Mercy Corps
Social, Structural, & Behavioral Change Advisor for
Nutrition Resilience – Samburu / Turkana County
Requisition number: SOCIA003107
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the
belief that a better world is possible.
In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the
world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph
over adversity and build stronger communities from within.
Now, and for the future.
The Program / Department / Team
With funding from USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance
(BHA), Mercy Corps’ Nawiri Program is leading a consortium of Kenyan and
international partners on a five-year journey to sustainably reduce persistent
acute malnutrition in Turkana and Samburu Counties of Kenya.
Through a phased approach that emphasizes evidence gap analysis,
as well as partnership, learning, and co-creation, the program takes a robust
county-centered design with government leadership, active engagement from
communities, the private sector, and civil society.
Mercy Corps’ consortium brings together the global leadership,
research capacity, technical expertise, and implementation experience necessary
to partner with local institutions to test, adapt, and scale evidence-based solutions.
Together we will sustainably reduce persistent acute
malnutrition for vulnerable populations in Turkana and Samburu counties.
The Position Summary
The Nawiri Social, Structural, & Behavioral Change (SSBC)
Advisor for Nutrition will provide strategic leadership in the design,
development, and execution of a coherent SSBC for Nutrition Resilience Strategy
that crosscuts all areas of the project.
During the first phase of Nawiri, s/he will ensure the program’s
research and learning agenda is designed and routinely iterated to build a
robust evidence base for informing strategic investments for driving social,
structural, and behavioral change.
This will include championing a determined search for
interventions that address social and structural determinants of persistent
acute malnutrition that are both amenable to change and scalable, with
particular attention to identifying opportunities for testing modifications to
existing interventions or platforms.
Working across all program areas, and in close collaboration
with the Learning and Research Teams, s/he will support the Nawiri team to
routinely analyze emergent findings of research and learning activities through
a systems lens with focus on implications for risks and opportunities related
to SSBC.
The SSBC for Nutrition Resilience Advisor will also provide
technical support across all of Nawiri’s strategic learning areas that will be
reflected in Nawiri’s SSBC for Nutrition Resilience strategy and approach.
The SSBC Advisor will report directly to the Deputy Chief of
Party and provide strategic and technical guidance across the program, ensuring
teams work in harmony to produce desired program results.
The SSBC for Nutrition Resilience Advisor will have dotted
technical support lines to SSBC personnel and functions embedded within
implementing teams at the county levels.
Essential Job
Responsibilities
VISION AND STRATEGY
· Support the Deputy Chief
of Party (DCoP) by providing vision and strategy to the program approach and
how SBCC integrates into the overall technical direction and implementation.
· Forge strong,
institutional linkages and maintain a productive working relationship with
USAID, Government of Kenya, the CRS consortium, PREG Partners, and other
relevant partners in economic and market-related activities.
· Assist in defining and
analyzing Nawiri practices and priorities across all partners; identifying
opportunities for integration and synergies within other sectors such as
nutrition, health, water systems, and governance.
· Recognize opportunities
for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints
are welcomed; promote and model a culture of learning and adaptive management.
· Ensure that
cross-cutting aspects of the program such as gender equality, social inclusion,
youth, climate adaptation, and resilience are included and well integrated and
cut across all activities
· Collaborate with different
program components including research, implementation, Monitoring &
Evaluation (M&E) and learning to drive overall effectiveness and coherence
of program strategy from inception to scale up.
TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP
· In close collaboration
with all Nawiri stakeholders, lead in the design, development, execution and
iteration of a risk-informed SSBC strategy for improving nutrition resilience
that is evidence-based, tailored to local realities, and responsive to risk and
opportunities.
· Provide SSBC technical leadership
for Nawiri consortium members and county partners, including frequent travel to
Samburu and Turkana to provide on-site capacity building and technical
assistance.
· Lead in the
identification and development of innovative approaches for changing the
attitudes, perceptions, and practices around decision-making for health and
nutrition outcomes, at multiple levels and scales (e.g. individual, HH,
community, public and private sector institutions, etc.)
· Develop comprehensive
behavior change tools and SBC campaign activities using evidence-based theories
and methodologies, in close collaboration with external stakeholders.
· Support in the design
community-level interventions that target caretakers of children, household and
community decision makers, farmers, and community members at large to increase
demand for nutritious, diverse, and safe diets.
· Provide oversight of SBC
activities implemented by Nawiri partners.
· Manage the work of
external agencies (research firms, advertising agencies, public relations
experts, production vendors, community mobilizers, and/or consultants hired by
the program) to assist with SBC. This includes building capacity of local
implementing partners to implement quality and successful SBC work.
· Ensure that SBC
materials are pre-tested, proven effective, and used efficiently.
· Work with the
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Manager to measure and document progress
and impact of SBC activities.
PROGRAM SUPPORT AND
IMPLEMENTATION
· Provide leadership and
oversight in the development of risk-informed and shock-responsive SSBC tools,
materials, and communication channels.
· Provide strategic,
technical guidance and direction to the program, ensuring alignment with latest
technical information, evidence and approaches in the SSBC field;
· Oversee programmatic and
technical aspects related to SSBC activities ensuring SSBC efforts are
evidence-based and coordinated, and in line with the Nawiri goal and
principles.
· Function as the “lead
learner” (e.g. equivalent to “principal investigator” for research) on at least
one of Nawiri’s strategic learning areas; provide leadership and management in
all aspects of the activity.
· Support in the
development of research and learning agenda and activities; provide strategic
support across all research and learning activities, including by identifying
and actioning strategic opportunities for rapidly testing and adapting
innovative approaches for addressing social and structural determinants of
persistent acute malnutrition
· Transfer capacity of
SSBC frameworks and approaches within the consortium and across the larger
community of practice.
TEAM MANAGEMENT AND
COMMUNICATION
· Work closely with the
Systems Strengthening and Institutionalization Lead and team to cultivate
county leaders’ commitments to policies and programs that support nutrition
resilience and promote changes in social and structural conditions that
contribute to persistent acute malnutrition.
· Work closely with the
Strategic Learning Lead to drive the learning agenda within Nawiri and other
partners in Turkana and Samburu, and the wider community of practice
· Work with other team
leads to coordinate reporting to the donor
· Represent Mercy Corps
and Nawiri at strategic meetings, events, and conferences.
· Develop case studies and
other products to communicate key program learnings related to SBC
· Contribute to the design
and implementation of M&E activities, including any baseline, end-line, or
other activities related to SBC.
· Assist in the
development of all program reports, work plans and budgets as appropriate.
· In accordance with the
Deputy Chief of Party, take on representation role on specific coordination
forums. Communicate effectively to ensure the program is accurately
represented.
· Any other task, as
identified in consultation with supervisor
Security
Work closely with the country team’s security focal point to
promote and maintain systems that promote the safety and security of all team
members.
Ensure that gender specific needs and interests of program staff
in relation to safety and security are identified and responded to
appropriately.
ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING
As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in
support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective,
efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team
members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy
Corps as well as themselves.
ACCOUNTABILITY TO
PARTICIPANTS
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts
toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international
standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively
engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring
and evaluation of our field projects.
Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a
professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies,
procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
Supervisory
Responsibility:
No direct supervisory responsibility. The SSBC Advisor directly
supports Nawiri-based behavioral change staff. Technical oversight of field
based activities is undertaken by Nawiri staff and partners.
Accountability
· Reports Directly To: Deputy Chief of Party
· Works Directly With: Strategic Learning Lead, Research
Design Lead, Institutional Strengthening Lead, M&E team, partner agencies,
local government, USAID and support departments (Finance, HR and Operations).
Coordinates with HQ Program Performance team and the Technical Support Unit
(TSU)
Minimum Qualifications
& Transferrable skills
· A Master’s degree in
Behavioral or Social Sciences, Public Health, Social Psychology,
Communications, Marketing, Health Communication, Behavioral Economics, or other
relevant behavioral/social science field or Bachelor’s degree with at least
7-10 years of additional relevant experience.
· At least 7-10 years of
demonstrated experience in designing and implementing SSBC activities,
preferably in northern Kenya. Demonstrated success in generating and executing
innovative and effective social, structural and behavior change solutions.
· Experience applying a
range of SBC approaches, including social marketing and nudges, or a
willingness to learn to apply a range of new and innovative SBC approaches.
· Knowledge and
understanding of local cultural practices, social networks, and gender and age
dynamics in northern Kenya
· Experience collaborating
with county officials and leaders, building community capacity and leading
community mobilization.
· Experience building
capacity of civil society and/or government entities in social and behavior
change.
· Demonstrated success in
building and managing relationships with various donors and implementing
partners.
· Ability to deliver
quality work within deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with
team members
· Systems thinker with
strong analytical skills; flexible and creative in planning and problem solving
· Ability and willingness
to travel to the field (Samburu and Turkana) at least 50% of the time.
· Professional fluency in
English; Excellent oral and written communication skills.
· Demonstrates patience,
diplomacy, tenacity, compassion, determination and a sense of humor
· Excellent written and
persuasive oral communication skills in English required.
· Ability to travel for
field missions for 30-50% level of effort as needed.
Success Factors
A successful SSBC for Nutrition Resilience Advisor will be
proactive, flexible, and comfortable with the likely reality that the roles and
responsibilities of this position will evolve and change as this unique program
progresses.
S/he will have strong technical skills combined with strategic
visioning and leadership.
S/he will have an outstanding ability to inspire teams to deeply
understand the social determinants that underlie human interaction and
integrate this understanding into activities to enhance program impact.
S/he will also have proven experience with cross-cultural teams
and capacity building, individual staff development, and strong mentoring skills.
Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous
attention to detail and strategic vision are essential.
With a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, the
successful candidate will thrive in the evolving and changing environment.
The Advisor must make effective written and verbal communication
a priority in all situations.
Living
Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in Turkana or Samburu
County.
This position requires frequent travel by road and air to
field offices in less secure environments.
This position is not eligible for hardship and/or
R&R benefits.
Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and
outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a
field posting.
Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a
professional manner and respect local laws, customs and
Mercy Corps’ policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all
in-country venues.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more
effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all
team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further
their personal and/or professional growth and development
Diversity, Equity &
Inclusion
Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work
together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of
different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better
able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most
complex challenges.
We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone
contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as
individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we
are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse,
equitable and inclusive than we are today.
Equal Employment
Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not
tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds,
perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have
sustained global impact.
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and
psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all.
We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of
race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual
orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status),
marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the
locations where we work.
Safeguarding &
Ethics
Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we
come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community
members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity.
We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of
sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and
have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.
We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or
harassment by or of our team members.
As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work
environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional
manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of
Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete
mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.
How to Apply
CLICK HERE to apply online.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.
Mercy Corps does not charge any fees at any stage of the
recruitment process.