Social Behaviour Change Specialist - Consultant

WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles

Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance

JOB TITLE: Social Behaviour Change Specialist

TYPE OF CONTRACT: Regular consultant

UNIT/DIVISION: Nutrition Specific Unit / Nutrition Division

DUTY STATION (City, Country): Rome, Italy

DURATION: 11 months

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

Behavioral insights from psychology, social anthropology, and behavioral sciences can explain behavioral choices including those related to food purchase and consumption that influence nutrition outcomes. Using these insights, and principles from social and behavior science, communications, social marketing, behavioural economics etc. with a nutrition focus can lead to increased consumer purchase of safe and nutritious foods. The World Food Programme (WFP) Nutrition Policy 2017-2021 makes increasing 1) availability of, 2) access to, and 3) demand for and consumption of safe and nutritious foods the cornerstone of action to end all forms of malnutrition.
WFP aims to improve the livelihoods of local communities and businesses in locations where our operations exist. In 2015, WFP launched a retail engagement strategy and engaged private sector retail industry experts and professionals to 1) increase purchasing power of all customers of WFP-contracted shops (shops where WFP supports use of cash-based transfer (CBT) modality usage) by lowering shelf prices through improved supply chains; 2) enhance accountability, transparency, internal controls, and the overall effectiveness of WFP programmes using CBT modalities through the use of itemized sales data; and 3) develop the capacity of the local retail sector for sustainability and serving non-WFP customers as well.

WFP is increasingly using CBT modalities which provide more purchasing power to individual we serve, so they can overcome economic barriers to access to safe and nutritious foods. Through CBT, WFP empowers people with the autonomy to purchase foods for their families - a shift from WFP beneficiaries to WFP-supported consumers. Programmes using CBT modalities thus offer an important opportunity to complete WFP advances in support to the retail sector with initiatives that influence consumer behavior to help foster increased ‘healthy choice’ purchases and consumption of nutritious foods.
Thus, there is a need to develop and improve WFP tools and capacity to implement and support initiatives that influence consumer purchasing behavior. To date, the Nutrition Division has worked to increase global capacities in social and behavior change communications (SBCC). Aligned with the SBCC strategy of the Nutrition Division, this consultancy would support the Nutrition Division to leverage tools from the social sciences to influence consumer behavior as part of the larger WFP Retail Strategy, including but not limited to programming utilizing CBT modalities, to improve healthy purchasing patterns and consumption of nutritious foods among vulnerable groups.
 

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

The consultant will report to the Chief of the Nutrition-Specific Unit and will join the efforts of consultants focusing on SBCC. The consultant will work in collaboration with colleagues across the Nutrition Division, and other Divisions and Units, particularly CBT and Retail units, and will be expected to:

1. Support pilot projects in priority countries aimed to understand best practices for the integration of nutrition-focused initiatives for influencing purchasing behavior within WFP programming in the retail sector and using CBT modalities:

• Provide technical assistance for design and implementation of nutrition-focused initiatives to influence purchasing behavior into retail/CBT programming for improved nutrition outcomes;
• Design and implement methods to evaluate effectiveness of pilot projects integrating nutrition-focused initiatives to influence purchasing behavior into retail/CBT programming taking into account existing tools and guidance regarding nutrition and improving those when necessary;
• In collaboration with the Fill the nutrient gap (FNG) and CBT costing teams, utilize the retail team’s ‘data lake’ for evidence generation and improved programming for better nutrition purchasing behavior in retail/CBT programming;
• Support proposal development for resource mobilization for nutrition-focused initiatives to integrating into retail/CT programming.

2. Support the Nutrition Division in strategy development in the nexus of retail and nutrition:

• Develop a 2-year strategy for integrating nutrition-focused initiatives that influence purchasing behavior into Retail/CBT programming to improve nutrition outcomes;
• Incorporate into the SBCC Guidance Manual for Nutrition the principles of integrating nutrition-focused initiatives to influence behavior into retail/CBT programming;
• In coordination with retail and CBT teams, support country offices and Regional Bureaux in identifying strategic entry points for integration of nutrition-focused initiatives that influence purchasing behavior into retail/ CBT programming to improve nutrition outcomes.

3. Develop specific technical guidance for integration of nutrition-focused initiatives to influence purchasing behavior into programming in Retail and CBT:

• Empower nutrition colleagues to identify the entry points and mechanisms for using nutrition-focused initiatives to influence purchasing behavior to enhance retail/CBT programming for improved nutrition outcomes.
• Write a ‘how to’ manual of instructions for WFP staff to design, implement, and evaluate retail/CBT activities that incorporate nutrition-focused initiatives to influence purchasing behavior for nutrition outcomes.

4. Support relevant capacity strengthening activities at both WFP HQ and decentralized levels:

• Design and implement training at WFP HQ on the integration of nutrition-focused initiatives to influence purchasing behavior into retail/CBT programming.
• Collaborate with OSN Knowledge Management team to develop learning tools to support roll-out of ‘how to’ guidance in this area
• Support generalized training and capacity strengthening for SBCC and broader behavior influencing initiatives in priority countries.

5. Support the Nutrition Division and Nutrition specific unit work plans with other relevant activities as needed:

• Develop advocacy tools for building WFP credibility by highlighting key lessons learned/successes of nutrition-focused initiatives to influence purchasing behavior for retail/CBT programming across global contexts;
• Provide input for and review briefs/presentations for WFP management;
• Short communications and technical notes;
• Brown bag/journal club presentations;
• Fostering relevant partnerships at global, regional, and country office levels.

The consultant will be expected to draw on their knowledge of social sciences, behavioural economics, behavioral insights, and creative original thought to develop the specific outputs of this consultancy.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

1. Approach of integration of nutrition-focused initiatives for influencing purchasing behavior into retail/CBT programming piloted in priority regions and countries.
2. Document outlining 2-year organizational strategy for integration of nutrition-focused initiatives to influence purchasing behavior into retail/CBT programming.
3. Detailed guidance (‘how to’) for integrating nutrition-focused initiatives to influence purchasing behavior into programming in retail/CBT for internal WFP use
4. Learning tools developed and / or improved this guidance to be used within WFP
5. Evidence generation of effectiveness and efficiency of integration of nutrition-focused initiatives to influence purchasing behavior for Retail/CBT based on original data collection or through use of ‘data lake’
6. Trainings for integration of nutrition-focused initiatives to influence purchasing behavior into retail/CBT programming conducted at HQ and in priority regions
 

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education: Advanced degree in social and behavioural science and/or behavioural economics, social marketing, or other relevant field.
 

Experience:

• 3-5 years of community research or programme experience designing, implementing, and evaluating programmes in nutrition-focused initiatives for influencing purchasing and consumption behavior required.
• Experience in nutrition and food security programming required.
• Experience in marketing, social marketing, or social and behavior change interventions required.
• Experience in developing economies or emergency context desired.
• Experience working in WFP desired.
• Operations research experience evaluating behaviour change within the context of public health nutrition programming desired.
• Experience in marketing especially in private sector environment desired.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Advanced knowledge of social and behaviour change, behavioural economics, and social marketing required
• Knowledge of public health or population-based food security/nutrition required
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills required
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in multicultural settings required
• Good attention to detail required.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills required.
• Understanding of statistics and sampling for data collection required.
• Demonstrated proficiency with quantitative data analysis software desired.
• Demonstrated ability to write and publish work desired.

Languages: Fluency in English required and proficiency in another UN language or Portuguese desirable.

Terms and Conditions

WFP offers a competitive compensation package which will be determined by the contract type and selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.

Please visit the following websites for detailed information on working with WFP.

http://www.wfp.org Click on: “Our work” and “Countries” to learn more about WFP’s operations.

Deadline for applications: 25 March 2019

Ref.: VA No. 104231

Qualified female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.