Social Behavior Officer – Knowledge Management (P-2), FT, PG Social Behavior Change, New York HQ

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, … social change,

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, with the aim of engaging them and increasing 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.

How can you make a difference?

Under the general guidance of the SBC Global Lead and in close coordination with Sectoral and Cross-Sectoral Sections and Offices, the SBC Officer, Knowledge Management is responsible for the design, management, execution, monitoring and evaluation of global knowledge management strategies and approaches to advance Social and Behavior Change (SBC), with a particular focus on supporting the spreading of the latest and most efficient evidence-backed approaches in SBC, and creating visibility for purposes of advocacy and partnerships.

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

 Knowledge Management strategy delivery for SBC:

• Establish a clear vision of how to add value to SBC work through KM activities and services.
• Assess the state of SBC KM and identify the knowledge needs, in HQ, for the Global Technical Team and across the network, on a continuous basis.
• Map SBC knowledge assets and resources that the team and network can tap into, including personnel’s experience and expertise, knowledge products, networks, and partnerships.
• Ensure that KM efforts are relevant, integrated across the section, aligned with and delivers on Global SBC goals.
• Coordinate and manage knowledge management-related activities within the SBC team, including planning, budgeting, implementation, and reporting.
• Monitor progress against work plans, identify challenges, and propose solutions to ensure timely and quality delivery of outputs.
• Collaborate with colleagues to integrate knowledge management principles and practices into project planning and implementation processes.

Content identification, development, curation, and dissemination:

• Establish mechanisms and networks for identifying SBC innovative initiatives and impactful practices that can be replicated elsewhere.
• Curate and create content for internal and external communication channels, including newsletters, websites, and social media platforms, to highlight SBC initiatives, successes, and lessons learned.
• Curate and feature case studies and best practices from UNICEF country offices on SBC platforms, publication and channels, including to demonstrate the impact and effectiveness of UNICEF’s SBC initiatives in diverse contexts and settings, to support fundraising efforts and to inspire learning and replication by other stakeholders and partners.
• Collaborate with SBC team members to develop and update training materials, toolkits, and guidance documents for practitioners working on social and behavior change interventions.
• Track relevant websites, review and synthesize existing research and literature on SBC approaches, methodologies, and theories to inform program design and implementation.
• Participate in meetings/workshops and contribute to capturing their essence through concise and action-oriented reports.
• Develop and maintain an SBC events calendar, ensuring that major events are identified early, and support the team to develop materials and capture learnings.

Online platforms development and management:

• Manage content updates and maintenance of the SBC internal SharePoint site, ensuring information is current, organized, and accessible to team members.
• Provide technical support and training to SBC staff on using the SharePoint platform
• Collaborate with IT and web development teams to design, develop, and maintain public-facing web pages dedicated to showcasing UNICEF’s SBC initiatives, resources, and success stories, including on unicef.org, sbcguidance.org and the Youtube SBC channel.
• Collaborate with the division of Global Communication and Advocacy to ensure public-facing web pages are optimized for accessibility, usability, and search engine visibility to reach and engage a diverse audience of stakeholders and partners.
• Monitor web analytics and user feedback to assess the performance and impact of public-facing web pages and recommend enhancements or updates to improve user experience and engagement.
• Coordinate with SBC team members and external partners to gather and develop content and multimedia assets for inclusion on public-facing web pages and ensure accuracy and alignment with UNICEF’s branding and messaging guidelines.
• Regularly review and update content on public-facing web pages to reflect the latest SBC initiatives, research findings, events, and resources, and promote visibility and awareness of UNICEF’s work in social and behavior change communication.

Editing and design support:

• Provide editorial support for SBC materials, including reviewing and editing reports, publications, and communication materials to ensure clarity, coherence, and adherence to UNICEF’s guidelines and standards.
• Collaborate with SBC team members to conceptualize and design visually engaging and impactful communication products, such as infographics, presentations, and promotional materials, to effectively convey key messages and data to target audiences – especially partners engagement, advocacy initiatives, internal and external meetings, and webinars.
• Offer guidance and assistance in selecting appropriate design software, tools, and templates for creating SBC materials, and provide training or support as needed to enhance team members’ design skills and capabilities.
• Maintain a library of design resources, including templates, graphics, icons, and fonts, to facilitate efficient and consistent production of SBC materials across different projects and platforms.
• Coordinate with external vendors, such as graphic designers, illustrators, and printers, to ensure timely and high-quality production of SBC materials, and oversee the printing, distribution, and dissemination process as necessary.
• Conduct regular quality checks and reviews of SBC materials to ensure accuracy, branding compliance, and alignment with organizational messaging and objectives, and provide constructive feedback to improve the overall quality and effectiveness of the content.
• Stay updated on emerging trends, best practices, and innovations in design and communication technology, and share relevant insights, tools, and resources with the SBC team to enhance their capacity and creativity in producing visually appealing and impactful materials.
• Foster a collaborative and creative working environment within the SBC team by soliciting input, ideas, and feedback from team members on design concepts, approaches, and solutions, and encourage experimentation and innovation in visual storytelling and communication strategies.

UNICEF’s participation in the Global SBCC Summit and other major events:

• Serve as the focal point for coordinating UNICEF’s involvement in the summit, including logistics, communication, and planning.
• Liaise with summit organizers to ensure UNICEF’s priorities are represented in the agenda and sessions.
• Coordinate the selection of UNICEF delegates, providing support for preparation and logistics.
• Facilitate the development of UNICEF-led sessions and presentations showcasing SBC initiatives.
• Organize pre-summit briefings and training for UNICEF delegates to prepare them for participation.
• Curate and disseminate UNICEF resources to showcase contributions to SBC and promote networking.
• Compile feedback from UNICEF delegates to inform future planning and programming efforts.
• Share summit outcomes and contacts with relevant UNICEF teams for ongoing SBC initiatives.
• Deliver similar work and tasks for other major events as needed

The following minimum requirements:

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in communication, information, international development or relations, political science, social and behavioral sciences, including sociology, psychology and/or related field is required.
  *A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• A minimum of two (2) years of relevant progressively responsible professional experience at the national and international levels in developing, implementing, evaluating, and managing for knowledge management strategies and content (ideally for social and behavioral change) is required.
• Proven experience in content development and design. Proficiency in website creation is a strong asset.
• Strong proficiency in utilizing SharePoint or similar document management platforms, as well as graphic design software such as Adobe Creative Suite.
• Experience in curating and disseminating case studies, best practices, and other knowledge products for diverse audiences, including internal stakeholders and external partners.
• Practical experience in social and behavior change is a strong asset.
• Proven ability to work with internal and external stakeholders at multiple levels
• Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of another UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) 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…

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• 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 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 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:

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

This post is subject to approval in MTR

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.

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.