National Individual Contractor to provide Technical Support for risk communication and community engagement/social listening on COVID-19 prevention, Damascus, Syria, 6 months

Consultant Programme & Policy

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 voice.

BACKGROUND (RATIONALE AND CONTEXT): COVID-19 vaccines are the most effective means to protect populations from COVID-19, together with key behavioral actions by families, communities, and individuals. Since the COVID-19 vaccine was introduced in April 2021 in Syria, misinformation, and rumors related to the pandemic in general and to the efficacy and safety of the vaccine, in particular, have arisen. UNICEF and its partners launched its risk communication and community engagement programming has been kicked off with support from the Ministry of Health and WHO to develop the National Vaccine Deployment Plan and National Social and Behavior Change/Community Engagement (SBCC) strategy on COVID-19 prevention, including vaccination.

The knowledge, attitudes, and practices assessment on COVID-19 vaccination conducted in June and October, mass media campaign assessment and data on reach and engagement demonstrate that UNICEF-led MoH-supported RCCE interventions contribute to the significant increase in vaccine uptake.

According to the UNICEF commissioned community engagement and demand generation assessment on COVID-19 vaccination in health centers in 14 governorates, 98% of respondents have heard (26% of increase since the 1st round) of the COVID-19 vaccine from TV (28%), Health Care workers (25%) and social media (16%) and friends (14%) while expressed to receive information on the side effects of the vaccines (31%), the vaccine effectiveness (16%), and its lifetime protection (13%).

While positive trends in knowledge, attitudes, and practices to COVID-19 vaccination are being observed due to demand generation interventions, including enforcement of COVID-19 prevention measures by the government, there are still pockets of vaccine-hesitant groups, especially those affecting the decision making of people to uptake vaccine. It includes, but is not limited to health care providers, health professionals, teachers, religious leaders in addition to structural challenges, including access, availability, and affordability, and capacity of implementing partners to deal with the encouragement of people to uptake vaccines.

Social listening plays a critical role to track the insights and rumors of social media users. Talkwalker generated social listening report for the period of January to March reveals that among pre-defined topics for Vaccination, Trust/Hesitancy had the highest share of engagement in the first three months of the year at 49.8%, while vaccine accounted for the vast majority of engagement in the first three months of the year at 77.7%. Social listening insights, in comparison from January to March to April (1st weeks) the reduction of positive reflections on vaccines (from 11% to 3.2%) and negative reflection (from 10.1% to 7.4%) is gradually reduced, while neutrality from 80.8% to 86.7% has been increased. It is also noted that among predefined vaccine topics, Supply/Distribution had the highest share of engagement at 34.8%, followed by Conspiracy Theory (25%) and Efficacy (23.6%) during the first two weeks of April.

The UNICEF SBC Community Engagement program is at the forefront of UNICEF COVID emergency response, where knowledge, attitudes, practices, and social norms are key to preparedness and response. Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) plays a key role in providing real-time lifesaving information ensuring that people know what to do to protect themselves and others against various diseases. At this present juncture, the need for social listening is more significant, particularly as more vaccines are becoming available to more population groups in MENA countries. Therefore, it is critical to understand in real-time people’s concerns, questions, suggestions as the pandemic evolves and vaccination expands

How can you make a difference?

OBJECTIVES OF THE CONTRACT (PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT):

Under the supervision of the Chief SBC and in close coordination with the Communication, Health & Nutrition and PM&E sections involved in the COVID-19 response, the contractor will provide technical assistance in aspects of social media monitoring, rumor tracking and management, online listening, and support with content production and dissemination linked to COVID-19 prevention and vaccination uptake behaviours and practices.

- Through online monitoring tools, identify COVID-19/Coronavirus/COVID-19 vaccines highly assessed conversation threads to identify wrong information and/or myths being circulated in Syria and neighbouring countries, including Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan and Turkey.

- In collaboration with the Communications section, identify country specific social media influencers (individuals, blogers and platforms)

- Produce regular reports highlighting key issues, topics, trends concerns raised and addressed online providing recommendations for better engagement.

- Participate in and contribute to the social listening and community feedback sub working group of the regional interagency RCCE coordination mechanism.

- Contribute to content to the various reporting requirements including but not limited to Situation Reports, weekly updates to RO and HQ, and any other reporting needs related to COVID-19 RCCE respond and vaccination demand focusing on the social listening insights.

- Document the lessons learned and best practices in social listening and rumor management undertaken to include into monthly reports in Syria.

- Support SBC field offices with ad hoc remote capacity building sessions on social listening

These tasks are critical in ensuring a continuous, coordinated, cohesive, and strategic response to outbreak and vaccination deployment.

LOCATION (GEOGRAPHIC AREA/ DUTY STATION):

On-site working days: 80 working days on a part-time basis, to be performed from Damascus – Syria Country Office

Off-site working days: 0

Field Missions/Travel: The contractor will travel to at least one location – Syrian Governorate as decided and agreed by the Country Office and subject to the Supervisor’s approval.

DURATION:

The contractor will work for a total of 80 working days within 6 months calendar months, on a part-time basis in Syria. The exact schedule of activities will be agreed upon with the Supervisor, based on an Inception Report and Weekly Reports.

SECTION IN CHARGE: Social and Behavior Change - Damascus, Syria Country office

SUPERVISOR****: The Individual Contractor will be supervised by and report to UNICEF Syria Deputy Representative (Programs) with technical reporting to Chief Social & Behavior Change, with regular meetings on weekly basis on progress status and next steps, and ad hoc communications and meetings if/as needed. The contractor will work closely with UNICEF Syria Country Office through the SBC Section, Health, Communication and Monitoring & Evaluation Section. The contractor will also work closely with the Ministry of Health and WHO Syria Country Office.

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT (TASKS, SMART DELIVERABLES, DEADLINES):

Tasks

End Products/ Deliverables

Duration/ Deadline

1. Define, organize, and coordinate the assignment

Inception Report

3 working days after signing the contract

2. Conduct a review/assessment of social media platforms and conversations on COVID-19 prevention, including vaccination among general population, with specific focus on health care providers, health professionals, religious leaders and young people.

The social media mapping of the most influential social media platforms conducted and presented as part of the inception report.

8 working days - within 11 days after signing the contract

3. Identify and suggest the tools and platforms best suited for social media listening

Social media listening tools listed

3 working days by end of the 2nd week after signing the contract

4. Set-up and run the social listening mechanism/system for rumors management/infodemcis regular monitoring and analysis.

Platform with focus on country specific while considering Talkwalker and Crowdtangle prepared for the regular monitoring with keywords.

Social listening report template prepared, presented and endorsed.

12 working days - by the 6th week after signing the contract

5. Prepare monthly social listening reports.

Biweekly and Monthly COVID-19 RCCE vaccination demand social listening reports

Presentations at national RCCE and Health Sector Coordination Meetings.

2 working days in each month X 5 months for monthly reports (10 days) by the end of each month.

6. Support the development and facilitate the social media/infodemic management campaign.

3 campaigns prepared and messages tested during June, August and October- November

8 working days each month X 5 months, (40 days) to be concluded by the end of the contract.

7. Final report with analysis, annexes and documentation of best practices

Final report

4 days by the last week of the assignment

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS:

1. Inception report

2. Bi-weekly & Monthly progress reports

3. Rapid debriefing notes for selective activities based on relevance and as per the Supervisor’s guidance

4. Final report with annexes of analysis (charts, graphs, etc)

PROPOSED PAYMENT SCHEDULE

By Deliverables, in 6 installments, as follows:

Installment 1: 17.5% from the total fees against the mentioned deliverables – the sum of 14 days – against Deliverables # 1, 2,3

Installment 2: 27.5% from the total fees against the mentioned deliverables – the sum of 22 days – against Deliverables # 4, 5, 6

Installment 3: 12.5% from the total fees against the mentioned deliverables – the sum of 10 days – against Deliverables # 5, 6

Installment 4: 12.5% from the total fees against the mentioned deliverables – the sum of 10 days – against Deliverables # 5, 6

Installment 5: 12.5% from the total fees against the mentioned deliverables – the sum of 10 days – against Deliverables # 5, 6

Installment 6: 17.5% from the total fees against the mentioned deliverables – the sum of 14 days – against Deliverables # 5, 6, 7

UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

To qualify as a champion or advocate for every child you will have…

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

1. Education:

A University Degree in Business Administration, Data Science and/or Information and Knowledge Management, Communications, Digital Marketing or another relevant technical field.

Training in one of these several Social Media and/or Data Science technical competencies is an asset: Social media management, Digital monitoring, Business Analytics

2. Work experience:

A minimum of 2 years of professional relevant experience in social media monitoring and analysis and/or digital listening

3. Technical knowledge/ competencies:

- Required expertise in understanding and working with social media platforms.

- Required excellent writing and analytical skills. Experience in developing analyses and executive summaries based on multiple types of social data with recommendations for programme and policy action.

- Desirable proven expertise in developing and applying comprehensive M&E framework to measure risk communication and community engagement, including social media campaigns results, including by measuring change in attitudes, discourse, intention to act and behavior.

Specific competencies

- Ability to “think out of the box” and to make innovative proposals.

- Experience in the design and implementation of interventions on rumor management/misinformation, Public Health or Behavioural Science-informed interventions

- Excellent communication, consultation, facilitation, and presentation skills in English

- Hands-on experience in complex and politically sensitive environments, possibly including Syria and/or crisis-affected settings

- Strong communication and inter-personal skills, understanding socio-cultural diversity and sensitivity; ability and experience working with community leaders/members and government officials

- Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective work relationships with counterparts and external partners

- Ability to take initiative, work with minimum supervision, under tight timelines

4. Language

Fluency in Arabic and English (verbal and written)

For every Child, you demonstrate…

Core values: Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

Core competencies:

- Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)

- Works Collaboratively with others (1)

- Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)

- Innovates and Embraces Change (1)

- Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)

- Drive to achieve impactful results (1)

- Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

EVALUATION PROCESS (OF APPLICATIONS):

Qualified candidates are requested to submit:

1. Cover letter/application.

2. CV.

3. Financial quote for daily professional fees

4. Proposed methodology/approach on social listening.

5. At least 3 Referees.

Applications should be submitted through UNICEF’s Talent Management System (TMS).

Shortlisted applicants may be invited for further technical assessment.

The final recommendation will be made based on “best value for money”, i.e. the hiring section/office shall normally select the individual who quoted the lowest fee from among the candidates who are assessed as suitable for achieving all tasks on time, as per the criteria stipulated in this ToR, and based on the outcome of the evaluation/assessment conducted.

Remarks:

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 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.

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 (unless it is a full time Individual Contract, where the contractor is eligible for Paid Time Off and paid UN official Holidays) or 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.

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

UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/

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