Social & Behavior Change Specialist, (P-3), FT, #129554, LAC Regional Office-Panama City, Panama

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world’s leading children’s rights organization would like to hear from you.
If you meet the profile, apply immediately!!

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 champion

Social and Behavior Change in UNICEF is a cross-cutting programme strategy that addresses the cognitive, social, and structural determinants of social change in both development and humanitarian contexts. SBC uses the latest in social and behavioral sciences to understand people, their beliefs, values, and the socio-cultural norms that shape their lives, to engage them and increase their influence in the design of solutions for sustainable behavior and social change.

SBC is at the core of UNICEF’s mandate, with corporate results across sectors revolving around social and behavioral practices like immunization, breastfeeding, hygiene, and positive discipline. UNICEF SBC employs a mix of approaches, including community engagement, strategic communication, applied behavioral science, service delivery improvement, systems strengthening and policy advocacy and social mobilization to advance child rights, survival, development, protection and participation.

The recent reform of SBC transitioning from C4D and the presence of a team in LACRO are supporting the COs to mainstream SBC is an inherent piece and essential to accelerate results in the 5 Goal Areas and support emergencies. In view of this, our 2023 AWP aims, in essence, the development of three fundamental areas: increase capacity in the COs, amplify synergies through strategic alliances (faith-based, private sector and academic institutions) and expand Knowledge Management as a principle for having systematized lessons learned and best practices.

In Latin America and the Caribbean Region, the SBC section prioritizes approaches related to community engagement, social movements and system strengthening. In that context, strategic alliances with Faith Actors, Academic Institutions and the Private Sector are crucial elements. The SBC Specialist will be under the direct supervision of the Head of the Regional SBC Section, SBC Manager, to bring technical support to Country Offices and advance an agenda of alliances through the design and implementation of cooperation agreements.

How can you make a difference? 

The Specialist provides technical and operational support for developing a systematic, planned and evidence-based strategy and process for SBC as an integral part of programme development, planning and implementation and SBC cross-cutting and foundational areas influencing programme results in Immunization, PHC, Nutrition, emphasizing the development and maintenance of strategic alliances to foster SBC institutionalization.

The responsibilities include technical support and coordination of strategic alliances for capacity building, improving community engagement approaches, system strengthening and supporting the overall SBC Institutionalization across LAC.

Specifically, the SBC Specialist will provide a sustainable support in the:

• SBC quality programming
  • Support SBC teams at the COs with strategic directions in their AWP
  • Enhance multisector capacity and SBC institutionalization and system strengthening at COs level.
• Support partnership to roll out SBC institutionalization and system strengthening with a focus on:
  • Faith-based Organizations
  • Academic Institutions Partnership
  • Private Sector Partnership

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description with details of the key functions of the position here:  SJD SBC Specialist P3 classified Aug 30, 2024.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

Education: Master’s degree in communication for development, public health, social science, or a related field.

“A first level university degree (i.e. Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in a relevant field combined with two additional years (a total of 7 years) of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of a Master university degree.

Work Experience: A minimum of 5 years of experience designing, implementing, and evaluating social and behavioral change programs required. Proved experience working in collaboration with academia and faith-based organizations.

Skills: 

• Strong understanding of social and behavioral change principles and experience working with diverse communities.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain partnerships, especially with academic institutions and faith-based organizations.
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to develop and implement project plans, timelines, and budgets.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues, partners, and stakeholders.

Language Requirements: Fluency in Spanish and English is required. 

Desirables: Experience working in a developing country and/or familiarity with emergencies is considered as an asset. Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset. Knowledge of French or Portuguese will be considered an asset.

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 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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 measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, 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 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.

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

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.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.