Social & Behavior Change Specialist (Accountability to Affected Population/Community Engagement), LACRO Panama, TA P3, 364 days

Contract

This is a P-3 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 5 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 108,241 USD and 141,733 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.

How can you make a difference?

Summary

1. Support the design and implementation of strategies and action plans to scale up community engagement (CE) and accountability to affected population (AAP) interventions and processes across the LAC region;

2. Support advocacy, networking and capacity building for improved understanding of and adoption of AAP principles and approaches;

3. Strengthening AAP evidence generation, innovation and knowledge management

4. Representation and coordination of collective AAP approaches and initiatives in the humanitarian response.

1. Support the design and implementation of strategies and action plans to scale up community engagement (CE) and accountability to affected population (AAP) interventions and processes across the LAC region, with specific emphasis on supporting COs in preparedness and emergency response.

• Facilitate the development of Country Offices strategies and plans of action for scaling up AAP that has clear deliverables, indicators and timeframes to enable timely marked improvement in AAP/CE performance, with a focus on closing the loop (by providing feedback to the community about how their views and inputs were addressed), based on operational modalities, community preferences and global best practice
• Support the integration of AAP in country offices annual work plans and processes ensuring each programme (and operation) section have specific AAP outputs, activity and budgets for effective implementation.
• Ensure coherence and articulation of AAP and PSEA agendas and country and regional levels.
• Convene an internal cross-sector group of focal points to share AAP/CE experiences, develop and use common tools and approaches, and agree internal referral pathways for community feedback and resolution protocols.
• Ensure accountability and community feedback, concerns and priorities are consistently and systematically well highlighted during internal meetings and planning processes especially but not limited to AMP, CMT, MYR/EYR, CPD, etc.
• Facilitate development and use of harmonized tools and standards for staff and third-party monitoring and reporting of AAP/CE activities in accordance with agreed work plans ensuring corrective actions are taken as required
• Monitor the use of resources as planned and verify compliance with organizational guidelines, rules and regulations and standards of ethics and transparency.
• Identify additional resources (human, financial, technical, etc.) needed to implement the AAP/CE plan and explore options to mobilise these

2. Support advocacy, networking and capacity building for improved understanding of and adoption of AAP principles and approaches;

• Design and implement a capacity building strategy to build the knowledge of, and commitment to AAP/CE approaches for UNICEF and partner staff across LAC

• Conduct needs assessments, monitoring and reporting efforts across in AAP across LAC

• Develop context-specific capacity building materials by contextualizing global and national tools.

•Identify opportunities to integrate AAP/CCE into existing training and tailor content to specific audiences.

• Collaborate with internal, regional and global partners to update, harmonize, link and coordinate activities, tools and processes designed to enhance communication and community engagement in humanitarian response including use of multiple media and communication platforms. More in particular, chair the steering committee

• Maintain and strengthen partnerships and stakeholder engagement through networking and proactive collaboration and engagement with strategic partners including NGOs, local authorities, community and religious leaders and others to promote accountability to affected population

• Regularly monitor changes and emerging trends, including public and media perceptions that could impact access and acceptance of UNICEF and UNICEF supported programmes and recommend appropriate response measures.

3. Coordinate with relevant stakeholders

• Serve as the primary focal point within the Regional Office on AAP/CE related issues and be able to provide and regularly update current AAP/Community engagement practices

• Serve as the primary focal point with headquarters, participate in monthly AAP Technical Group meeting, support preparations of the bi-annual Steering Group meeting for LACRO

• Liaise with other relevant colleagues in Regional Offices to ensure coherence and consistence in operationalizing UNICEF AAP global strategy in close collaboration with headquarters (EMOPS Geneva, AAP lead and HQ/SBC focal point to emergency)

• Represent UNICEF at inter-agency Working Groups, clusters and other relevant fora in formulating and articulating AAP/CE plans and outcomes and in disseminating key results and lessons learnt

• Identify and build partnerships with global/regional institutional pools of expertise who could contribute to advancing AAP agendas.

• Coordinate the interagency programme U-Report Uniendo Voces Coordinated Actions – Engaging with Venezuelan refugees and migrants together with ACNUR, IOM, IFRC.

4. Facilitate evidence generation, innovation and knowledge management

• Support Country Offices (remotely or in the ground) in conducting needs assessment to understand community information needs, communications preferences, community dynamics, social norms, cultural beliefs, superstitions and other anthropological factors that could impact programmes.

• Support Country Offices in ensuring systematic collection and analysis of key community feedback data through integration of core AAP questions in cluster assessments, surveys and other data collection tools and activities in relation with the collective services

• Support the analysis and dissemination of regular community perception surveys of UNICEF and quality of UNICEF supported programmes especially in the context of a humanitarian response

• Facilitate the implementation and documentation of innovative practices, approaches and latest technology on multiple media and social/digital platforms and networks that are appropriate/available for the humanitarian context and audience (e.g. U-Report).

• Institutionalize/share best practices and knowledge through the LAC compendium of AAP practices with global/regional/national/local partners and stakeholders to build capacity of partners and disseminate these products to key audiences including donors and national and global partners.

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

Education

Master’s degree in social and behavioral science, sociology, anthropology, psychology, education, communication, public relations or other related social science field is required.

Work Experience

A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in the humanitarian sector with significant field experience working on AAP/CE interventions in technical and or leadership role.

Demonstrable experience in developing and implementing evidence-based community engagement strategies in humanitarian contexts.

Experience in designing and facilitating participatory sensitization and capacity building sessions at different levels with diverse, multicultural teams. Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team in a challenging and highly fluid environment, flexibility and the ability to handle constant change Relevant experience in related areas in a UN agency or international organization is an asset.

Language Proficiency

Fluency in Spanish and English is required. Knowledge of Portuguese and French are an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: https://uni.cf/UNICEFValues

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework 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.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.