HIV Senior Social and Behavior Change Advisor

JOB DESCRIPTION
HIV Senior Social and Behavior Change Advisor – USAID ZAM-Health Activity
LOCATION: Lusaka, Zambia

DEPARTMENT/UNIT: Technical, Social and Behavior Change Unit

DURATION: Full-Time

REPORTS TO: Director, Social and Behavior Change

POSTING DATE: 11/16/2022

DEADLINE DATE: 11/22/2022

Background
The USAID Zambia Accessible Markets for Health (ZAM-Health) Activity is a five-year project to expand the availability and accessibility of high-quality health products and services in the private sector, improve health knowledge, and increase the adoption of healthy and health-seeking behaviors. The program will employ private sector approaches such as marketing, social franchising, and partnerships with for-profit entities to achieve these outcomes. USAID ZAM-Health is implemented by John Snow Health Zambia (JSH) in partnership with JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI), Media 365, and PharmAccess.

Description
As a member of the Social and Behaviour Change Unit, the role holder will be expected to provide SBC technical leadership and management to design, plan and implement SBC activities to increase uptake of HIV prevention or treatment products and services as well as the adoption of healthy behaviors.

HIV Senior Social and Behaviour Change Advisor will lead the development and adaptation of the project’s overall HIV SBC strategy and manage its implementation. The HIV SBC strategy will focus heavily on reaching Adolescents and Young People and convincing them to use HIV prevention methods or to adhere to ART when HIV-positive. The SBC strategy will involve both community mobilization interventions and the refinement, production, and deployment of SBC materials. The Senior Advisor will work closely with the MOH and project field personnel to plan and execute community mobilization activities. He/she will also work with creative agencies, implementers, and the media. This position works in close collaboration with the ZAM-Health Knowledge Management and Communications Advisor.

The HIV Senior SBC Advisor will work to transition the leadership and management of the national Zambia Ending AIDS (ZEA) Campaign to the Ministry of Health and the National AIDS Council. This task includes training MOH Health Promotions personnel to use the ZEA materials catalog and maintenance of the ZEA website, ChatBot, and catalog of materials.

The role will include extensive travel within Zambia. During the most intense campaign periods, this could be up to 30% each month. This is a full-time position based in Lusaka, Zambia, and works under the supervision of the Director, Social and Behaviour Change.

Responsibilities

Technical Leadership Responsibilities

The HIV Senior SBC Advisor will:

Scope, plan and manage the execution of HIV SBC activities under the ZAM-Health pro
Lead the development of the HIV section of the SBC annual work plan and budget.
Develop and implement the annual plan in close collaboration with the teams for the project’s other three objectives to ensure that SBC activities help the project and its private sector partners deliver results.
Ensure that the project implements its HIV SBC plan on time and within budget, monitoring, and reporting on progress each month and quarter.
Work with private sector partners and MOH District Health Offices to plan community mobilization activities that generate demand for health services and help people to adopt new healthy behaviors. In many cases, the mobilization activities may include outreach health services delivered in focal points near the mobilization areas.
Provide management and mentoring to build the capacity of SBC Specialists in provincial offices to implement demand generation and behavior change activities for HIV services, products, and healthy behaviors
Develop or adapt SBC material for the program by engaging and working with vendors or partners.
Ensure that SBC materials and intervention strategies are appropriate in the Zambian context.
Works closely with the Ministry of Health and the National AIDS Council to help them assume the leadership and management of the ZEA campaign catalog, website, FaceBook page, and other assets.

Project management responsibilities

Maintains positive professional relationships with representatives from the Ministry of Health, the National AIDS Council, USAID representatives, other implementing partners, creative agencies, media organizations, and all other organizations in order to deliver results and foster collaboration.
Represents ZAM-Health at external meetings with Government, donors, technical working groups, and external events where he/she helps to influence deliberations and decisions.
Designs and tracks indicators that will help to demonstrate that the project SBC interventions result in increased demand for products and services or prompt target audiences to adopt the priority behaviors.
Collaborates with the Strategic Information team to ensure that the project captures and analyses quality data to inform SBC implementation and demonstrate results
Ensures that all HIV SBC sub-recipients, consultants, or vendors deliver high-quality work on time and in alignment with the ZAM-Health annual plan and key performance indicators.
Participates in regular (weekly or twice monthly) technical meetings with the SBC team, sub-award recipient Media365, and key consultants to ensure the timely implementation of planned activities.
Participates in or carries out annual appraisals of the SBC personnel
Implements and adhere to JSH’s personnel, financial, operations, and fraud management policies.
Works with the Director of Social and Behaviour Change on any other duties that she/he may assign.

Qualifications
Master’s degree in one of the following or related fields: health promotion and/or communication. international public health, or other social sciences.
At least 5 years of relevant professional experience working on national-level campaigns in Zambia or the region, whether in the public, private, or NGO sector
Knowledge of the media landscape in Zambia is evidenced by prior experience working in mass media, or on media-based SBC campaigns.
Progressive relevant SBC and HIV/AIDS experience in Zambia with government entities, UN agencies, the private sector, and NGOs.
A history of engagement with USAID-funded initiatives is highly desirable.
Demonstrated success in applying behavioral change theory and approaches in applied field settings.
Excellent written and verbal English language skills. Ability to speak several of Zambia’s regional languages.
Demonstrated success in working with local government and NGO stakeholders, and experience in capacity building. Strong communication and interpersonal skills supporting engagement with stakeholders from the community to the government level.

Knowledge, Skills, and Background

Knowledge and experience in the design and implementation of evidence-based behavior change approaches. Experience or knowledge of qualitative research including focus group research.
Experience in the design and implementation of behavioral change programming in the context of multi-sectoral approaches.
Solid understanding of HIV and sexual reproductive health including
Strategic thinker, strong team player, able to deliver results without close supervision.
Demonstrated success in managing the development of graphic and other communication materials to support behavioral change. and,
Proficiency in MS Office and internet applications.
Able and willing to travel up to 30% within Zambia.

Applicants are required to submit a cover letter and CV with three references and full addresses and contact information via the application form through the following link.

Please note that you do not need to apply if you don’t meet the minimum requirements. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. If you have not heard from us within 3 weeks after the closing date, kindly assume that your application was not successful