Regional Social and Behavior Change Specialist
**
(Dakar, Senegal)**
Background
HKI implements an integrated package of cost-effective actions that are proven to improve maternal and child nutrition. Across Africa, HKI supports policies and programs on food fortification, vitamin A supplementation, infant and young child feeding, nutrition-sensitive agriculture (enhanced homestead food production), community-based management of acute malnutrition and prevention and treatment of neglected tropical diseases. At the core of HKI’s programs is social behavior change communication, with emphasis on the Essential Nutrition Actions (ENA) and Essential Hygiene Actions (EHA) for lasting changes in behavior that supports better nutrition and health. At the same time, HKI collaborates with government and other partner agencies to implement programs and builds the capacity of various stakeholders, including community health providers to ensure program sustainability. HKI is also undertaking several cutting-edge research projects to influence policy decisions and inform quality implementation of programs.
HKI is seeking an experienced and motivation Social Behavior Change (SBC) Specialist to support HKI’s SBC efforts in Africa, with a with key focus on activities to generate demand and promote the adoption of priority behaviors in nutrition, agriculture, WASH and gender. The SBC Specialist, is to be based in HKI’s regional office in Dakar, Senegal. This position reports to the Africa Regional Nutrition Director and provide support to HKI country offices and regional teams in the design, implementing, monitoring and evaluating SBC activities across HKI’s programs in Africa. This position works in close collaboration with other members of the HKI regional office and headquarters.
Specific Responsibilities
Program Planning and Implementation
o Provide leadership and technical direction to strengthen integration of SBC activities across HKI programs in Africa.
o Support HKI countries in the design and implementation of context-informed SBC strategies and activities, focusing on approaches that embrace local knowledge and best practices to address social norms and cultural perceptions to positively influence nutrition, agriculture, gender and WASH.
o Provide technical assistance and direction to design of SBC tools and community mobilization activities
o Provide capacity building of HKI staff and partners in SBC, including designing
and delivering SBC trainings to HKI staff in Africa.
o Support business development, by contributing to and/or review the write-up of SBC components of proposals and proposal work-plans for donors, and SBC sessions of organizational capacity statements.
M&E and Research
o Contribute to SBC components of monitoring and evaluation of HKI programs, including guiding appropriate strategies and tools/instruments for data gathering on SBC
o Review program monitoring data and provide assistance to country offices on use of routine data to inform and modify program design.
o Provide technical assistance and direction to research to inform SBC activities, including supporting HKI country offices to undertake formative research and market research related to nutrition and agriculture (focusing on qualitative and quantitative research to identify behavior determinants),
Representation
o Represent HKI at appropriate regional and global meetings related to SBC.
o In collaboration with country directors, support representation of HKI’s nutrition expertise during field visits
o Build and maintain productive working relationships with SBC leads/managers of partner organizations in the region.
Reporting and Dissemination:
o Assist country offices and sub-regional implementing agencies to document and publish/present interesting programmatic findings and lessons learned related to SBC.
o Support donor reporting requirements, including review and/or writing sections of quarterly and annual program reports and other deliverables as specified in donor contracts.
o Support the documentation of best practices and lessons learned on SBC approaches and facilitate their effective use to improve HKI’s program delivery.
o Support the writing of publications related to HKI’s SBC work, including making presentations to partners and at conferences
o Share information across countries and expand lessons learned to other countries where HKI has programs.
o Maintain the technical information in related section of the HKI web site.
o Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
- At least a Master’s Degree in social and behavior sciences, anthropology, sociology, nutrition, public health, or related field
- Minimum of 7 years’ experience in the design and implementing social and behavior change activities in international development programs, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Demonstrated understanding of a range of behavior change approaches for changing social norms and individual behaviors, particularly in relation to nutrition, gender, WASH and agriculture. Experience applying human centered design and behavior economics approaches a plus.
- Experience in design and implementation of SBC research, including providing technical guidance to research methods and data collection instruments to measure beliefs, norms and attitudes. Prior experience in demand generation or market research in nutrition and agriculture preferred.
- Understands and have technical expertise in implementing behavior change activities that promote infant and young child and maternal nutrition (IYCN)
- Knowledge of constraints and opportunities to change behavior, particularly socio and cultural norms, in support of better nutrition in Africa.
- Experience in developing and delivering training programs on SBC to peers and staff of other NGOs
- Experience in writing SBC approaches in proposals and organizational capability statements, for funding.
- Experience in computer assisted qualitative (and quantitative) data analysis.
o Strong interpersonal skills in dealing with external contacts, as well as internal colleagues; demonstrated capacity to develop and maintain productive relationships
o Ability to communicate clearly and concisely both orally and in writing
- Ability to work independently and undertake extensive field travel, up to 35%
o English and French fluency, both oral and written. Portuguese desirable. Ability to read, analyze and interpret complex documents.
- Effective and persuasive communication skills
Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to [email protected] noting the job title in the subject line. Applications will be accepted until candidate is identified.
Contract: Local terms and conditions
More Information
- Job City Dakar
