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UNICEF Pacific International Consultancy: Social and Behavioural Change (SBC) Early Childhood Development (ECD) Consultant, RMI and FSM, 218 working days over 11 months. at UNICEF (Fiji) · CodeHub Jobs

Job description

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to a chance.

UNICEF Pacific works across 14 Pacific Island countries and territories, home to 2.3 million people, including 1.2 million children—spread across 660 islands and atolls. Five of these countries, including the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia, are classified as Fragile States. While all have ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, only a third are up to date with reporting obligations. Explore the different areas of our work here: UNICEF Pacific Islands.

In the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), the Government is implementing a Multisectoral Early Childhood Development (ECD) Programme aimed at improving nurturing care, early learning, health, nutrition, protection, and overall wellbeing for young children and their caregivers. Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) is a core component of this programme, enabling caregivers, families, and communities to adopt positive practices, utilize essential services, and strengthen coordination across health, education, social protection, and community systems.

Within this framework, UNICEF supports the Government of RMI, through the Office of the Chief Secretary and key ministries including the Ministry of Health and Human Services (MOHHS), Public School System (PSS), and Ministry of Culture and Internal Affairs (MOCIA) - to implement a comprehensive SBCC ECD programme. The programme promotes the uptake of essential RMNCH‑N services, early learning and stimulation, social assistance for families with young children, and enhanced multi-sectoral coordination using integrated SBCC approaches across the domains of nurturing care.

To date, implementation has focused on establishing strong foundations for sustained behaviour change and service uptake. Key achievements include government endorsement of the national SBCC ECD Strategy; completion of ECD branding and positioning co‑design; development of advocacy and communication prototypes; production and broadcast of radio messages in both English and Marshallese; and capacity strengthening of frontline personnel on interpersonal communication and community engagement. These efforts have improved message consistency, strengthened coordination across sectors, and reinforced delivery platforms at national and community levels.

Given the scale and complexity of ongoing SBCC work, and the need to maintain momentum, ensure quality, and support cross-sectoral integration, dedicated SBCC technical support is essential. Continued support is needed to complete planned interventions, consolidate progress, and further embed SBCC within government led ECD systems throughout the remainder of the current programme phase.

How can you make a difference?

Under the overall guidance of UNICEF North Pacific Chief and the SBC Manager in Suva, and in close coordination with government counterparts and implementing partners, the SBC Consultant will provide technical assistance, coordination, and implementation support for SBCC interventions under UNICEF’s ECD portfolio in RMI and FSM, as outlined below:

A. Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI)

The consultant will provide technical leadership and coordination for SBCC implementation under the World Bank–funded ECD programme by:

Providing ongoing SBCC technical assistance to the Government of RMI, through the Office of the Chief Secretary, the ECD Implementation Unit, and the SBCC National Coordinator, in close coordination with the Implementation Partner (Pacific Media Institute – PMI).
Supporting capacity strengthening frontline health workers, WUTMI personnel, and community actors in Majuro, Ebeye, and selected Neighboring Islands, with a focus on Interpersonal Communication (IPC) and promotion of priority ECD behaviours.
Coordinating and providing technical oversight for mass media and digital SBCC content, including the “Let’s Talk ECD” radio and online programme, short videos and social media reels, radio content, and ECD messaging integrated into national platforms and events (including the 2026 Miss Marshall Islands Pageant).
Supporting the rollout of community-based behaviour change initiatives, including caregiver dialogue, talk-story sessions, storytelling, and nutrition and healthy food demonstrations, in collaboration with PMI, WUTMI, Canvasback Wellness Centre, and local partners.
Supporting the establishment and operationalization of the Ebeye radio station, including integration of ECD-related programming.
Develop and producing SBCC job aids and IPC materials (e.g., flip charts and tools) to support frontline and community engagement.
Leading and supporting the final evaluation of key SBCC interventions and contributing to final project reporting for UNICEF, the Government of RMI, and the World Bank.

B. Federated States of Micronesia (FSM)

The consultant will provide technical support for SBC implementation under the MFAT-funded ECD–WASH programme and related initiatives including ongoing health/immunization and nutrition programmes by:
Supporting community-based nutrition and parenting education for caregivers of young children, including promotion of locally available nutritious foods, age-appropriate feeding practices, and food hygiene.
Developing and disseminating SBC content for nutrition, immunization and caregiving, including SMS messages, social media visual content, short videos, and mass media campaigns on healthy eating.
Coordinating partnerships with FSMTC, College of Micronesia (COM), Pohnpei Women Council (PWC), V6 AH, and other partners to implement nutrition-focused and parenting-related SBCC campaigns.
Providing technical assistance to FSM national and state health departments to design and implement demand generation strategies for immunization and nutrition services.
Contributing technical inputs to the design of a comprehensive and inclusive parenting support toolkit and strategy, addressing gendered social norms, and supporting development of monitoring, evaluation, and evidence-generation frameworks.

Please refer to the ToR ( RMI FSM SBC ECD Consultant TOR.pdf) for further information on the deliverables and the timelines.

GUIDANCE FOR APPLICANTS:

Please submit a technical proposal and a separate financial proposal along with your application. The financial proposal should be a lump sum amount for all the deliverables in the Terms of Reference above and should show a breakdown for the following:

One round-trip economy-class air ticket to Majuro, RMI;
Up to five (5) in-country duty travels within RMI;
Up to two (02) duty travel to the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM);
Living allowance for the full duration of the assignment;
Miscellaneous costs, including visa fees, health insurance (including medical evacuation), communications, and other incidental expenses.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

Education:

An advanced university degree (Master’s level or higher) in Social Sciences, Behavioral Sciences, Public Health, Health Promotion, Social and Behaviour Change (SBC), Early Childhood Development (ECD), Nutrition, Education, or a related field is required

Work Experience:

Minimum of 8–10 years of progressively responsible professional experience in Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) and/or Behavioral Sciences, including application to Early Childhood Development (ECD), health, nutrition, WASH, social protection, or other multi-sectoral programmes.
Demonstrated experience applying behavioral science approaches (e.g. behavioural insights, formative research, social norms analysis, human-centred design) to inform SBCC strategies and interventions for ECD, including nurturing care, early stimulation and learning, responsive caregiving, positive parenting, maternal and child health, nutrition, and service uptake.
Strong understanding of integrated, multi-sectoral ECD programming, including coordination across health, education, social welfare, and child protection systems.
Proven experience designing and implementing mass media, community engagement, interpersonal communication (IPC), and digital SBCC interventions, with a focus on caregiver behaviour change and social norm transformation.
Good understanding of the Pacific context, with prior experience working in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) and/or the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) considered a strong advantage.
Demonstrated experience providing technical assistance to government-led programmes, including collaboration with central coordinating bodies and multiple line ministries.
Proven experience in capacity strengthening of frontline workers, community actors, and implementing partners on SBCC, behavioural approaches, and ECD-related behaviours.
Strong experience in building and maintaining partnerships with UN agencies, multilateral organizations (including the World Bank), government institutions, civil society organizations, media, and faith-based organizations.
Familiarity with UNICEF programme planning and implementation systems, including budgeting, monitoring, reporting, and quality assurance; experience supporting World Bank–funded programmes is a strong asset.
Experience contributing to monitoring, evaluation, learning, and evidence generation for SBCC and ECD programmes, including documentation of behavioural outcomes and lessons learned.

Skills:

Strong coordination, facilitation, and partnership management skills, with the ability to work effectively across sectors and institutions.
Ability to provide strategic SBCC–ECD and behavioural science guidance while supporting hands-on implementation in complex, multi-partner environments.
Excellent analytical, writing, and communication skills, with the ability to translate behavioural and ECD evidence into practical guidance and communication products.
Proven ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and deliver high-quality outputs within agreed timelines.
Cultural sensitivity and strong interpersonal skills, with demonstrated ability to engage effectively with communities and national counterparts.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English is required; knowledge of Marshallese or other Pacific languages is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

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.

Remarks:

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.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable male and female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

This position is open to international consultants. All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.