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. 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 personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

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

For every child, a fair chance

UNICEF has been an active partner of the Government of the Philippines and civil society in realizing the rights of every Filipino child, in line with priorities to achieve the SDGs. UNICEF efforts have been focused on the most vulnerable regions identified by the Government of the Philippines Development Plan, particularly in the regions of Visayas and Mindanao. To ensure that interventions are sustainable and scaled up, UNICEF will support both the national and local government units (LGUs) as the main instruments of delivering services and building systems. The level of engagement with government institutions will consider capacities, economies of scale and sector issues.

UNICEF Philippines has two offices. One office is based in Manila and a field office in Cotabato City, the second largest city in Mindanao, Southern Philippines, with some 300,000 population. The city is the regional administrative canter of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and over 80 percent of the population is Muslim. Mindanao is both conflict-affected and prone to frequent earthquakes and typhoons.

Visit this link for more information on Philippine Country Office: https://www.unicef.org/philippines/

How can you make a difference?

The Social and Behavior Change (SBC) Officer, NOA, is to be based in the Mindanao Field Office, Cotabato City where SBC is a substantial programme strategy of the Country Programme. The SBC Officer provides technical and operational support to the supervisor and internal colleagues by administering, executing and implementing a variety of tasks to promote community engagement and participation, and measurable behavioral and social change/mobilization, requiring the application of technical and theoretical skills and the study of organizational goals, rules, regulations, policies and procedures.

Under the supervision of the Programme Specialist, P3, the post shall undertake the following tasks:

1. Support for strategy design and development of SBC activities

• Research and/or participate in conducting comprehensive SBC situation analysis of social, cultural, economic, communication and political issues in the country/region. Collect and synthesize qualitative and quantitative information and data to support the establishment of comprehensive and evidence-based information for developing and planning the SBC component of the Country Programmes of Cooperation (and UNDAF) 2023 – 2028.
• Collect, draft and/or organize materials and related documentations for SBC strategies and plans (as a component of the Country plan and/or UNDAF Programmes) to ensure optimum impact, scale and sustainability of achievements/results.
• Assess and/or recommend appropriate information and materials for SBC initiatives verifying accuracy and quality for dissemination.
• Assess the impact of SBC activities on UNICEF goals to achieve measurable behavioral and social change resulting in the improvement of children’s rights and wellbeing. Submit qualitative report/synthesis of results for development planning and improvement.

2. Support for the implementation of SBC activities

• Collaborate with internal and external partners to provide operational and technical support to the design of SBC strategies, and research, develop, test, produce and use quality SBC materials and/or organize events and activities to ensure maximum outreach and impact on behavioral and social change of target audience.
• Provide technical, administrative and logistical support and background materials to carry out SBC activities and recommend operational strategies, approaches, plans, methods and procedures.
• Assess and recommend potential contacts, networks, resources and tools to support the maximum impact and outreach of SBC initiatives.
• Follow up on the production of SBC materials to ensure technical quality, consistency and relevancy of communications materials that are developed, produced and disseminated to target audience (e.g. individuals, communities, government officials, partners, media etc).
• Collect, assess and organize information for budget planning and management of programme funds and prepare documentations and related materials for financial plan for SBC initiatives. Monitor/track the use of resources as planned and verify compliance with organizational guidelines, rules and regulations and standards of ethics and transparency.
• Support the project for the prevention and response to Violence against Children (VAC) including harmful practices, with a close collaboration with Child Protection team

3. Advocacy, networking, and partnership building

• Build and maintain partnerships through networking and proactive collaboration with national and international civil society organizations, community groups, leaders and other critical partners in the community and civil society to reinforce cooperation through engagement, empowerment, and self-determination and to pursue opportunities for greater advocacy to promote UNICEF’s mission and goals for child rights, social equity and inclusiveness.
• Collaborate with internal global/regional communication partners to harmonize, link and/or coordinate messaging to enhance SBC outreach and contribution to programmatic outcomes.

4. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Institutionalize/share best practices and knowledge learned/products with global/local partners and stakeholders to build capacity of practitioners/users, and disseminate lessons learned to key audiences including donors and partners. Support donor reporting by providing knowledge management materials.
• Support the organization, administration, and implementation of capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders/partners across programme sectors in SBC planning, implementation and evaluation in support of programmes/projects. Develop training materials for training activities and revise them periodically for improvements and updates.

5. Support additional tasks as requested by the supervisor.

• Perform any other duties assigned by the supervisor for the Social Behavior Change team.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  TOR TA updated competencies 2024_SBC TA MFOPC Edit_Updated.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

Education:

University degree in social and behavioral science, sociology, anthropology, psychology, education, communication, development communications, public relations or related fields. Post graduate degree on any of the related fields is an advantage.

Work Experience:

Minimum of one (1) year of professional and progressive experience in some or all the following areas:

• Social and behaviour change
• Social development programme planning and implementation
• Communication for development
• Public advocacy

Skills:

• Programme/project management
• Capacity development
• Knowledge management
• Monitoring and evaluation

 Language Requirements:

• • Fluency in English (verbal and written) is required. Knowledge in the local language is an asset.

Desirables:

• Previous work experience in BARMM is an asset and/or experience working in a relevant post-conflict, emergency prone context is considered as an asset.
• Familiarity / background with education in Islamic settings is considered as an asset.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.

How to Apply

Qualified candidates are requested to complete an online candidate profile in http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/ by 15 February 2025. Only applications sent through the e-recruitment portal will be considered.

By applying through our Talent Management System (TMS) you agree to our privacy statement which is in line with the Philippines’ Data Privacy Act. You are strongly advised to read carefully through the privacy statement before submitting your application.

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 is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility jobs-near-me.org UNICEF.

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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, 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.

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.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements