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Regional Adviser Social & Behavior Change, P5, Fixed Term, ECARO, Geneva, Switzerland) #99162

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Job no: 571831

Contract type: Fixed Term Appointment

Duty Station: Geneva

Level: P-5

Location: Switzerland

Categories: Social and Behavior Change

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, A future

Under the direct supervision and general guidance of the Deputy Regional Director and in close collaboration with Regional Advisers, the incumbent will be responsible for the design,

management, execution, monitoring and evaluation of regional strategies related to the program Social and Behavior Change (SBC) and for providing expert advice, technical support and quality assurance to country offices in ECAR on policies, operational strategies and M&E tools related to SBC in view to accelerate and sustain results in gender equality, social inclusion, child survival, development, learning achievements and protection.

How can you make a difference?

Policy Direction:

• Guide UNICEF's ECA regional strategies as they relate to Social and Behavior Change, in the context of the 2022-2025 Strategic Plan and the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Advocate for ECAR's prioritization of socially transformative, people-centered and community-led development both as a good in itself and as an accelerator of sectoral results.
• Assist the global efforts to elevate the SBC practice in UNICEF, including the repositioning and progressive transition of the existing Communication for Development (C4D) network towards increased expertise and practice in community engagement, behavioral and social sciences.
• Provide strategic advice to regional and country management to ensure impactful SBC programmes and sustained efforts for the agenda

Support to Regional and Country Offices on Program Design, Implementation, and provide

oversight:

• Support the adoption of tailored and efficient SBC operational models in offices across the region in all country contexts.
• Bring coherence, complementarity, and synergies between UNICEF’s sectoral and crosscutting areas, promoting alignment of resources and uptake of quality programming standards.
• Ensure clear and pragmatic programme guidance is available and followed (where required through the RO specific interpretation of global guidance and tools) to support UNICEF staff at all levels in particular focusing on: Behavioral diagnosis, research, and analysis, Accountability to Affected Populations, Social listening, collection and analysis of community insights, public perceptions and needs social research on key programmatic questions
• Design and implementation of civil society and community engagement, participation, mobilization, governance and accountability mechanisms
• Adoption of practices, uptake of services, norms-shifting programming

Partnerships and inter-sectoral alliances

• Build networks of academic and/or research institutions in the region to strengthen the knowledge base while contributing to innovation and capacity building efforts.
• Ensure the SBC team is contributing to the thought leadership in SBC across the different sectors, within the UN at large and as part of its contribution for social development in the region.
• Support existing regional resource mobilization initiatives and create new funding opportunities by increasing donors’ interest in quality SBC programmes and confidence in UNICEF’s ability to deliver them.
• Create opportunities for collaboration with civil society at large, especially youth and women’s groups and religious leaders
• Strengthen UNICEF’s leadership in community and behavioral aspects of humanitarian action, through interagency humanitarian mechanisms

Management and Leadership Responsibilities:

• Provide direction and managerial support to the ECAR Regional Office SBC team.
• Manage the sustainability of the RO SBC team and meet timely budgetary requirements
• Oversee and manage performance of direct report and ensure capacity development of the team to fulfill its roles and responsibilities.
• Ensure inclusive management and well-being of the SBC team
• Participate in the RO leadership team and contribute to CRITAS in the RO as in COs
• Support the wider Regional SBC network, including but not limited to capacity building

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

The following minimum requirements:

• Education: An advanced university degree (master's or higher) in a social and behavioral science, including sociology, anthropology, communication studies/communication for development, psychology and/or related field is required.
• Work Experience: At least 10 years of relevant work experience in the planning and management of social development of programmes, including eight years in developing countries, with practical experience in the adaptation and application of communication planning processes to specific programmes, including emergencies
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required. Proficiency of other languages in the region is considered an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

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

The 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

(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes[KR5] , and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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 appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required [LK6] to resign from their government positions 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.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

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

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

Advertised: W. Europe Daylight Time

Deadline: W. Europe Daylight Time