National Social & Behaviour Change Consultant on Health and Nutrition, home-based in Brazil.

This consultancy’s deliverables will be designed and implemented in the context of UNICEF’s national programmes, in line with the Fund´s current Country Programme 2024-2028 and established partnerships with governments at Federal, state and municipal levels. The consultant will receive all supporting documentation and information, including UNICEF’s commitments to donors and partners, to be able to produce and provide the services described below. Note that some of the assignments will happen in parallel, according to the health and nutrition area planning.

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals requires a global shift from treating diseases to strengthening health systems, so that children and women of reproductive age have access to affordable, quality care, and live in an environment where they can grow up healthy and happy. But in Brazil, as in other parts of the world, stark inequities persist against this goal.

On health and nutrition, UNICEF has a large experience on Social and Behaviour Change (SBC), a set of processes, approaches, tools, strategies and tactics to promote positive and measurable changes in people’s environments, societies, and behaviours. Working with communities, individuals, and partners, SBC uses social and behavioural evidence and inclusive, participatory approaches to co-design solutions to development and humanitarian challenges. It prioritizes the fulfilment of human rights through systematic analysis of the cognitive, social and structural drivers of change and working with communities to address them. Please check: https://www.sbcguidance.org/. UNICEF health and nutrition team have prioritized the topics of maternal health, nutrition and immunization for the use of SBC approaches.

Scope of Work:

Under the guidance of the Social and Behaviour Change Officer, in close coordination with the Health and Nutrition section of the Brazil Country Office, the consultant will support UNICEF in planning, implementing and leveraging SBC interventions on health and nutrition, in liaise with field office professionals. The selected candidate will provide technical and operational support for developing planned, systematic and evidence-based SBC interventions as an integral part of health and nutrition programme development, planning and implementation, to increase demand for and utilization of immunization and other essential primary health care services, tackle equity related barriers (including gender), and promote a more inclusive and healthy environment for children, adolescents and women, through communication and engagement, as well as the empowerment and participation of stakeholders, communities, children, civil society partners, and government counterparts.

This consultancy’s deliverables will be designed and implemented in the context of UNICEF’s national programmes, in line with the Fund´s current Country Programme 2024-2028 and established partnerships with governments at Federal, state and municipal levels. The consultant will receive all supporting documentation and information, including UNICEF’s commitments to donors and partners, to be able to produce and provide the services described below. Note that some of the assignments will happen in parallel, according to the health and nutrition area planning.

WORK ASSIGNMENTS OVERVIEW

1.1. WORK ASSIGNMENT 1

Plan UNICEF´s SBC work in maternal health, nutrition and immunization for 2024-2025

Develop strategic SBC concept notes on the three priority components of UNICEF’s work on health and nutrition for this and the upcoming year in alignment and joint work with the health and nutrition team, considering their priorities and the progress of planned activities. Each document (total of 3) should be no longer than 10 pages, bringing stakeholders’ mapping, implementation roadmap, SBC approaches to be used, among others. A simple workplan should be designed for each concept note with expected implementation dates and roles.

1.2. DELIVERABLES/OUTPUTS

a. Strategic Concept Note on Maternal Health and attached workplan

b. Strategic Concept Note on Nutrition (including healthy lifestyle) and attached workplan

c.  Strategic Concept Note on Immunization and attached workplan

1.3. TIMELINE

After 30 days after contract signature

Estimated: 02 of October 2024

1.4. ESTIMATE BUDGET

20% of consultancy fee

2.1. WORK ASSIGNMENT 2

SBC on Immunization

Develop an 8h-training course in SBC for Immunization for health managers and communication professionals working to increase vaccine confidence and uptake. The course should have shorter 4h and 2h-options with the same content and bring at least one practical co-construction exercise to be proposed to target audience. The consultant will not be responsible for implementing the course, only providing the materials detailed in the deliverables’ list below, in Portuguese.

2.2. DELIVERABLES/OUTPUTS

a. Facilitator´s guide (in .doc format) and agenda for 8, 4 and 2-hour options.

b. Participants workbook or leaflet to be delivered to participants summarizing main content (in .doc format, no professional design needed).

b. Presentation (in .ppt format).

2.3. TIMELINE

After 60 days of date of contract signature

Estimated: 02 of November 2024

2.4. ESTIMATE BUDGET

15% of consultancy fee

3.1. WORK ASSIGNMENT 3

Support in evidence generation

UNICEF is conducting two studies to identify the operational, economic, social and behavioural factors related to the maternal health and nutrition axis of this consultancy, and will also perform a comprehensive research on the third (immunization). The specialist consultant will support UNICEF in ensuring high-quality evidence generation in SBC for health and nutrition, revising deliverables by selected service providers of the two ongoing studies as well as supporting the planning of the third research (on immunization).

3.2. DELIVERABLES/OUTPUTS

1. A 2-pager report (.doc format) listing the activities undertaken and documents revised of the maternal health and nutrition studies, ensuring they follow research best practices and UNICEF standards.
2. Support the health and nutrition team in the definition of next steps post study considering SBC campaigns and programmatic activities.

3.3. TIMELINE

After 90 days of date of contract signature

Estimated: 02 of December 2024

3.4. ESTIMATE BUDGET

20% of consultancy fee 

4.1. WORK ASSIGNMENT 4

SBCC materials and campaigning on maternal and child health

Support UNICEF in developing a Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) intervention related to women's health during prenatal, childbirth and puerperium as well as supporting the hiring of a high-quality service provider. The consultant will be responsible for mapping and pricing existing adequate potential providers, as well as supporting staff in the first three inception meetings with the selected company/vendor  contracted by UNICEF to perform such intervention. One visit to Brasilia should be included in the travel plan for in-person meetings and alignment with the health and nutrition team and partners (for more information, please check “Travel Plan”).

4.2. DELIVERABLES/OUTPUTS

1. Support to the health and nutrition team to the definition of criteria for specialized and adequate service providers as per “Strategic Note on Maternal Health” (in Work Assignment 1).
2. Simple report summarizing results of meetings with service provider hired by UNICEF.

4.3. TIMELINE

After 120 days of date of contract signature

Estimated: 02 of January 2025

4.4. ESTIMATE BUDGET

20% of consultancy fee

5.1. WORK ASSIGNMENT 5

Implementation of Nutrition strategy

Support UNICEF in implementing the nutrition intervention (as per Work Assignment 1) in three cities of the #CityAgenda. The consultant will be responsible for mapping possible civil society partners covering the three territories (Rio de Janeiro - Pavuna, Recife – Ibura, and Belem – Distrito D´Agua) and designing the partnership between UNICEF and these possible partners. At least one visit to Rio de Janeiro should be included in the travel plan for following-up the implementation strategy (see more details below).

5.2. DELIVERABLES/OUTPUTS

a. Mapping of possible civil society partners per territory (list of at least two apt CSOs covering all mentioned territories or, otherwise, a list of two options per territory). Each CSO must be accompanied by general information, size, reputation and potential risks UNICEF should be attentive to).

b. A 3-pager template document containing general context of the partnership, indicators and targets, and list of needs in term of staff and supplies, valid for each territory.

5.3. TIMELINE

After 150 days of date of contract signature

Estimated: 02 of February 2025

5.4. ESTIMATE BUDGET

20% of consultancy fee

TRAVEL PLAN

For the successful completion of the aforementioned deliverables, the consultant is expected to perform two field visits, one to Brasilia and other to Rio de Janeiro, where UNICEF will be implementing the SBCC on the nutrition intervention. The first travel will last up to 2 nights in Brasilia. The following travel will last up to 4 nights and will aim to gather evidence or test the consultancy´s SBCC methodology, as well as liaising with the implementing partner, together with UNICEF staff in the field, to define the beginning of the nutrition interventions. The exact dates of travel will be defined together with UNICEF following the deliveries of the consultancy, respecting at least 45 days anticipation and all conditions for proper planning and arrangements. Consultant’s travel costs for both itineraries should be included in the consultant’s final fee.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

• A university degree in one of the following fields is required: social communication, sociology, anthropology, psychology, education, public relations, or another relevant technical field in social or behavioural sciences.
• A minimum of eight years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: social development programme planning, social and behaviour change, communication for development, public health, nutrition, health education, or another related area.  
• Relevant experience in health and nutrition interventions developing, implementing, and evaluating behavioural change strategies at the national and or international levels is required.
• Demonstrated ability to stay current with new developments in the SBC field. Familiarity with new and emerging approaches such as behavioural insights, human centered design, social listening, among others is a plus.
• Proven ability to manage relationships with partners, including government counterparts at different levels and civil society partners and local communities.

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

•            Fluence in Portuguese and English are required.

UNICEF’s Core Values

Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS)

To view our competency framework, please visit: UNICEF Values

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.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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.

General Conditions: Procedures and Logistics

• Consultant will work from home using own equipment and stationery. UNICEF will provide office space for consultative meetings when needed.
• Consultant’s travel costs should be included in the consultant’s fee.
• No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant and mandatory courses are completed.
• Consultants will not have any representative, certifying, or approving authority, or supervisory responsibilities or authority on UNICEF budget.
• The consultant will work remotely on a delivery basis.

Financial Proposal

• Costs indicated are estimated. Final rate shall follow “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee.
• A financial proposal including the fee for the assignment based on the deliverables and number of days must be submitted. Consultants are asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum, administrative cost, travel cost and subsistence costs, as applicable.
• The payment will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

Insurance and health coverage

• The contractor is fully responsible for arranging, at his or her own expenses, such life, health and other forms of insurance covering the term of the contract as he or she considers appropriate.
• The contractor is not eligible to participate in the life or health insurance schemes available to UNICEF and United Nations staff members.

Restrictions

• Consultants may not receive training at the expense of UNICEF.  Notwithstanding, consultants must complete the applicable mandatory trainings before the signature of the contract; 
• In case of government officials, the contract cannot be issued without prior written clearance by the Government​, or unless on leave without pay.

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.