Social & Behaviours Change Officer

Organization: Rwanda Interfaith Council on Health (RICH)

Project Title: Rwanda Interfaith action to promote routine Immunization: “Transforming lives through Faith led social mobilization and community engagement interventions SUGIRA MWANA.

Subject: Vacancy Announcement and Job Description

Duration: 12 Months

I. Post Information

Job Title: Social & Behaviours Change Officer

Post Location: Kigali/RICH Secretariat HQ

II. Organizational Context and Purpose for the job

The Rwanda Interfaith Council on Health (RICH) was established in 2003 as the “Rwanda Network of Religious Organizations against HIV/AIDS (RCLS)” to coordinate faith-based organizations’ interventions in the response to HIV/AIDS in Rwanda. Over time, RICH has expanded its scope to address other health issues, including family planning, maternal and infant health, malaria, tuberculosis, nutrition, hygiene, and non-communicable diseases. RICH’s vision is a healthy nation in which religious-based organizations are united for health and peace. Its mission is to promote the participation of religious-based organizations in promoting health through coordination, partnership, advocacy, and capacity building. Through various program implemented to promote health, RICH employs a mix of approaches including community engagement, strategic communication, applied behavioural science, service delivery improvement, systems strengthening, social mobilization and policy advocacy.

Among key programme strategies used to achieve this, is the Social and Behaviour Change(SBC) which is a cross-cutting strategy that enables programs to analyse and address the cognitive, social and structural determinants of individual practices and societal changes in both development and humanitarian contexts SBC uses the latest in social and behavioural sciences to understand people, their beliefs, their values, the socio-cultural norms and the economic and institutional contexts that shape their lives, with the aim of engaging them and increasing their influence in the design of solutions for change. SBC brings social and behavioural evidence generation together with participation in community-led and human-centred processes.

RICH and its partners have set SBC as cornerstone to attain corporate results across sectors revolving around behaviours like immunization, Early Childhood Development, nutrition, Sexual Reproductive Health, Mental Health, prevention and treatment of communicable and non-communicable diseases, Gender Based Violence as well as transformations across sectors needed to make societies more inclusive, equitable and peaceful.

Purpose for the job:

Under the direct supervision of the Program Manager and general guidance of the Executive Secretary, Monitoring Evaluation and Learning Section, the Social & Behaviour Officer contributes to/responsible for the design, management, monitoring and evaluation of evidence-based, inclusive and innovative SBC strategies in support of his/her geographic area of responsibility.

III. Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

• Support the generation and utilization of research, data, and evidence to inform the design, measurement, and monitoring of SBC programs and outcomes in both development and emergency contexts and to build the evidence base for SBC.
• Support the design, plan and implement SBC activities that are backed by social and behavioural evidence and strong engagement and participation mechanisms in both development and humanitarian contexts.
• Support the operationalization of SBC by advocating for SBC, mobilizing resources, coordinating across stakeholders, sectors and teams, and partnership building.
• Promote continuous learning, strengthening and scaling up in SBC for both development and humanitarian contexts through capacity building for RICH staff, RICH members/partners and implementers.

1. Generate and utilize research, data, and evidence to inform the design, measurement, and monitoring of SBC programs and outcomes in both development and emergency contexts and to build the evidence base for SBC. 

• In collaboration with sectoral and cross-sectoral specialists, relevant government officers and other UN/NGO partners, support the design, implement, and/or participate in SBC situation analyses and formative research that identify social and behavioural drivers.
• Support the initiation, commission, management and/or utilization of qualitative and quantitative research on social and behavioural drivers that include behavioural analysis, human centred design, social listening, behavioural insights, participatory research and/or RCT.
• Support data collection, tracking, monitoring and reporting SBC results and prepare syntheses of results.
• Collate and summarize data, evidence and trends for social and behavioural issues to inform evidence-based SBC strategies, plans and activities
• Assist in establishment of community feedback mechanisms and use feedback to inform community engagement and SBC actions for disaster preparedness, response, recovery and resilience. Generate and use SBC evidence, data, and assessments for disaster preparedness, response, recovery and resilience.
• Contribute to terms of reference, research tools, frameworks and protocols for generating evidence to inform SBC initiatives and apply tools, methodologies and frameworks for data collection, tracking, monitoring and reporting and disseminating SBC results.
• Support the ssecretariat monitoring and evaluation exercises and make recommendations on workplan revisions based on the results.

2. Design, plan and implement SBC activities that are backed by social and behavioural evidence and strong engagement and participation mechanisms in both development and humanitarian contexts.

• In collaboration/consultation with relevant government officers 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 RICH priorities and approaches.
• In collaboration/consultation with RICH sectoral and cross-sectoral colleagues and implementing partners, support the selection of appropriate SBC activities and platforms for engagement, ensuring quality and integration of the latest evidence and science-backed approaches. In this process, support the coordination with SBC stakeholders and partners to align plans and activities.
• Support the Identification of actional evidence-based programme/strategy recommendations from current data, evidence and trends for priority social and behavioural issues and ensure the integration of latest innovative approaches and technology in SBC in programme approaches and advocate for their adoption among internal and external stakeholders.
• Support the application of the above skills of designing, planning, implementing and monitoring of community engagement and SBC interventions in the context of humanitarian emergencies.

3. Support operationalization of SBC by advocating for SBC, mobilizing resources, coordinating across stakeholders, sectors and teams, and building alliances and partnerships.

• Collaborate with national, regional and/or global partners to link and coordinate SBC approaches.
• Support resource mobilization opportunities and contribute to proposals, reports and other materials to support resources mobilization. Contribute to mobilizing human resources for SBC, including staff, consultants and external vendors.
• Support the identification, recruitment and collaboration with consultants, vendors and other technical expertise to support delivery of SBC activities.
• Support the planning, use and tracking of resources and verify compliance with organizational guidelines and standards.
• Contribute to financial planning, budget planning and tracking and financial management for SBC.
• Advocate for the inclusion of community engagement and social and behavioural approaches in sectoral workplans based on active participation in sectoral programme planning and reviews and viable recommendations for the integration of SBC. Advocate internally and externally for integration of SBC in national systems, in the country programme, and in sectoral plans.
• Support the identification, dissemination, and adoption of best practices and innovative approaches and technology in SBC. Support their integration in programme approaches and support SBC and sectoral teams in implementing them.
• Coordinate with stakeholders and partners for the implementation of community engagement and SBC in humanitarian actions.

4. Promote continuous learning, strengthening and scaling up in SBC for both development and humanitarian contexts through capacity building for RICH staff, RICH members/partners and implementers.

• Support the identification, design, and/or organization of SBC training materials and opportunities for staff and partners, including on new approaches such as behavioural analysis, behavioural insights, human-centred design, social listening, and social accountability mechanisms.
• Support the use and adaptation of existing relevant 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 uptake of new SBC methods and knowledge internally and externally.
• Support the development of SBC capacity assessments
• Contribute to the identification and mobilization of resources to support capacity development internally and externally and provide SBC technical support and capacity building to government counterparts.
• Identify and contribute to the development of mechanisms to strengthen systems for community engagement in humanitarian contexts.
• Support the development and/or adaptation of capacity development tools and activities for humanitarian programming with a focus on preparedness, response and recovery.

IV. Impact of Results

Efficient and effective technical, administrative and operational support provided to the development and implementation of SBC initiatives and products that support RICH’s ability to promote SBC results. This in turn contributes to enhancing the ability of RICH to fulfil its contribution to health promotion through sustainable religious community owned results.

V. RICH values and competency Required

i) Core Values

• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability
• Sustainability

iii) Core Competencies

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness
• Works Collaboratively with others
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships
• Innovates and Embraces Change
• Thinks and Acts Strategically
• Drive to achieve impactful results
• Manages ambiguity and complexity

VI. Recruitment Qualifications

Education:

A university degree (Bachelor’s or higher) in a social and behavioural science, including sociology, anthropology, communication studies/communication for development, psychology and/or related field is required.

Experience:

A minimum of three years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: social development programme planning, communication for development or social and behaviour change, public advocacy or another related area. Relevant experience in working with faith-based organizations is considered an asset.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English and Kinyarwanda is required.