Social & Behavior Change Officer Vacancy-Job Ref: WJMRUNICEF/2407/2025828

Social & Behavior Change Officer Vacancy-Job Ref: WJMRUNICEF/2407/2025828

Nouakchott (Mauritania)

Job Description

Overview

UNICEF works in some of the toughest parts of the world, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them realize their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a champion!

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF is working in Mauritania to support the most vulnerable children, ensuring they have access to healthcare, adequate nutrition, clean water, and quality education, while protecting them from violence and exploitation, regardless of their place of origin or residence.

Job Objective:

Under the overall direction of the SBC Section Chief (P3), the SBC Officer (NOB) contributes to the design, management, monitoring and evaluation of inclusive, innovative and evidence-based SBC strategies to support all national programs (education, WASH, Health & Nutrition, protection, social policy).

Main functions/responsibilities and associated tasks:

Generate and use evidence by creating a systematic mechanism to generate and use research, data and evidence to inform the design, measurement and monitoring of SBC programs and results in development and emergency contexts and to build an evidence base for SBC.

Design, plan and implement SBC activities based on social and behavioral evidence and robust engagement and participation mechanisms in development and humanitarian settings.
Advocacy, resource mobilization & partnerships , support for the operationalization of the SBC, advocacy for the SBC, resource mobilization, coordination between stakeholders, sectors and teams, and strengthening partnerships.

Strengthen capacity , promote continuous learning, strengthening and scaling up of SBC for development and humanitarian contexts through capacity building of UNICEF staff and partners.
Responsibilities:

Generate and use research, data and evidence to inform the design, measurement and monitoring of SBC programs and outcomes in development and emergency settings and to strengthen the evidence base for SBC.

In collaboration with sectoral and cross-sectoral specialists, relevant government officials and other UN/NGO partners, design, implement and/or participate in SBC situation analyses and formative research that identify social and behavioral drivers.
Initiate, commission, manage and/or utilize qualitative and quantitative research on social and behavioral drivers, including behavioral analysis, human-centered design, social listening, behavioral insights, participatory research and/or randomized controlled trials.

Plan, manage and support SBC data collection, monitoring and reporting of results.
Gather, analyze and summarize findings, transform data into evidence and trends on social and behavioral issues to inform evidence-based SBC strategies, plans and activities.
Generate and use SBC data and assessments for disaster preparedness, response, recovery and resilience.
Assist in establishing community feedback mechanisms and use feedback to guide community engagement and SBC actions for disaster preparedness, response, recovery and resilience.
Contribute to the development of terms of reference, research tools, frameworks and protocols for generating evidence to inform SBC initiatives and apply tools, methodologies and frameworks for data collection, monitoring and reporting, and dissemination of SBC results.

Design, plan and implement SBC activities based on social and behavioral evidence and robust engagement and participation mechanisms in development and humanitarian settings.

In collaboration/consultation with UNICEF sectoral and inter-sectoral specialists, relevant government officials and other UN/NGO partners, provide technical and administrative support for the development, implementation and monitoring of evidence-based SBC strategies and activities, in line with global standards and UNICEF priorities and approaches.

In collaboration/consultation with UNICEF sectoral and intersectoral colleagues and implementing partners, select appropriate SBC activities and engagement platforms, ensuring quality and integration of the latest evidence-based approaches. In this process, oversee coordination with SBC stakeholders and partners to align plans and activities.

Participate in national programme monitoring and evaluation exercises and make recommendations on revisions to work plans based on the results.
Identify/propose evidence-based programmatic/strategic recommendations based on current data and trends on priority social and behavioral issues, and ensure the integration of the latest innovative and technological approaches into the SBC.

Apply the above skills in designing, planning, implementing and monitoring community engagement and SBC interventions in the context of humanitarian emergencies.
Identify, disseminate and adopt best practices and innovative approaches in SBC, integrate them into programmatic approaches and support SBC and sector teams in their implementation.
Advocacy, resource mobilization & partnerships

Support the operationalization of the SBC by advocating for it, mobilizing resources, coordinating across stakeholders, sectors and teams, and building alliances and partnerships.
Represent UNICEF interests in partnerships and manage the development and advancement of joint project agreements with relevant partners; represent the UNICEF Country Office and the SBC section in national and international forums and with partners, as required.

Collaborate with national, regional and/or global partners to connect and coordinate SBC approaches.
Cultivate resource mobilization opportunities and contribute to the drafting of proposals, reports, and other documents to support resource mobilization. Contribute to the mobilization of human resources for the SBC, including staff, consultants, and external vendors.
Identify, recruit and collaborate with consultants, vendors and other technical experts to support the implementation of SBC activities.
Contribute to the financial planning, budgeting, monitoring and financial management of the SBC.
Plan, use and monitor resource utilization and verify compliance with organizational guidelines and standards.

Advocate for the inclusion of community engagement and social and behavioral approaches in sector work plans, based on active participation in sector program planning and reviews and viable recommendations for SBC integration. Advocate internally and externally for the integration of SBC into national systems, the country program, and sector plans.
Coordinate with stakeholders and partners for the implementation of community engagement and SBC in humanitarian actions.

Strengthening capacities

Promote continuous learning, strengthening and scaling up of SBC in development and humanitarian contexts through capacity building of UNICEF staff, partners and implementing actors.
Coordinate and provide input to SBC capacity assessments.
Identify, design and/or deliver SBC training, materials and opportunities for staff and partners, including on new approaches such as behavioral analysis, behavioral insights, human-centered design, social listening and social accountability mechanisms. Use and adapt existing UNICEF learning resources, guidelines and training materials to build SBC capacity among staff, implementing partners and relevant government and non-government counterparts.

Contribute to the development and institutionalization of best practices, facilitate the exchange of experiences and provide technical assistance for the adoption of new SBC methods and knowledge internally and externally.
Identify and mobilize resources to support internal and external capacity development and provide technical support and capacity building in SBC to government counterparts.
Identify and contribute to the development of mechanisms to strengthen community engagement systems in humanitarian contexts.

Develop and/or adapt capacity development tools and activities for humanitarian programs, with a focus on preparedness, response and recovery.
To be considered an advocate for every child, you must have…

Education: A university degree (bachelor’s degree) in social and behavioral sciences, including sociology, anthropology, communication studies/development communication, psychology and/or a related field is required.

Experience: A minimum of two years of professional experience in social development program planning, communication for development or social and behavior change, public advocacy or other related field. Relevant experience within an agency or organization of the United Nations system is an asset.

Language Requirements : Fluency in French is required. Knowledge of English, Arabic or a local language is an asset.

For each child, you demonstrate…

Core Values (CRITAS) determine everything we do and how we do it. Discover our Charter of Values: https://uni.cf/UNICEFValues

Attention
Respect,
Integrity,
Trust
Accountability
Sustainability
The UNICEF skills required for this position are…

Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (1)
Works collaboratively with others (1)
Establishes and maintains partnerships (1)
Innovate and accept change (1)
Thinks and acts strategically (1)
Anxious to obtain convincing results (1)
Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

Please click on the button below to Apply.