New Consultancy - supporting advocacy campaigns related to childhood overweight and mental health, Beijing, China

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, health

UNICEF China has identified advocacy priorities for the coming years, which will involve enhanced needs on Social and Behaviour Change. One of the priorities is prevention of childhood obesity and overweight. Another is one about the importance of mental health especially among adolescents.

China has experienced unprecedented rates of economic growth with impressive advances in poverty reduction and human development in the past decades, it has been extremely successful in reducing levels of child undernutrition (stunting and wasting), however, China now faces a rising burden of child overweight and obesity. To respond to this challenge, the recently released National Childhood Obesity Prevention Action Plan, underpinning the overarching National Nutrition Programme (2017-2030), reflects this determination and ambition at a national level while some cities, like Chengdu city, Shunyi district of Beijing city, are already taking the lead, through urban planning and governance measures, in generating and inspiring changes to make healthy and sustainable eating a reality for all children.

Developing behavioural insights and implementing actions for individual behaviour change will be key strategy in our efforts to tackle these challenges. Starting with an evidence-based process, efforts to create positive social and behaviour change will use a mix of communication tools, channels, and approaches to facilitate dialogue, participation and engagement with children, families, communities, networks. With this regard, UNICEF is looking for a consultant to provide technical support to programmes to expand coverage and improve chances of meeting our outcomes.

How can you make a difference

The consultant is expected to provide technical and operational support in development, planning and implementation 1-2 advocacy projects that focus on child health- the first on preventing child overweight followed by promoting adolescent mental health. The consultant will support the development of measurable behavioural and social change actions /mobilization through communication, engagement, empowerment and participation of partners, stakeholders, communities and civil society organizations to achieve sustainable programme results on child health and development in the country.

1. Support to develop behavioral interventions

• Provide technical support to local governments for the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the C4D activities. Projects include promoting healthy dietary in children and adolescents, followed by promotion of mental health
• Design and plan C4D strategies, including formulation, production, and testing materials and/or to organize C4D activities to ensure engagement and participation of key audiences for the campaigns related to prevention of childhood overweight, in consultation and collaboration with internal and external partners.
• Provide quality assurance on behavior change related content, information, and materials on campaigns and activities related to prevention of childhood overweight.
• Collaborate/consult with a wide range of partners and stakeholders to ensure synergy, integration, coherence, and harmonization of C4D activities and messages across partners on child health and development.

1. Implementation of activities to support changes in individual and community behaviors

Collaborate with, advise and/or consult internal partners and external partners to

• Provide technical inputs and quality control in the development, testing, production, distribution and dissemination of appropriate information, education and communication materials on healthy diets for children and adolescents;
• Collaborate with Government and other partners to harmonize, link and/or coordinate messaging and use of multiple media and communication platforms to enhance maximum audience reach and impact.
• Support the communication team in identifying, building and maintaining partnerships through networking and proactive collaboration with strategic partners, e.g. academia, social networks, celebrities, journalists, media, all sectors/levels of society and critical audience to reinforce cooperation and/or pursue opportunities for C4D advocacy in prevention of childhood obesity.
• Carry out presentations/advocacy activities with/for a wide range of stakeholders, partners and communities to encourage/promote engagement and dialogue, inclusion, and participation in C4D activities.

For more details, please visit the TOR- TOR for advocacy support consultant-pdf.pdf

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

• Minimum Academic Qualifications required and disciplines:
  • Master's degree or its equivalent and above in behaviour change communication, public health, or related field.
• Knowledge/Experience/Expertise/Skills required:
  • At least 6 years’ professional experiences in social & behaviour change communication, community engagement
  • Experiences in design, implementation or monitoring of campaigns.
  • Experiences in facilitating group discussions.
  • Knowledge of Nutrition or public health programs a plus
  • Understanding of Chinese context or working experiences in China would be an asset.
  • Knowledge and skills in Chinese would be an asset.
  • Experiences of working with UN agencies or other international organizations would be an asset.
  • Good command in English.

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 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.