Social and Behavior Change Advisor - Proposal Hours: Full-time, Non-Exempt Location: Tamale, Ghana Salary: Commensurate with required experience and qualifications University Research Co., LLC (URC): URC is a global company dedicated in improving the quality of health care, social services, and health education worldwide. With a non-profit affiliate, the Center for Human Services (CHS), URC has experiences managing projects in nearly 40 countries. Established in 1965, URC offers a range of technical assistance to strengthen health and social systems and service quality by empowering communities and health workers to identify and scale up locally appropriate solutions to critical problems. Internationally, we expand access to and improve the quality of services addressing maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH); infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis , and malaria; reproductive health and family planning; food and nutrition; and vulnerable children and families. URC’s mission is to provide innovative, evidence-based solutions to health and social challenges worldwide. Please join us in carrying out our mission (). Position Overview: URC is seeking an experienced Social and Behavior Change (SBC) Advisor for the upcoming USAID-funded Resilience in Northern Ghana (RING) II – Systems Strengthening Activity. This five-year Activity will strengthen service delivery systems to elicit the adoption of behaviors that promote nutrition and resilience of poor and food-insecure households in northern Ghana. The SBC Advisor will design and implement a behavior-led strategy, that is gender and socially inclusive (GESI) across all technical areas toward achievement of Activity goals and objectives. The Advisor will support the Activity to change systems and behaviors toward improved outcomes across various sectors: health and nutrition, WASH, livelihoods, and local government. S/he will conduct initial and ongoing analyses and assessments to identify and later monitor behavioral and systemic changes that lead to strengthened systems and resilience, in alignment with USAID Ghana priority accelerator behaviors. S/he will collaborate for coordinated strategies and interventions in the areas of governance, livelihoods, and civil society, as well as with the Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) team for continuous quality improvement and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) across all levels. Roles and Responsibilities: Provide technical leadership and monitoring for the Activity’s SBC strategy and components, with particular attention to creating and monitoring demand for quality and gender and socially inclusive services across key sectors, commodities, and behaviors at the regional, sub-regional, and community, levels. Work closely with the Activity team and other key public and private sector actors to assess and develop localized SBC interventions that are intended to encourage individuals, households, communities, and key actors to become proactive in seeking and demanding quality services across sectors. Based on the SBC strategy, use communications techniques, including gender-sensitive messages, to target hard-to-reach and underserved community groups that address known gender and cultural norms that impede behavioral and systemic changes. Ensure that SBC and community mobilization activities are well-coordinated, implemented with quality, and carried out smoothly, and on-time. Ensure the effective linkages of the Activity with existing SBC and community mobilization programs in the same geographical areas. Coordinate and provide technical and organizational capacity building training and support, and routine monitoring to strengthen the capacity of local SBC and community mobilization actors. Contribute to the preparation of work plans, budgets, annual reports, weekly updates, and quarterly performance reports with program staff and partners. Support community mobilization specialists in the field i in demand creation activities to increase timely and appropriate use of quality services. Participate in and support the Activity implementation team to document and disseminate lessons learned, success stories, and best practices. Other duties as assigned by her/his supervisor or Chief of Party. Minimum Qualifications: Master’s degree in public health, social sciences, or communications, or a related field. At least 10 years’ experience in designing, implementing, managing, and monitoring, evaluating, and adapting SBC programming and activities. At least 10 years of cumulative experience providing technical leadership to USG-funded SBC programming with/in international development agencies, non-governmental organizations, or other implementing partners with proven success and leadership. Knowledge of program design and development as well as advocacy and influence strategies. Prior experience working with USAID and other international donors is preferred. Proven ability to develop productive working relationships with public and private sector stakeholders, USAID and other donors and implementing partners, and organizations. Ability to work with people from a multidisciplinary and multicultural environment and managing resistance to change. Efficient management of processes and relationships particularly involving stakeholders, partner organizations and individuals (both internal and external), and beneficiaries. Strong verbal, written, presentation, and communications skills. English fluency required; secondary language fluency desired. Excellent skills in facilitation, team building, and coordination. Ability and willingness to travel within Ghana, when required.
