Senior Behavioral Scientist P5, TA - Amman, Jordan

Contract

This is a P-5 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 10 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 154,995 USD and 194,244 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

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, [Hope]

The multi-disciplinary area of social and behavior change, and community engagement (SBC-CE), formerly known as Communication for Development (C4D) within UNICEF, has been gathering increasing interest and momentum in practice across the globe. UNICEF is a leading organization with one of the largest institutional workforces in this area; however, it faces challenges and constraints in designing and implementing evidence-based, at-scale, and measurable SBC-CE strategies that demonstrate clear results for children and their communities.

Recognizing this context, as well as the momentum due to the global focus on COVID, UNICEF has undertaken an ambitious global effort to elevate social and behavioral change programming within the organization with the aim of improving the quality and scale of efforts for better results for children. Positioned as a ‘Change Strategy’ under the new UNICEF Strategic Plan (SP) 2022-25, SBC-CE reaffirms the criticality of placing ‘people’ at the center of UNICEF’s efforts through increased participation in development and humanitarian programming, and the increased use of social and behavioral sciences to inform strategic choices and operational design. The shifts in SBC-CE within UNICEF promote policy and programme actions that are routinely informed by behavioral evidence, customised to local contexts, and grounded in human rights approaches. Moving beyond communication solutions only, the emphasis is on the analysis and understanding of underlying and intersecting socio-political, cultural, economic, and other contextual drivers of social norms and practices to promote changes across the social ecology surrounding child rights issues. The shifts accompany increasing focus on interventions such as behavioural insights, social research, behavioural data generation and use, social listening, feedback and accountability mechanisms, human-centered design, strengthening of community systems, and advocacy for investments in national SBC capacity.

How can you make a difference?

• Supporting the development, review, adaptation of SBC research methodologies and approaches, as well as data collection tools across MENA region linked to COVID response as well as the regional accelerators. Reviewing UNICEF’s IMEP entries on SBC for the region for quality assurance
• Guiding selection of data collection, data management, and data analysis service providers; provide support, and quality assurance.
• Guiding the design, preparation, and roll out of data analysis and related products, including national or regional cross-country analysis slide decks
• Drafting, reviewing, guiding, or contributing to SBC documentation and publication including in peer reviewed journals. Publishing, in collaboration with others, atleast 2 papers for the duration of the TA, and additional 2 to 3 papers, if contracted extended for another year.
• Providing specific technical and methodological support on SBC monitoring and evaluation including in the development/updating of data briefs, reports, comparison studies etc.
• Managing/supporting with SBC data collection, data management, and data analysis processes under MENARO purview. Supporting related processes with service providers and LTA holders; including on data quality assurance, validation, and utilisation.
• Guiding or managing data analysis, visualization, and application of research findings across regional and national initiatives to inform programme and policy actions. Communicating and presenting results, limitations, and ideas relevant to SBC programming and UNICEF relevant sectors, including in the preparation of high-level products for senior management and high-ranking public officials.
• Coordinating, sharing, and validating results with other global and regional data and SBC applied research analysts and specialists.
• Guiding study designs, survey samples, statistical models, and other behavioral and data science applications, including:
  • Conducting data exploration exercises based on country level or multi-country level cases that harness primary and secondary data sources to inform SBC programming.
  • Guiding design of social and behavioural approaches for UNICEF sectorial or cross sectorial interventions through application of behavioral insights, A/B testing, HCD, social sciences, and applied research frameworks.
  • Participating in or supporting on-field missions to countries when relevant.
  • Co-authoring research briefs, scientific articles, or other knowledge products based on the SBC research and evidence products and actions across the region
• Supporting the identification and dissemination of good practices, innovations and lessons learned. Following latest developments and scientific research in the field to curate and disseminate advances in the field of SBC research. Developing technical papers or briefing notes for the region during the duration of the assignment.
• Contribute to UNICEF SBC research and evidence related global discourse and products, representing the region. Documenting case studies on COVID VDRCCE response.
• Guiding/ organizing/supporting training and capacity development sessions for countries in coordination with other regions and global offices on SBC related research and evidence products and actions.
• Coordinating with relevant partners and service providers for the above.

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

• Advanced university degree, preferably a doctorate, in social or behavioural sciences, applied social research, statistics, communication for development or related fields
• At least 10-12 years of progressively responsible work experience in the area of expertise.
• Proven experience in the design, testing, and implementation of SBC research methodologies, data collection tools, measuring behavioral results, supporting/conducting experiments
• Proven experience in behavioural data analysis and utilization to guide programme and policy design and actions
• Proven experience in drafting technical guides, concept notes, or manuals as well as publishing in academic journals
• Experience analyzing data from social monitoring systems, monitoring and evaluation work, or other survey work in developing countries.
• Advanced understanding of qualitative and quantitative research methods and ideally experience training others on this methods.
• English. Language competencies in Arabic or French will be an asset

For every Child, you demonstrate...

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

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness
• Works Collaboratively with others
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships
• Innovates and Embraces Change
• Thinks and Acts Strategically
• Drive to achieve impactful results
• Manages Ambiguity and complexity

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:

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/

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

This position is not considered an elevated risk role. However, UNICEF reserves the right to conduct further vetting/ assessment within the scope of child safeguarding as appropriate.

Please note that the TA duration will be till the 31st of December 2022 with a possibility of extension.