National SBC Consultant to support development, validation, and utilization of SBC products and material on vaccine acceptance and uptake, July - Dec 2023, Dushanbe, Tajikistan (for Tajik na

Consultant Programme & Policy

Overview

Support development and implementation of SBC strategies for vaccine uptake.

You have:

• University degree in social work, social welfare, child protection, child psychology, social research, or related field.
• 2 years of professional work experience in social work or other social service workforce areas, research, coordination, development of communication materials, including proven experience of delivering SBC campaigns and training in Tajikistan.
• Proven record of development of SBC communications on immunization.
• Fluency in Russian and English languages. Knowledge of the Tajik language is an advantage.
• Strong interpersonal communications skills. Cultural and political sensitivity. Ability to work under pressure and with tight deadlines.

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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,

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfil their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

The SBC component under GAVI funded program is aimed to provide technical and secretariat support to the Ministry of Health and Social Protection and its partners to produce and implement the GAVI funded SBC/demand-related activities through co-creation/human-center design approach with stakeholders (partners and target populations).

Scope of Work:

Social and Behavior Change (SBC) aims to empower individuals and communities, and lower structural barriers that hinder people from adopting positive practices and societies from becoming more equitable, inclusive, cohesive, and peaceful. For over 35 years, UNICEF has been a leader in Social and Behavior Change (SBC), leveraging the largest dedicated institutional workforce in this field by influencing the practice of SBC all over the world, providing SBC advice to national authorities, and participating in coordination mechanisms for emergency response and development strategies. Civil societies and community leadership, young people, families, local organizations, public and private stakeholders, and key decision-makers were engaged through those years to reimagine policies, improve services, transform societies, and support the adoption of positive and protective practices for children.

In Tajikistan, GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, has been providing financial and expert knowledge to access new and underused vaccines. Through GAVI funded activities, UNICEF has been supporting the Ministry of Health to strengthen data systems that support the systematic identification and reach of the least visible and most marginalized children, by considering, for instance, drivers to action (such as timely reminders to activate intentions) and barriers to action (such as social influence or poor perception of services) that can influence caregivers’ decisions relating to protect children’s health through the routine immunization.

Insights from the behavior change approach have deepen the programme’s understanding of individual decision-making and action taking regarding immunization. In this sense, beyond communication campaigns, the demand component has been seen with social and behavior change lens.

Given the context, the SBC individual consultancy will guide, coordinate, and report the implementation of activities jointly managed by SBC and Health units of UNICEF Tajikistan, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health, focused on vaccine acceptance and uptake – demand generation.

How can you make a difference?

The core responsibilities of the consultant are:

1) Oversee and support the development of SBC communication materials: Based on the communication strategy the consultant will be responsible to develop different communication materials for health professionals, caregivers, and parents. Specifically support the development of videos to support interpersonal communication for health professionals. The development of the communication materials should go consider SBC approach (co-creation and pretesting of all the produces communication materials).

2) Implement skills-building trainings for the Ministry of Health teams and other partners to align the understanding of SBC approach as seen by UNICEF to respond to the demand component, under a human-centered perspective; The consultant is responsible for overall support in organization of the trainings in national, regional and district levels. The consultant will also conduct the sessions on interpersonal communication for the health professionals and involved facilitators on community engagement and participatory approach

3) Liaise with service providers and project partners for organization of events. The consultant will work in close cooperation with Republican Center for Immuno-prophylactics and Republican Center for Healthy Life Center, which are under the Ministry of Health and Social Protection;

4) Guide, monitor and evaluate the collection, analysis and utilization of results, insights, learning for quality assurance and use it with partners-for course correction and future planning.

Deliverables:

1.Three videos on interpersonal communication for health professionals (immunization during disease outbreak, for routine immunization and zero doze coverage).

2.a. Draft scripts of the videos, b. SBC communication materials.

3.a. Training programme/Agenda/ Presentation/Distribution materials/Pre and post-test for the training. (90 trainings), b. analytical report on trainings and interventions.

DUTY STATION/DURATION:

Duration: 103 working days between July - December 2023

Duty station: Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Supervisor: SBC Officer

Work Assignment

Tasks/Milestone:

Deliverables/Outputs:

Timeline

Estimated Budget

Support the development of videos to support interpersonal communication for health professionals, pre-test the videos produced

Support in development of video clips on safe immunization practices

1.Three videos on interpersonal communication for health professionals (immunization during disease outbreak, for routine immunization and zero doze coverage)

30 days

upon completion of the delivery 1 (30%)

Support in development of communication materials with and for target populations (pregnant women, health professionals, religious-based community, youth, others) based on the qualitative study findings (conducted by UNICEF team)

Support in development of SBC materials and coordination the work of designer

2.a. Draft scripts of the videos.

2. b. SBC communication materials.

40 days

upon completion of the delivery 2 (40%)

Support the organization of the two one day ToTs for 50 health workers on national level. Prepare the presentation and lead the sessions on interpersonal communication.

Support the organization of the 10 one day ToTs on regional level for 250 health workers on regional level. As the trainings are taking place simultaneously in the regions, visiting and conducting at least two sessions in one of the selected regions.

Support the facilitators online

Support the organization of 76 half day training for 1,900 service providers in IPC based on the newly developed communication strategy in 37 target districts.

Compile the reports of the consultants on the results of the trainings and interventions and prepare a short analytical report on lessons learned.

Training programme/Agenda/ Presentation/Distribution materials/Pre and post-test for the training. (90 trainings)

Analytical report on trainings and interventions.

33 days

upon completion of the delivery 3 (33%)

Total

103 working days

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

• Education: University degree in social work, social welfare, child protection, child psychology, social research, or related field
• Working experience: 2 years of professional work experience in social work or other social service workforce areas, research, coordination, development of communication materials, including proven experience of delivering SBC campaigns and training in Tajikistan. Previous work with UN and or INGOs is an asset.
• Expertise: Proven record of development of SBC communications on immunization.
• Languages: Fluency in Russian and English languages. Knowledge of the Tajik language is an advantage.
• Skills: Strong interpersonal communications skills. Cultural and political sensitivity. Ability to work under pressure and with tight deadlines

Qualified candidates are requested to submit:

• Financial proposal in TJS specifying consultancy fee, per day of work including including all associated travel costs within Tajikistan, requested for the tasks described in the Terms of Reference in TJS.
• Technical proposal with work plan
• Other relevant documents (CV, letter of interest, training certificates)
• Contacts of three referees (recent direct supervisors)
• Applications without a financial proposal will not be considered.

Applications must be received in the system by 29 June 2023 on UNICEF website.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

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.

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Potential interview questions

Added 3 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org