Social and Behavior Change Specialist

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

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ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok.

WHY JOIN WFP? 

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.

• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.

• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.

• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

BACKGROUND:

Since, 2022 WFP has been implementing a Country Strategic Plan, which is formulated around the achievement of four strategic outcomes designed covering the areas of emergency response, nutrition & school-based programme, resilience building and capacity strengthening. In the four strategic outcomes, WFP engages in SBC in different formats and through a variety of activities.  There is a need to integrate SBC into the program, led by evidence, analysis, and use of evidence-based SBC theory and approaches.

WFP will continue to advocate, mobilize and communicate to promote food and nutrition security through Social behaviour Change (SBC) interventions integrated with programs such as the National School Meal Program, Maternal child health and nutrition programs, Home grown school feeding program, Rice fortification, social protection, resilience building, Scaling Up Nutrition Business Network activities, gender, Climate change adaptation etc. It includes policy-level engagement, mobilization for change and communication for behaviour change contributing to the improvement of the nutrition situation in the country.

CO engages in SBC programs and activities with various important targeted stakeholders however, an internal review and priority indicates the need for an overarching SBC strategy.

WFP SL intends to develop an integrated Social and Behavior Change strategy encompassing all strategic outcomes of the country office program. Therefore, WFP is hiring a consultant to develop a comprehensive, CO SBC strategy.

Purpose: To lead the development of a comprehensive and integrated Social and Behavior Change strategy that strengthens program outcomes, tests innovative interventions, and fosters sustainable practices among target populations.

This role will be based in Colombo, Sri Lanka Country Office, and job holders report to the Deputy Country Director/Head of Programmes.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES 

1. Lead SBC Strategy Development, Design and Operationalization Process:

• Lead the technical and strategic design, implementation, and integration of SBC across WFP SL strategic outcomes.

• Partner with stakeholders collaboratively with WFP staff to assess current SBC approaches and plan the whole process.

• Lead and facilitate the development of a comprehensive SBC strategy aligned with the Country Office's goals.

• Create appropriate and detailed implementation plans, tools, and monitoring & evaluation plans.

2. Lead on the design and the necessary landscape:

• Conduct secondary data analysis, program assessments and desk reviews, in consultation with local stakeholders and the country office team to prioritize the thematic areas for formative or rapid research.

• Analyze existing data and reports to inform SBC interventions.

• Lead and execute landscape/rapid research to understand current behavioral practices in the country with the support of the CO teams.

• Lead the dissemination of research findings to internal and external stakeholders

• Review national strategic and operational documents, and relevant UN documents related to nutrition SBC.

• Collaborate with the SBC and/or communication teams of Government and UN agencies and other development partners.

• Organize consultation meetings with network partners to collaborate/share strategy and WFP SBC initiatives among others.

• Ensure alignment of WFP's strategy with the national nutrition SBC strategy and corporate guidance on SBC.

3. Lead Stakeholder Consultation Process and Outputs:

• Consult with external stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, private sector and community organizations, to gather insights and perspectives on SBC strategies.

• Participating in field visits to understand the needs of different regions and cultures in the country.

• Identify and document the current status of interventions and the gaps.

• Facilitate internal consultations, working collaboratively with CO staff and relevant units to ensure alignment and gather input on SBC initiatives.

• Identifying the existing interventions on SBC, documenting the gaps and internal consultation findings.

4. Capacity Building:

• Build capacity of CO staff and partners on SBC principles, methodologies, and tools if necessary.

• Develop and disseminate  SBC materials and guidelines.

• Explore possibility of joint webinars, capacity building session with regional bureau, agencies, NGOs working in the space of SBC in CO.

• Organize SBC workshops for stakeholders and other partners to promote learning and sharing experience.

5. Day-to-day management, guidance and mentoring of the team on SBC.

Implementation :

• Design, plan and rollout of SBC campaigns and interventions. Experiment one or two models to see the impact on the ground. Document reflections at each step.

• Develop a framework to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of SBC activities and strategies.

• Developing ToRs for the creative agencies, partners who are going to engage in SBC-related activities etc.

• Manage SBC-related costs in line with the available programme budgets.

6. Documentation and Reporting:

• Document outcomes from external and internal consultations and integrate findings into the SBC strategy.

• Be responsible for the regular reports on SBC activities, progress, and challenges for CO management.

• Document lessons learned and best practices to inform future initiatives.

7. Stakeholder Engagement:

• Collaborate with government agencies, NGOs, and other partners to ensure coordinated efforts in SBC initiatives.

• Facilitate workshops and meetings to promote stakeholder involvement and ownership.

Deliverables

• Document findings from internal and external consultations and incorporate them into the SBC strategy.

• Develop an SBC strategy for the Country Office, integrating all programmatic areas.

• Design a package of interventions, conduct experiments, and share the results.

• Develop a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education: Advanced university degree in Social Science, Development Studies, Public Health, Nutrition

Experience:

• Minimum seven years of experience in a similar capacity

• Proven experience in SBC strategy development and implementation.

• Strong analytical, communication, and facilitation skills.

• Familiarity with the food security,  nutrition landscape and related sectors.

Languages: Fluency in English

Position Title:  Social and Behavior Change Specialist

Contract Type:  CST II ( P3/P4)

Contract Duration: 06 Months

Duty Station: Colombo, Sri Lanka

Nationality: Internationals Only

Date of Publication: 13.01.2025

Deadline of Application: 27.01.2025

This vacancy announcement is for International only. 

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REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

WFP is dedicated to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our recruitment process is inclusively crafted to welcome candidates of all backgrounds, celebrating diversity and ensuring a respectful environment for all. We aim for an accessible and fair recruitment journey. Should you need any reasonable accommodations or have accessibility concerns, please reach out to us confidentially at global.inclusion@wfp.org. Our DEI team is here to ensure your full participation in our recruitment process.

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

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REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete, and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, language skills and UN Grade (if applicable).

• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

• Please make sure you upload your professional CV in the English language

• Kindly note the only documents you will need to submit at this time are your CV and Cover Letter

• Additional documents such as passport, recommendation letters, academic certificates, etc. may potentially be requested at a future time

• Please contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org in case you face any challenges with submitting your application

• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.