VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

E-Zone HRM Limited is a management consulting group providing one-stop solutions to clients who seek improved and sustainable profitability through the effective use of their people and resources. We specialize in delivering innovative and value added services that promote revenue growth and cost containment.

E-Zone HRM Limited has a formal agreement with one of the United Nations Agency to provide outsourcing services under a third party contract.

E-Zone HRM Limited is now accepting applications from Bangladeshi Nationals for the following vacancies under third party outsourcing contract modality:

National SBC Consultant (Emergency)

Duty Station: Dhaka

Contract Duration: 12 months

Number of Vacancies: 1 (One)

Contract Type: Contract with E-Zone

Contract Start Date: 15 November, 2022

Reporting to: SBC Manager

A. Objectives and Purposes:

The purpose of the assignment is to hire a National Consultant (Social and Behaviour Change - Emergency), who will provide support in strengthening UN Agency SBC response to emergency including to diseases outbreak at national and sub-national level and for the timely and quality SBC input into the UN Agency Bangladesh Country Office emergency preparedness and response (EPRP) planning. The specific objective of this assignment will be to provide technical support in the following areas:

  • Technical support to strengthen Emergency preparedness and humanitarian response and support through the Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) pillar
  • Technical support to the planning and implementation of Accountability to Affected
    Population (AAP) Framework
  • Technical support for the planning and implementation and monitoring of COVID 19 vaccination demand generation.
  • Support SBC capacity development of UN Agency SBC Partners at national and subnational level including in Cox’s Bazar, building and documentation of SBC in emergency and humanitarian response.

B. Background:

The UN Agency Bangladesh Country Programme (CP) 2022-2026 programme of cooperation with the Government of Bangladesh builds on impressive socioeconomic development achieved by Bangladesh over the past few decades. The CP is aimed to contribute to the country’s Eighth Five-Year Plan (8FYP) 2020-2025 and includes a focus on rapid recovery from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); inclusive growth that lowers poverty and improves economic and social equity; sustainable development resilient to disasters and climate change; the successful management of urbanization; the development of critical institutions; and attaining the Sustainable Development Goals. The programme will also contribute towards the goals of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2022-2026. The Country Programme Document (2022-2026) has reiterated its commitment to emergency preparedness and response, pandemic challenges, environmental health issues, which includes climate change.

Bangladesh has made climate adaptation and disaster response a central pillar of the Eight Five Year Plan. Globally, Bangladesh is the seventh most-affected country by extreme weather events, particularly tropical cyclones. Rising sea levels also its impact on people, forcing the migration of poor people to the urban slums. Bangladesh has one of the worst air pollutions ranking in the world. The country is susceptible to different types of multi-hazard situations and at high risk of facing humanitarian’s crisis. Natural disasters like cyclone, flood, landslides due to heavy rainfall are common phenomenon that led to greater vulnerability for communities and affect thousands of children and their families almost every year. Cyclones and associated storm surges and floods have led to almost 520,000 natural disaster- related deaths recorded over the past 40 years (ref: Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery report). The country is also at high-risk of earthquake as five geological fault lines run through the country. Outbreak of emerging diseases like dengue, chikungunya, NIPA etc. disrupt the country’s regular health service system as well as affect the economy. Cox’s Bazar District is hosting over 877,000 Rohingya refugees at this stage being supported by humanitarian agencies.

The COVID-19 global pandemic has exacerbated the entire country’s health and socio-economic condition. The Government of Bangladesh moved promptly as the first case of COVID-19 was identified in the country in March 2020 and developed the Bangladesh Preparedness and Response Plan (BPRP). Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) was included as one of the Pillar of the BPRP which has been co-led by UN Agency. The current vaccinationrates for dose 1 and dose 2 to have achieved more than 100 percent of its targets. The booster dose utilization rate is hovering around 45 percent. Nevertheless, there remains significant challenges as the country remain  vulnerable to subsequent waves of COVID-19 surge. The challenges include people are not aware about the drive for booster dose, not sure if this is necessary or not, or not considering as a priority etc.
Government has launched and commenced pediatric COVID 19 vaccinations in August 2022. Out of 23 million children of 5-11 years in Bangladesh only 1.2 million received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
Message fatigues, social and or geographical marginalization, weak community engagement initiatives, and funding constraint have adversely affected continued wearing of mask and practicing other preventive measures by majority of the population.

To support government’s efforts to ensure mitigation of risks associated with emergencies, including COVID-19, UN Agency is committed to continuing to support Communication with Communities in Emergency (CwCiE). This is being done through ensuring up to date Emergency Preparedness Platform (EPP), development and implementation of contingency plans through the provision of supplies and information services, community engagement and strengthening feedback and accountability mechanism.

The above articulated areas of UN Agency SBC emergency related work require a dedicated human resource in the form of a national consultant to provide the required technical support to ensure timely and quality SBC technical support inemergencies for communicating with communities inEmergencies and for RCCE.

C. Scope of Work:

As the national RCCE co-lead, UN Agency need to continue the on-going technical support for coordination of RCCE efforts with different stakeholders, platforms, networks and national committees is crucial.

In line with the Annual Rolling Work Plan 2022-23 and the officewide individual consultant plan, Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) section is proposing to hire a national consultant SBC (Emergencies) at NO3 level, to provide the technical support noted above at national and sub-national levels. Following are specific areas of deliverables:    
                             

 I. Technical support to strengthen Emergency preparedness and humanitarian response and support through the RCCE pillar

  • Support reviewing the ToR of RCCE and work closely with RCCE members to revisit  the role of the pilar considering the current context in the country.
  • Support in the process of reviewing and updating "Bangladesh Preparedness and Response Plan" (BPRP) including guidelines of Emergency Preparedness and Humanitarian Response to ensure SBC feedback are incorporated
  • Participate at the RCCE meeting and activities and update SBC Manager as required.
  • Strengthening existing Emergency Preparedness Platform (EPP) though drafting risk analysis, situation report, response and preparedness.
  • Design gender and culture sensitive RCCE and community engagement interventions to enhance preparedness/awareness and support to ongoing SBC initiatives, existing networks and create linkage promoting RCCE message.
  • Identify capacity and quality assurance tolls gaps and provide technical support to address the identified gaps. Support development of a generic contingency programme document (PD) for emergency response
  • Support in the process of developing framework on adolescent and youth-led actions for climate empowerment and SBC package
  • Work with creative agency in developing materials for youth-led actions for climate empowerment activities

  II.  Technical support on Accountability Framework to the Affected Population

  • Extend support to enhance community engagement intervention, feedback and accountability mechanism, contingency plans and monitoring system of Accountability to Affected Population (AAP) initiatives both in camps and host. communities of Cox’s Bazar.
  • Develop an action plan for replicating and adaptation AAP for regular humanitarian programme
  • Support existing partners in introducing and inbuilding AAP in on going programming
  • Designing strategic RCCE/SBC approaches reflecting how programming (including preparedness/Child-Centered-DRR and Resilience building) can be enhanced and strategically aligned with humanitarian and development interventions
  • Build capacity of the partners on AAP for development programmes

 III. Support capacity building and documentation SBC in emergency interventions

  •  Develop capacity building modules for SBC in emergency considering the shift from C4D to SBC and existing programmes to strengthen quality standards.
  • Review emergency strategies/documents/guidelines/programme interventions in the country and ensure incorporation of SBC imputs
  • Demonstrate/piloting best practices on Emergency and Humanitarian response for other parts of the country after contextualization.
  • Documented learnings and develop knowledge products on Communication with Communities in Emergency (CwCiE) and SBC intervention to adapt and disseminate for other parts of the country.
  • Support research/assessment/studies on emergency response relevant to emergency response and humanitarian action.
  •  Prepare lessons learned, human interest story, photo-features, case studies, video documentation etc.            

D. Deliverables

  • Detailed action plan and timeline prepared for the whole assignment
  • Monthly plan and progress reports
  • Bangladesh Preparedness and Response Plan (BPRP) updated.
  • ToR for RCCE developed
  • Strategy for adaptation of AAP into development programme developed
  • Contents and knowledge products developed to share through UN Agency’s Emergency
  • Preparedness Platform (EPP) platform periodically as required.
  • Contingency emergency PD developed
  • Documentation of best practices for evidence generation from emergency and humanitarian response and demonstrate for replication conducted.
  • Gender and culture sensitive messages, materials and interventions to enhance preparedness/awareness before the onset of Cyclones/Monsoon rains developed
  • Lessons learned, human interest story, photo-features, case studies, video documentation prepared

E. Profile Requirements Qualification Skills:

Academic qualifications:

Master’s degree in Behaviour Change Communication, Development Studies, Social work,
Social Welfare, Anthropology, International Relations, Advocacy, Peace Studies or any
other subject. Candidates having substantial working experience with an academic degree
may also apply.

Work Experience:

  • A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in the field of social development programme planning, behaviour change communication and advocacy.
  • Sound knowledge on different social issues preferably Behaviour and Social Norms related issues and communicating with communication in emergency, advocacy and multi-stakeholder partnership issues in the Bangladesh context.
  • Relevant experience in related areas in a UN system agency or organization.
  • Proven experience in preventing, preparing or responding to emergencies; with experience in managing multi-stakeholder partnerships.
  • Experience in RCCE/SBCC/AAP related coordination and implementation
  • Experience working in any other country is considered as an asset.

Language Requirements

Fluency in English and Bangla

Other requirements

  • High level of Integrity and commitment to responsibilities.
  • Conceptual ability, negotiating, communication and advocacy skills.
  • Familiarity with UN Agency systems is an asset.

F. Consultancy Cost:

  • Consultants will receive a renumeration of BDT 300,000/= BDT per month (inclusive including travel, DSA and all other costs)
  • Consultant will be responsible to pay all taxes as per government rules and regulations. E-Zone will make statutory deductions towards income tax as per government rules and regulations  

G. Administrative Issues:

  • Consultant will be in Dhaka and report to Social and Behaviour Change Manage, SBC Section, UN Agency House, Dhaka, Bangladesh
  • IT services will be provided for the consultants

 

This position is open for Bangladeshi Nationals only. All candidates, irrespective of gender, religious and ethnic backgrounds can apply for the vacancies.

The UN Agency prides itself as fostering a multicultural and harmonious work environment, guaranteed by a zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, and on any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment and discrimination. All selected consultants will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Candidates with the required profile and proven experience, who meet these qualifications, are invited to submit their application in English clearly mentioning the Job Title along with a meaningful cover letter, updated CV, recent PP size photographby email to:

jobs.un@e-zonebd.com

Last Date of Application: October  30,  2022

No phone calls please. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. All applications will be treated according to the merit and with strict confidentiality.