Employment type: Definite Period 

Job Purpose;

The Nutrition Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC)/Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) Specialist will be responsible for the overall implementation of SBC strategies, tools, training and programming in both emergency and development programmes, initially focussing on infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices, but also linking with agriculture, hygiene and education managers/officers. S/He is expected to ensure all activities are implemented with a high degree of quality, in line with Concern policies and strategies, national guidelines and international standards. S/he will be required to keep up-to-date with any changes in global and national policies and oversee the technical direction and quality of SBCC and IYCF approaches in collaboration with the Health and Nutrition Coordinator and Managers.

Main Duties & Responsibilities; 

Technical Support & Quality Assurance

• Harmonize and develop behaviour change guides and tools, IYCF/IYCF-e toolkit and social behaviour change communication (SBCC) methodology used in Concern nutrition programmes, in line with government endorsed material and Nutrition Strategy
• Ensure that all SBCC components of nutrition programmes are functioning properly, providing quality care to all the beneficiaries while respecting guidelines and principles of good practice
• Ensure that appropriate counselling and education related to IYCF/IYCF-E delivered to a high level of quality and based on standardized IYCF/IYCF-E toolkit at community level and to families of malnourished children attending health and nutrition services
• Ensure key guidance on SBCC and IYCF (including Code of Marketing of Breast milk Substitutes) are distributed to all programme areas, understood by programme managers and a channel for BMS violation is established

Capacity Building & Mentorship

• Train staff on key SBCC strategies and tools (including IYCF/IYCF-E toolkit) available and provide follow up mentoring in this regard
• Lead on the training/establishment, support and review of IYCF/IYCF-E activities including care/support groups; Targeted and Age Appropriate Messaging (TAAM), school clubs, baby friendly spaces; Baby WASH, use of mass media/drama/audio visual; community conversations etc.)
• Conduct regular technical visits (supportive supervision) to programmes to support effective implementation, monitoring, evaluation and documentation of ongoing SBCC/IYCF projects
• Identify key technical and operational capacity needs related to SBCC/IYCF for MoH and Concern staff and provide appropriate capacity building measures as required
• Build coaching techniques and problem solving to address key barriers to behaviour change

Programme Development & Design

• Support the development of proposal and report documentation related to SBCC activities and IYCF/IYCF-E components and ensure compliant with national guidelines and policies and bringing on board new and innovative initiatives to strengthen the project approach
• Ensure appropriate SBCC and IYCF standard indicators are used for monitoring the process, achieved outputs and outcomes, and make findings available for future programming and planning
• Work with Hygiene team, Livelihood Technical Officers, Education department and Equality Officer to ensure messaging is linked and complementary, including but not exclusive to Baby WASH, One Health, Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture, school messaging, gender and HIV activities and strategies

Monitoring, Evaluation, Assessment, Learning & Reporting

• Conduct in-depth analysis of SBCC and IYCF practices and barriers in different target populations using methodology that includes Knowledge Attitude and Practice (KAP), Barrier Analysis (BA), Trials of Improved Practices (TIPs), Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KII)
• Collate and incorporate findings from Concern or other agency learning on barriers to behaviour change or underlying causes to malnutrition (coverage surveys, nutrition causal analyses, barrier analyses)
• Prepare reports and learning briefs related to SBCC/IYCF for external dissemination from all projects in liaison with MEAL unit and H&N coordinator and managers
• Facilitate information sharing and lessons learning across programme areas through all feasible means, including workshops, experience sharing visits, document sharing

Representation & Networking

• Participate in Government workshops/working groups related to SBCC or specifically IYCF/IYCF-E
• Representation at AMIYCN and school nutrition technical working groups

Concern Policies & Strategies

• Be aware of, understand and comply with all of Concern’s policies and procedures (P4, finance, logistics, HR, security management etc.)
• Ensure tools, strategies, approaches are in line with Concern global policies, Country Strategic Plan, country Health and Nutrition strategy, equality/gender strategies to improve impact and visibility
• Demonstrate understanding of Concern Ethiopia’s Gender Equality Strategy
• Contribute to ensuring that Concern Ethiopia is a place where men and women are treated equally and with dignity and respect
• Demonstrate gender equality awareness and gender sensitivity and an ability to integrate a gender equality perspective into tasks and activities.

Other

• Undertake other related duties as may reasonably be assigned by the line manager, the Nutrition Lead or the Programme Director. 

Emergency Response;

Concern is committed to responding to emergencies efficiently and effectively in order to help affected people meet their basic needs, alleviate suffering and maintain their dignity. To this end, when emergencies strike and the Ethiopia Programme is to respond, all staff are required to actively participate in the response, regardless of location and contribute to the efforts aimed at achieving the humanitarian objective of the organization.

Gender Equality

• Apply a gender lens to all programme activities and contribute to the implementation of gender transformative programming
• Support field staff to understand the gender dynamics (in relation to their technical area of specialism) and ensure high quality gender equality mainstreaming
• Support in the ensuring the achievement of gender sensitive indicators

Accountability 

In line with Concern’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS): 

• actively promote meaningful community participation and consultation at all stages of the project cycle (planning, implementation, M&E); 
• work with relevant colleagues  to ensure that the Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) is functional and accessible, that feedback and complaints are welcomed and addressed; 
• work with relevant colleagues  to ensure that information about CRM, safeguarding and expected staff behaviour is disseminated among programme participants and communities. 

Job Requirements

Person Specifications;

Essential:

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health or Nutrition (Masters an advantage)
• Experience in management of emergency and/or development nutrition projects
• At least 3 years’ work experience in the area of SBCC
• Experience with community mobilization and IYCF an advantage
• Good understanding of capacity building approaches
• Experience in working with team and governments
• Strong verbal and written skills in English

Competencies;

Desirable:

• Strong leadership, teamwork, coordination, interpersonal and negotiating skills
•  Strong analytical skills, sound judgment and the capacity to think and plan strategically
• Representation, liaison and negotiation skills
• Familiarity with cross-cutting approaches such as HIV mainstreaming, rights-based, gender, equality
• Computer literacy and familiarity with Microsoft Office, including PowerPoint presentations and spreadsheets and budgeting

What We Offer;

• A competitive salary and benefit package
• Excellent medical benefits (100% cover including dependents)
• 20 days annual leave
• 26 weeks (paid) maternity leave, 18 weeks (unpaid) parental leave

How to Apply

Interested applicants should send non-returnable C.V., application letter outlining how their experience and education fit this vacancy, please note that no need to submit your supporting documents at this stage.  Apply via CLICK HERE

 NB: Interested applicants should send updated CV, application letter outlining how their experience and education fit this vacancy. No need to submit your supporting documents at this stage. Women and people with disabilities are particularly encouraged to apply. Only short listed candidates will be contacted.