Social & Behavior Change Specialist (P-3), Istanbul, Turkey

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 based territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, dedication.

The Regional Social & Behavior Change Specialist provides technical and operational support for developing a systematic, planned and evidence-based strategy and process for S&BC in maternal and child health and early childhood development as an integral part of programme development, planning and implementation. Through communication and engagement with Health and ECD sections, country offices, national stakeholders, academia, civil society organizations, s/he promotes measurable behavioral and social change/mobilization to achieve measurable behavioral results across the identified priority areas in ECAR.

How can you make a difference?

1. Support to strategy design and development of S&BC activities
2. Implementation, monitoring and evaluation of SBC activities

• Lead/support implementation of RO and COs SBC and advocacy strategies, campaigns on maternal and child health. Provide technical guidance and advise to Health and ECD sections at regional and country levels on implementation and assessment of SBC strategies and activities, tracking, measuring and reporting SBC results.

• Initiate, coordinate and support regional multi-country projects on maternal and child health. Conceptualize, develop and support regional and country SBC campaigns to support uptake of key practices.

• Lead/support development, promotion, update of the regional immunization chatbot. Contribute to other regional initiatives to provide accurate information on maternal and child health (IoGT).

• Develop and update country profiles with key SBC/demand indicators on maternal and child health, to support evidence-informed programming at regional and local level.
• Lead and support development, review and pre-testing of appropriate RO and COs SBC content, messages and materials. Verify and ensure technical accuracy, quality, consistency and relevancy of communications materials.
• Support/ensure quality assurance of UNICEF supported SBC projects and activities and advise and support course corrections.
• Conceptualize/design, propose and support in establishing monitoring mechanisms to collect, analyze data, track, measure and report on SBC indicators/results in maternal and child health. Ensure inputs and quality assurance of SBC data/insights in relevant reports.
• Develop terms of reference, frameworks and protocols for implementation of regional SBC strategies and initiatives.
• Manage individual and institutional contracts.

Participate in workplans development and budget planning and management of programme funds.

3. Technical and operational support

• Collaborate with RO and/or COs colleagues to contribute to the development of regional and country strategies, and the planning of SBC initiatives on maternal and child health, including in humanitarian response.
• Participate in RO strategic discussions to collaborate on agenda setting for SBC advocacy and investments.

• Participate in budget planning and management of programme funds. Monitor/track the use of resources as planned and verify compliance with organizational guidelines, rules and regulations and standards of ethics and transparency. Ensure quality and timely reporting to donors.

• Provide technical assistance and support to COs in developing, implementing and evaluating SBC strategies and activities on maternal and child health; national systems strengthening - mainstreaming demand in national policies, programmes and budgets; setting-up/strengthen misinformation management, social listening and evidence generation mechanisms.

  4. Advocacy, networking and partnership building

• Identify, build and maintain partnerships through networking and proactive collaboration with strategic partners, e.g. WHO and other UN and international organizations and networks; professional associations; academia; civil society organization, private sector to reinforce cooperation and/or pursue opportunities for SBC advocacy to promote UNICEF mission and goals for child rights, social equity and inclusiveness.

• Collaborate with internal global/regional communication partners to harmonize, link and/or coordinate messaging and SBC activities on maternal and child health to enhance outreach and contribution to programmatic outcomes.
• Participate in strategic conversations and support in discussions on policy and agenda setting for SBC in maternal and child health.

• Participate in/lead relevant inter-agency groups and/or civil society networks to position, promote and scale-up maternal and child health focused SBC programmes and enhance results.

  5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Explore, support testing and document innovative approaches and tools to advance SBC results in maternal and child health, including in humanitarian settings. Support testing, application and scale out of BI solutions and HCD approaches.

• Facilitate the deployment and documentation of innovative off-line and digital platforms and networks. Support assessment of behavioural results of digital engagement/social media campaigns.

• Support conceptualization and implementation of assessments/evaluations. Document SBC results, good and promising practices, lessons learned (what worked and what did not work).
• Document and disseminate SBC research findings and best practice and support exchange of experiences, evidence-informed programming and uptake of new/tested methods among programme staff, UNICEF partners, donors and/or the wider SBC field.
• Support institutionalization and scale up of successful approaches. Support COs to advocate for integration of effective SBC approaches and tools into national mechanisms and systems.
• In collaboration with relevant sections and partners develop tools, guidelines and training materials and facilitate capacity building of COs and partners.
• Support the organization, administration and implementation of capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of COs and partners in SBC planning, implementation and evaluation. Support development of training materials.

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

1. Education****:

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: social and behavioral science, sociology, anthropology, psychology, education, communication, public relations, marketing, global/public health, epidemiology or another relevant technical field.

2. Work Experience****:

• A minimum of five years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: social development programme planning, Social and Behavior Change, public health communication, RCCE, public advocacy and communication, marketing or another related area.
• Experience and expertise in social listening, digital engagement, online mis-information / infodemic management on health related issues.
• Expertise in evidence-based social media engagement, development of digital tools and solutions, development, implementation and assessment of social media/digital campaigns.
• Experience in supporting development, testing and evaluation of behavioural insights (BI) solutions. Knowledge of HCD approaches.
• Experience with branding (identify development), marketing, promotion of solutions in the digital space.
• Experience working in Europe and Central Asia region is preferred.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.

3. Language Proficiency

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability (CRITA) 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.

[add the 8th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for supervisory role]

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.

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.

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’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children.

Remarks:

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.