapt/revise training modules and job aids for health workers and vaccinators as both first adopters of vaccines and as advocates for vaccination acceptance and uptake of COVID and RI in communities
  • Work with SBC team to share and document institutionalize/share best practices, lesson learnt and knowledge products with global/local partners and stakeholders to build capacity of UNICEF staff and partners and disseminate these products to key audiences including donors and partners.
  • Support the development of content on RI and COVID related interventions for the SBC digital platforms

Monitoring, Reporting, Documentation and Evaluation

  • Participate as relevant in the team discussions to collaborate on agenda setting for SBC and input to resource mobilization initiatives.
  • Develop, compile and present on a regular basis monitoring framework and checklists including support monitoring (including community feedback, media and social media monitoring) and reporting of ongoing implementation of COVAX and routine immunization and broader SBC /Risk communication activities.
  • Produce monthly consultancy reports of on-going implementation of SBC activities to promote behaviors to prevent and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and promote RI
  • Initiate/lead in evaluating key SBC interventions through identification of ways and methods of evaluation and ensuring documentation of best practices, lesson learnt and recommendations to achieve sustainable impacts.
  • Provide additional cross cutting support as relevant to the SBC section given the emergency context of operations.

Description of Assignment:

Tasks/ Milestones 1:

  1. Support to strategy design and development of SBC activities
  • Conduct desk reviews of available data (surveys, studies, etc.) and support primary research on the dynamic and depths of social, cultural and political issues in the country to develop desk review report on key behavioural-related issues and bottlenecks to promote a better understanding of children's and women's issues that need urgent SBC interventions and response and identifying opportunities and feasible entry points.
  • Lead the assessment of communities’, community mobilisers and Health workers’ knowledge, behaviour, attitude and practice for COVAX and routine immunization.
  • Draft of SBC strategy for COVID-19 vaccine and routine immunization demand generation and its implementation developed by RCCE Cluster and key stakeholders and partners including EPI/WHO for RI
  • Final costed demand generation plan, keeping in mind the phased approach with the targeted population groups over the designated time period including oversight to IEC materials and messages

Deliverables 1:

Desk review report developed following field visits and consultations with partners and staff- 31 October 2022

SBC Strategy for COVID-19 vaccine and routine immunization demand generation developed based on desk reviews, primary data collection, community assessments and consultations with key stakeholders- 30 November 2022

Tasks/ Milestones 2:

  1. Implementation of SBC Strategies and interventions through various community engagement and consultations
  • Produce and present community engagement strategic concept and guidelines including rumour tracking for review and provide comments.
  • Identify key partners in states for developing a network of grassroots social mobilisers and social mobilisation activities. Develop strong partnerships with community groups, leaders and other partners in the community and civil society to promote UNICEF efforts aimed at social and behavioural changes.
  • Develop contextualized community engagement and consultation tools and materials to assist staff and partners to effectively engage communities in the planning, design and implementation of the activities.
  • In the design plan, ensure to assess and appreciate local contexts and to build on existing local civil societies, actors and networks present at grassroots level, ensuring Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) component through community participations and consultations

Deliverables 2:

At least 4 strategic concept and guidelines and 2 rumor tracking platforms developed and implemented

At least 10 contextualized community engagement and consultation tools and materials developed to assist staff and partners and dissemination plans documented for results

-15 February 2023

Tasks/ Milestones 3:

  1. Advocacy, networking, and partnership building
  • Identify, build, and maintain partnerships through networking and proactive collaboration with strategic partners, e.g., institutions, academia; social networks; clusters/working groups, faith institutions/groups, celebrities, media, all sectors/levels of society and critical audience to reinforce cooperation and pursue opportunities for S&BC approaches to better align the needs and reach of the populations.
  • Develop advocacy briefs and packages as necessary to advocate various key stakeholders in order to assist in their decision makings and ultimately to achieve buy-in and collaborations from them on UNICEF’s interventions.
  • Initiate/lead national-level technical working groups/task forces, as required, to deliberately build networking with partners and different actors and to exchange of information and ideas supportive of programme goals and strategies. Coordination with national and sub-national stakeholders, including government, implementing partners and working groups over the designated time period including oversight to IEC materials and messages.
  • Reports and meeting minutes on the support from national stakeholders, field offices and partners capacity building of health workers, community mobilisers, CSOs, frontline workers on demand generation for RI and COVID linking it with the gains made in RCCE.

Deliverables 3:

At least three advocacy briefs and packages developed to advocate various key stakeholders in order to achieve buy-in and collaboration

At least two national-level technical working groups/task forces formed, functioning and documented on achievements

  • 15 January 2023

Tasks/ Milestones 4:

  1. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
  • Implement innovative practices, approaches and latest technology on multiple media and social/digital platforms and networks for social and behavior change that are appropriate/available for the CO context and audience.
  • Develop/Adapt/revise training modules and job aids for health workers and vaccinators as both first adopters of vaccines and as advocates for vaccination acceptance and uptake of COVID and RI in communities
  • Work with SBC team to share and document institutionalize/share best practices, lesson learnt and knowledge products with global/local partners and stakeholders to build capacity of UNICEF staff and partners and disseminate these products to key audiences including donors and partners.
  • Support the development of content on RI and COVID related interventions for the SBC digital platforms.

Deliverables 4:

At least 5 capacity building packages/training modules developed/adapted to enhance the competencies of staff, health workers, vaccinators and partners on acceptance and uptake of vaccines in communities

At least two innovative approaches using latest technology developed for the CO context and audience

  • 30 May 2023

At least 5 knowledge products/reports and documentation of RI/COVID demand generation initiatives disseminated to global/local partners

  • 30 August 2023

Tasks/ Milestones 5:

  1. Monitoring, Reporting, Documentation and Evaluation
  • Participate in the country office strategic discussions to collaborate on agenda setting for SBC and related resource mobilization initiatives. Engage and contribute to donor proposals to highlight the urgent needs from SBC perspective and ensure mobilization of funds for areas of funding gaps for SBC.
  • Develop, compile and present on a regular basis monitoring framework and checklists including support monitoring (including community feedback, media and social media monitoring) and reporting of ongoing implementation of COVAX and routine immunization and broader SBC /Risk communication activities.
  • Produce monthly consultancy reports of on-going implementation of SBC activities to promote behaviors to prevent and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and promote RI
  • Initiate/lead in evaluating key SBC interventions through identification of ways and methods of evaluation and ensuring documentation of best practices, lesson learnt and recommendations to achieve sustainable impacts.
  • Provide additional cross cutting support as relevant to the SBC section given the emergency context of operations.

Deliverables 5:

At least 5 donor proposals contributed

A comprehensive M&E framework and checklists including support monitoring (including community feedback, media and social media monitoring) developed for COVAX, RI and border SBC/risk communication

At least 5 comprehensive monitoring tools for staff and partners developed and trained to monitor interventions in SBC strategy

Monthly consultancy reports on on-going implementation, achievements and bottlenecks/recommendations of SBC activities

  • 30 July 2023

Payment option - The consultant will be paid on deliverable-based when planned deliverables as described above are completed.

Confidentiality:

The documents/contents produced during the period of this consultancy will be treated as strictly confidential, and the rights of distribution and/ or publication will reside solely with UNICEF.

The contract signed with the consultant will include the other general terms defined by UNICEF.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education

Master’s degree in communications, social sciences or related field (Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Health Education) or Bachelors in above areas with at least 10 years of experience in social/development sector

Work Experience

  • A minimum of 8 years of professional work experience in SBC and emergencies, risk communication and community engagement
  • Experience in social and behaviour change strategy, programming and monitoring.
  • Experience in working on maternal and child health, immunization and nutrition
  • Experience in developing and implementing crisis communication plan and Standard Operating Plans for crisis communication
  • Proven strong experience of working in complex humanitarian context
  • Experience and knowledge of the Myanmar humanitarian and development sectors is an advantage.
  • Proven experience in extensive working with local grassroots civil networks.
  • Strong skills in working with people and multitasking to handle multiple tasks and deliverables under time pressure.
  • High ethical standards and understanding of sensitivities pertaining to child-related/rights issues and working in a politically sensitive environment;
  • Ability to research, design and execute ideas and ability to transfer knowledge and skills;
  • Excellent teamwork skills (self-starter an asset);
  • Knowledge on innovative approaches with the use of latest technology and community consultation process and tools.
  • Experience in working for the UN system and working with government counterparts is desired.
  • High command of written and verbal English.
  • Willingness and availability to take up the assignment immediately.

Competencies of successful candidate

  • Communicates effectively to varied audiences
  • Results driven; able to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment and with minimum supervision.
  • Strong sense of team spirit, diplomacy, able to work effectively across departments and teams.
  • Quickly builds rapport with individuals and groups; builds and maintains an effective network across organizational departments and with other partners.
  • Ability to work under tight schedule, respond to multiple demands including within a changing environment. Innovative and resourceful mindset to make solutions work in adverse conditions.
  • Excellent writing skills in English.

Language Proficiency

  • Proficient in English (Verbal and Written)

Please ensure to complete the following "Expression of Interest Form" and attach in the application: Final- Expression of Interest_SBC International consultant.doc

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org