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:

Consultant- ECCD SBC Strategy Development (NOC)

Duty Station: Dhaka

Contract Duration: 5 Months

Number of Vacancies: 1 (One)

Contract Type: Contract with E-Zone

Contract Start Date: 30 May 2023

Reporting to: SBC Officer, SBC Section, under overall guidance of Chief SBC.

A. Objectives and Purposes:

The overall objective of this consultancy is to support particularly National Nutrition Services (NNS), Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), and other relevant departments/ministries such as MNC&AH, MCRAH, DGFP  to develop evidence informed Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) strategy for 0-3 years age children including a comprehensive SBC strategic communication framework, materials and products as part of the plan of National Comprehensive Integrated ECCD strategy (Under 3) for MoHFW.

The consultant will closely work with the technical guidance of the Social and Behaviour Change Officer and cross sectoral ECCD focal under the overall technical guidance of Chief of SBC Section. The incumbent will be responsible to coordinate with the relevant partners, facilitating consultation meeting with communities and various stakeholders to develop the strategy with support of ECCD cross sectoral focal. 

B. Background:

The fundamental mission of UN AGENCY is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. Social and Behavior Change results are central to the SDGs, and to UN AGENCY’s work and mandate. It would contribute to the realization of UNSDCF strategic results, SDGs, and UN AGENCY Strategic results that the different UN AGENCY section programme would contribute to.

Social and Behaviour Change (SBC), previously known as Communication for Development (C4D), is defined in UN AGENCY as “Social and behaviour change (SBC) aims to empower individuals and communities, and lower structural barriers that hinder people from adopting positive practices and societies from becoming more equitable, inclusive, cohesive and peaceful.”

Drawing on various disciplines (from sociology and psychology to communication and behavioural economics), SBC encompasses any set of strategies and interventions that influences drivers of change and supports local action towards better societies.”

SBC helps development practitioners and policymakers design more effective programmes for reducing poverty and inequity. And it blends scientific knowledge with community insights, most importantly, to expand people’s control over the decisions that affect their lives.  SBC is positioned in the Bangladesh Country Programme (CP) 2022-2026 as a key cross-cutting component. SBC implement and coordinate across the sector programmes to employ a child cantered approach and achieve behavior and social change results of the health, nutrition, protection, education, WASH, and social protection programme.

Evidence on Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) programme proved that participation in high quality Early Childhood Development (ECD) programmes has significant impact on a child’s holistic development, strengthens capacity to be successful across the life cycle, and is a key contributor to the achievement of sustainable development. The scientific research focusing on early brain development confirms that the quality of the experiences within the first 1,000 days of a child’s life is particularly critical because it is within this period that the brain develops most rapidly, with vital changes occurring in all domains- language and communication, social skills and emotional control, recognition and understanding of symbols in the environment and the development of attitudes and aptitudes to learning and living 

It is also acknowledged that the early childhood development covers children aged 0–8 years. However, the Nurturing Care Framework (NCF) focuses on the period from pregnancy to age 3 as it is scientifically proven that this is a very sensitive period for brain development. Yet, in many settings, this period is not usually addressed in programming for early childhood development. In these earliest years, the health sector is uniquely positioned to provide support for nurturing care. It focuses on the period from pregnancy to age 3 to draw attention to the health sector’s extensive reach, and to make use of it.

The current data and evidence in Bangladesh reflect a notable gap in care for children between the age from 0- 3 years in various phases of life. Currently, only 37 per cent of pregnant women receives four ante-natal care visits, and 65 per cent of mothers receive post-natal care.  Only 65 per cent of infants are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life and only 23 per cent of children under two years of age are fed nutritious diets which meet minimum acceptable standards. Only 56 per cent of children under 5 have had their birth registered and 89 per cent of children aged 1-14 years old are exposed to physical punishment and psychological aggression at home and 30 children from 1-4 years die due to drowning. 

Therefore, ECCD emphasizes a collaborative approach to policies and programmes for children from 0 to 3 years of age, their parents and caregivers. Lifetime behavior patterns are formed during this period when brain development is most active. As such, what happens or does not happen during these early years of a child’s life, influences their growth and development outcomes as well as opportunities in adulthood. As children acquire the ability to speak, learn and reason in early years, cornerstones are laid and later affect their orientation to development and thriving in life. Investment in the early years of a child is therefore critical for both survival, growth and development of the child.

Given the value of ECCD, SDG 4.2 has set the targets to ensure access to quality early childhood development with proper care and pre-primary education for all children by 2030.  To support achieving this target Bangladesh has already a robust enabling legal and policy framework for ECCD. Despite of significant policy support, Bangladesh still has notable gap strengthening ECCD services across the country. Considering the above, UN AGENCY country programme (2022-2026) identified ECCD as a cross cutting priority.  And to foster ECCD support to Government, UN AGENCY developed an evidence-based scalable model for ECCD to strengthen the case with the Government for its continued importance and applicability in Bangladesh under the current Country Programme (2022-2026).

Consequently, in 2022, National nutrition services (NNS), DGHS with support of UN AGENCY finalized “A National Comprehensive Integrated ECCD Strategy (Under-3) for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW). Under this strategy Social and Behaviour Change identified as one of the crucial strategic areas to pursue its overarching targets and goals, referred in the strategic direction 2 of the strategy as “Strengthen advocacy and communications for social and behaviour change at all levels focusing families and communities”. Besides, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, UN AGENCY and WHO jointly developed a summary work plan for implementing a comprehensive integrated ECCD programs in Bangladesh during 2022. And one of the important activities #4 under the workplan is to “Strengthen capacity of parents and communities on responsive, early stimulation. 

Therefore, given the importance of the ECCD in the current country programme and the subsequent priorities of government and other partners, UN AGENCY Social and Behaviour Change (SBC)/C4D section intended to support the relevant ministries to develop an evidenced informed Social and Behaviour Change ECCD strategy which will be based on the National Integrated ECCD strategy of MoHFW and Nurturing care framework to strengthen utilization of ECCD services by parents, caregivers and communities.

C. Scope of Work:

This consultancy will require to conduct the desk review of relevant ECCD policies, strategies including “national comprehensive integrated ECCD strategy of MoHFW, comprehensive ECCD Policy of Bangladesh, social and behavioural evidence/information etc to understand the gap on relevant ECCD practices and reviews of existing social and behaviour change communication products and materials to develop the strategy. 

The incumbent will be responsible to facilitate consultation meetings/focus group discussion/KII with right holders and caregivers as relevant including children and adolescents, parents & key stakeholders, community influential leaders, relevant officials from the ministries/departments/service providers at national and sub national level of different geographic locations. Conduct interview with UN AGENCY internal sectoral teams as relevant and gather first-hand information and analysis to guide the development of SBC ECCD strategy. The consultant will also require mapping out of existing available SBC ECCD communication materials for various audience etc. 

The scope of the consultancy is outlined below:

1. to develop evidence informed social and behavioural change ECCD strategy in line with the comprehensive Integrated ECCD strategy (Under 3) of MoH&FW and Nurturing care Framework to create mass awareness, increase knowledge and practices & utilisation of ECCD services by parents, caregivers and communities.
2. to develop an evidence-based SBC strategic communication framework on ECCD for different audience group (i.e parents, caregivers and influencers etc) to promote ECCD practices
3. mapping of the available ECCD strategic communication materials/tools for parents and caregivers and service providers and propose/develop communication materials based on the materials gap for the children of age 0-3 years
4. Pre-test communication materials with the specific audience and finalize in consultation with relevant stakeholders. 

The SBC strategies and strategic communication materials and products development will require to follow a consultative process at national and subnational level with engagement of children & adolescents and parents and caregivers, community influencers, relevant ministries, UN AGENCY internal ECCD sectoral focal and other relevant- stakeholders.

D. Deliverables

Following are the expected specific areas of deliverables:

1. Desk review of secondary data sources: Consultant to review the qualitative findings on available ECCD related knowledge, attitude, practices and believes/norms related data/information, ECCD strategies, Comprehensive ECCD policies, &ELDS to adapt key ECCD issues in the ECCD SBC strategy

2. Inception meeting with SBC section and ECCD cross sectoral focal: Conduct an inception meeting on the scope of work and cross-sectoral focal related to ECCD

1. Presentation of understanding of assignment
2. Submit Work plan and timeline

3. Develop a comprehensive SBC ECCD Strategy: Facilitate development of ECCD SBC strategy based on the available evidence, study findings, consultation with key stakeholders    

1. Consultation meeting with Programme officials of UN AGENCY and respective counterparts (Government partners/CSOs and media partners)
2. Conduct KII with relevant stakeholders
3. Subnational level consultation (selective divisions/districts) with parents, caregivers and service providers and other key relevant stakeholders, inputs from consultation meeting to include in ECCD SBC strategy (conduct workshop/FGD with parents and caregivers, communities, children and adolescents, influential leaders etc)
4. Develop SBC ECCD strategy
5. Present the SBC ECCD strategy to the various groups/ relevant government officials and incorporate inputs from the discussion
6. Get endorsement of SBC Strategy for ECCD from relevant stakeholders

4. Develop an evidence-based SBC strategic communication framework: 

1. facilitate review of existing communication materials
2. Document available communication materials/tools related to promoting ECCD
3. Conduct KII with relevant government officials in coordination with sections, to review and document ECCD SBC materials of relevant ministries  
4. develop an evidence based ECCD SBC strategic communication framework for different audience group (i.e parents, caregivers and influencers etc) to promote knowledge attitude practice on ECCD
   1. Conduct field test of key messages and adjust the field test findings
   2. Finalise Key messages contents
   3. Get endorsement of ECCD SBC message framework from relevant counterparts

5. Development/Propose new SBC strategic materials:

1. Facilitate to develop/propose new SBC materials based on the need of the SBC strategy
2. Pre-test SBC strategic communication materials with the specific audience and finalize in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
3. Facilitate to get endorsement from SBC section, relevant sections of UN AGENCY and relevant partners

E. Profile Requirements Qualification Skills:

Education: A university degree in one of the following fields is required: social and behavioural science, sociology, psychology, journalism, communication, anthropology, public relations or another relevant technical field. 

Work experience: A minimum of five years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: Demonstrated working experience in Early Childhood care and development (ECCD) and Social and behaviour change (SBC), SBC strategy development, social development programme planning, Social and Behaviour Change creative content and materials development, public advocacy or another related area.

Expert in analysing and synthesising qualitative data& information and inform to design programme strategies
Proven experience to develop Social and Behaviour change strategies/Communication Strategies for various programmes

Skilled in developing strategic communication framework
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively essential, with a clean record for timely delivery of high-quality products
Advanced proficiency in the use of Microsoft applications and related software including internet navigation, must own a laptop/equipment and be readily accessible via email.
 Experience in material development for print and multi-media, and community engagement
Experience in community engagement approaches etc  
Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset
Language proficiency:  Fluency in English and Bangla is required.

F. Consultancy Cost:

• Consultants will receive a renumeration of 3,00,000 BDT per month.
• BDT 60,000/= per month (the incumbent will be required to travel to the different field locations for at least 6 days/each month
• 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 based in Dhaka
•   Consultant is expected to conduct necessary field trips in different areas

This position is open for Bangladeshi Nationals only. All candidates, irrespective of gender, religious and ethnic backgrounds can apply for the vacancies. Candidates are requested to apply with an update CV (not more than two-pages) mentioning academic background, experiences and skills given in the ToR and cover letter (preferably one page) highlighting the motivational factors for applying and suitability of the candidature for the position. Only short-listed candidates will be invited for written test. The successful candidates will be interviewed for selection. Selected candidates will be requested to join as soon as possible.

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: May 10, 2023
Please mention the Applied Position Name on the subject line of your email.