Communication and Social & Behaviour Change in Emergencies Consultant, Brasilia, Brazil

In conflict and disaster, children suffer first and suffer most. UNICEF works to strengthen the links between humanitarian action and development work, delivering a continuum of support. In Brazil, UNICEF directly responds to three emergencies at present: the Venezuelan migration outflow, the Yanomami public health emergency and the drought in the Amazon.

Since 2017, almost a million refugees and migrants from Venezuela have entered Brazil, where the Federal Government maintains the Operation Welcome in Roraima and Manaus (Amazonas). Since 2018, UNICEF has an office in Boa Vista and an outpost in Pacaraima, at the border, to ensure refugee and migrant children, adolescents and their families have access to their rights.

Moreover, in Roraima, UNICEF has been working in coordination with Brazilian authorities at the national and local levels in the Yanomami emergency response, in close collaboration with indigenous organizations.

Since October 2023, all the 62 municipalities in Amazonas declared emergency state due to an historical drought. UNICEF has an office in Manaus which is supporting State and Municipal authorities in the implementation of anticipatory child-sensitive measures to reduce negative impacts on children and families, in coordination with indigenous organizations and other UN agencies and partners.

Crosscutting all UNICEF’s work in emergencies is Communications and Social & Behaviour Change (SBC). SBC aims to empower individuals and communities, and lower structural barriers that hinder people from adopting positive practices and societies from becoming more equitable, inclusive and cohesive. Communication relies on fostering a transparent and effective communication with partners, donors and society, publicly defending the rights of vulnerable children and their needs, engaging media and producing high-quality content to support advocacy priorities.   

Scope of Work:

Under the guidance of the Chief of Communication and Advocacy and the Social and behaviour Change Officer, in close coordination with the Emergency Manager, the consultant will support UNICEF in systematizing and leveraging SBC emergency interventions and impact of Communication priorities, in liaise with field offices handling humanitarian situations. Throughout the 9-month period of the assignment, the consultant is expected to provide technical expertise and support to design, implement and amplify UNICEF’s advocacy and emergency (preparedness and recovery) communication strategies as well as planning key SBC interventions in the same context. The professional will also monitor and assess the impact of the implemented activities to achieve measurable behavioural and social change resulting in the improvement of children’s rights and wellbeing, paying attention to filling donor proposals and reports.

Lastly, the consultant will recommend and develop appropriate reports and materials (including on capacity building and meetings with local authorities) to support UNICEF in fulfilling its dual mandate following the humanitarian and development nexus, ensuring part of the projects are systematized to seek sustainable solutions and integration to public policies, detailed in the Work Assignments Overview below.             

WORK ASSIGNMENTS OVERVIEW

1.1. WORK ASSIGNMENT 1

Communication workplan for UNICEF’s work in Emergencies

Develop a workplan of content production needed to ensure proper visibility of activities and comply with commitments with donors and government partners. This assignment will be preceded by a meeting with UNICEF staff, who will send the consultant the necessary documents to perform the task.

1.2. DELIVERABLES/OUTPUTS

a. Workplan spreadsheet developed with priority content per type of Emergency for the year of 2024, after consultations with UNICEF officers, detailing type of content, time of production and expected budget (if any).

1.3. TIMELINE

After 30 days after contract signature

Estimated: 10 of March 2024

1.4. ESTIMATE BUDGET

20% of consultancy fee 

2.1. WORK ASSIGNMENT 2

Drought Response in Amazonas State

Support UNICEF in the production of a Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) capacity building course to take place in Manaus in Q3 of 2024. The consultant will propose the methodology and assess list of possible service providers in the market, in liaise with personnel of the offices in Manaus and Belem.

2.2. DELIVERABLES/OUTPUTS

Deliver a complete Term of Reference using UNICEF’s template to hire service provider.

2.3. TIMELINE

After 60 days of date of contract signature

Estimated: 10 of April 2024

2.4. ESTIMATE BUDGET

15% of consultancy fee

3.1. WORK ASSIGNMENT 3

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices survey on discrimination

UNICEF has conducted a detailed KAP survey about discrimination and stigma against Venezuelan refugees and migrants. The original report has been delivered by a service provider company accompanied by with raw data. The consultant will be responsible for editing the 50-page written report to attain a final publication form which will be shared with UN and government partners. The only new text addition to the document will be the introduction chapter. This consultancy does not include subsequent publication expenditures, as design or printing.

3.2. DELIVERABLES/OUTPUTS

Final document in word format.

3.3. TIMELINE

After 90 days of date of contract signature

Estimated: 10 of May 2024

3.4. ESTIMATE BUDGET

15% of consultancy fee

4.1. WORK ASSIGNMENT 4

Communication Materials (1)

Produce, together with UNICEF Communication personnel in the field, two press releases and one story from projects defined together with UNICEF. The consultant will be responsible for investigating, producing and writing the texts or editing existing draft versions.

4.2. DELIVERABLES/OUTPUTS

2 (two) press releases delivered in .doc format

1 (one) human-interest story

Delivered in .doc format.

4.3. TIMELINE

After 120 days of date of contract signature

Estimated: 10 of June 2024

4.4. ESTIMATE BUDGET

15% of consultancy fee

5.1. WORK ASSIGNMENT 3

SBC Strategy

Develop an SBC Strategy outlining UNICEF programme priorities in the Emergency for the period of 2024-2025. The consultant is expected to liaise with UNICEF officers to assess current situation of interventions. UNICEF will provide all existing materials and documents to support production of strategy.

5.2. DELIVERABLES/OUTPUTS

a. Document containing Diagnose and needs, Theory of Change, SBC approaches, results and budget, Monitoring and Evaluation.

5.3. TIMELINE

After 150 days of date of contract signature

Estimated: 10 of July 2024

5.4. ESTIMATE BUDGET

20% of consultancy fee

6.1. WORK ASSIGNMENT 5

U-Report Uniendo Voces

Produce a systematization of the interagency project U-Report Uniendo Voces. The document, no longer than 5 pages, will resume the history of the project, surveys performed, challenges encountered and suggest developments. UNICEF will provide all supporting materials and documents, no interviews will be requested.

6.2. DELIVERABLES/OUTPUTS

Short document containing a summary of the interagency project. The report sections will be accorded between UNICEF and consultant prior to production.

6.3. TIMELINE

After 165 days of date of contract signature

Estimated: 25 of July 2024

6.4. ESTIMATE BUDGET

15% of consultancy fee

TRAVEL PLAN

For the successful completion of the aforementioned deliverables, the consultant is expected to spend 5 nights in travel outside the duty station in Brasilia, in one two-way trip from Brasília to Manaus. The exact dates of travel will be defined together with UNICEF following the deliveries of the consultancy, respecting all conditions for proper planning and arrangements. Consultant’s travel costs for this displacement should be included in the consultant’s fee. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

•             A university degree in one of the following fields is required: social and behavioural science, social communication, sociology, anthropology, psychology, education, public relations or another relevant technical field.

•             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, public advocacy, journalism or another related area.

• Work experience in humanitarian settings is required.

•             Knowledge on children’s rights issues, including the Convention of Rights of the Child and the Statute of the Child and the Adolescent is an asset.

•             Proven ability to manage relationships with partners, including government counterparts, local communities, adolescents.

•             Strong writing and communication skills in Portuguese and English.

•             Strong communication and collaboration skills with experience in consensus building and in motivating cross-functional teams to meet ambitious project goals and timelines is highly desirable.

•             Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset. 

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

•             Fluence in Portuguese and English are required, Spanish speaking and writing are assets.

UNICEF’s Core Values

Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS)

To view our competency framework, please visit: UNICEF Values 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

General Conditions: Procedures and Logistics

• UNICEF will provide the consultant all required core equipment and material for fulfilling his duty, including computer.
• Consultant’s travel costs should be included in the consultant’s fee.
• No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant and mandatory courses are completed.
• Consultants will not have any representative, certifying, or approving authority, or supervisory responsibilities or authority on UNICEF budget.
• The consultant will work remotely on a delivery basis.

Financial Proposal

• Costs indicated are estimated. Final rate shall follow “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee.
• A financial proposal including the fee for the assignment based on the deliverables and number of days must be submitted. Consultants are asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum, administrative cost, travel cost and subsistence costs, as applicable.
• The payment will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

Insurance and health coverage

• The contractor is fully responsible for arranging, at his or her own expenses, such life, health and other forms of insurance covering the term of the contract as he or she considers appropriate.
• The contractor is not eligible to participate in the life or health insurance schemes available to UNICEF and United Nations staff members.

Restrictions

• Consultants may not receive training at the expense of UNICEF.  Notwithstanding, consultants must complete the applicable mandatory trainings before the signature of the contract;
• In case of government officials, the contract cannot be issued without prior written clearance by the Government​, or unless on leave without pay.

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.