Social and Behavior Change Technical Coordinator

Social and Behavior Change Technical Coordinator

Location: Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Position Category: Local hire, paid in country

Posting Date: 05/16/2024

Deadline Date: 05/31/2024

DESCRIPTION

Amalima Loko – a five-year (2020-2025, anticipated extension to 2027) USAID-funded Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance program is designed to improve food security and elevate the livelihoods of more than 67,848 vulnerable households across five districts of Zimbabwe’s Matabeleland North: Binga, Hwange Lupane, Nkayi, and Tsholotsho. Implemented by Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA), the $75 million Amalima Loko builds on the legacy of its predecessor, Amalima, which worked to sustainably improve food security and nutrition for vulnerable Zimbabwean households. To accomplish Amalima Loko’s outcomes, the program utilizes a unique Community Visioning approach designed to strengthen community and household-level resilience, promote nutrition-sensitive initiatives including a blanket food distribution program, and improve watershed infrastructure and practices that provide long-term foundations for improved resilience and agriculture-based livelihoods.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Social and Behavior Change (SBC) is a pivotal requirement for Amalima Loko to succeed since all program actors from policy makers to family members must do something differently than what they are currently doing to achieve the development outcomes that define Amalima Loko project purposes. Working with the Amalima Loko project team to enable key actors to resolve the factors that inhibit their practice of desired behaviors is the core work of the SBC team. The team integrates social and behavioral science considerations into Activity planning and throughout implementation so that Amalima Loko enables people to shift social norms and change practices to realize program goals. The SBC team works across all three project purposes and with cross cutting activities. During the first years of implementation, critical behaviors for the Activity were identified and prioritized, and pathways to change were illuminated including the factors to address and supporting actors necessary to engage to support change, and finally the interventions that the Amalima Loko team would carry out to address those factors. Behavioral metrics measure progress along these pathways so the Amalima Loko team can assess progress and adapt the program plan based on learning throughout implementation.

The SBC Technical Coordinator for Hwange and Binga will:

• Be a member of the SBC Team and will contribute to the strategic vision for social and behavior change linked to improved community governance, livelihood, natural resources management and health and nutrition outcomes
• Support SBC strategy design & review, SBCC plans and implementation
• Oversee and/or coordinate the formative and operations research (as needed)
• Using data from the M&E team, track the critical behavioral outcomes across project
• activities focused especially within the geographic area of one’s duty post
• Within the district team, take leadership and responsibility for the SBC technical area’s
• work while contributing to the overall program’s SBC and Communication programming
• Advise on communication activities and methods
• Support the development and/or adaptation of communication materials for the program as per need.
• Coordinate SBC activities with other entities working in the Amalima Loko catchment area.
• Participate in curriculum design and development of job aids for trainings especially as
• they relate to communication and behavior change advocacy
• Supervise the activities of field agents supporting SBC and SBCC activities
• Manage capacity strengthening and supportive supervision in the effective use of SBC
• approaches by front line workers and volunteers
• Integrate monitoring of SBC activities with overall activity monitoring and collaborative learning
• and adaptain
• Facilitate in various trainings across the program’s areas of focus and participate in
• community dialogues for community visioning purposes
• Contribute to Activity quarterly and annual work plans and reports as requested

This position is based in the Project Office in Hwange, Zimbabwe

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree a must; Master’s degree preferred in one of the following or related
• fields: Applied Agriculture; Community Development; Extension services / Communication; Anthropology or other social sciences
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience working locally with government entities, UN agencies,
• PVOs and NGOs, including at least three years at the field level
• History of engagement with USAID-funded initiatives is highly desirable
• Demonstrated success in applying behavior change theory and approaches in applied field settings
• Demonstrated experience working as part of a team while being a self-starter and
• Problem solving especially demonstrated in work in support of vulnerable populations
• Fluent in Ndebele. Fluency in Tonga and Nambya is an added advantage initiative-taker
• Excellent written and verbal English language skills.
• Applicants will be evaluated on a rolling basis and the position will be filled as soon as possible.
• Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• JSI is an equal opportunity employer.
• Must be a Zimbabwean national or legal to work in Zimbabwe – this is a local hire position

Salary commensurate with experience.

Interested candidates should submit their resumes and cover letters online by 05/31/2024.

No phone calls please.
Principals only please.

JSI is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer committed to workplace diversity. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all qualified applicants and employees without regard to age, race, color, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, gender, disability, marital status, gender identity, sexual orientation, sexual preference, genetic information, political affiliation, or protected veteran status in any employment decisions. M/F/V/D

If you are an individual with a disability, or a disabled veteran and unable to apply online for an available position, you may submit your request for reasonable accommodation by calling Human Resources at 617-482-9485.

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