Applied Behavioural Sciences Officer

Mission and objectives

UNICEF was established in 1946 to supply emergency relief to millions of children suffering in the aftermath of World War II. The organization still functions to ease the suffering of millions of children in emergency situations across the world. UNICEF also focuses on the protection and promotion of child rights, working for the survival, protection, education and healthy development of every child. At the crossroads of Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Morocco is a middle-income country but with a steadily growing economy. As a result, Morocco is seen by many member states as a strategic country given its geographical location, political stability and overall progress in human development resulting in member states main priorities shifting to expanding commercial and economic ties and de-prioritizing human capital investments. It is in this context that UNICEF Morocco sees an opportunity to diversify sources of income and develop strategic partnerships with the private sector and its different stakeholders to reduce disparities, improve the situation of children and protect their rights. Globally, UNICEF recognizes the private sector as a vital partner in driving sustainable change for children. Through collaboration with multinational corporations and national companies UNICEF builds partnerships that combine financial support, innovation, and responsible business practices. The interactions will take different forms ranging from mobilizing resources (corporate philanthropy), promoting positive changes in business practices through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), supporting programmes for children and encouraging innovations.

Context

The UNICEF Morocco Country Office is implementing a maternal and child health and nutrition project in the Béni Mellal-Khénifra region with implications for the national level and replication potential in other Moroccan regions. The project aims to improve access to and use of quality health and nutrition services during the critical first 1,000 days of life, with a particular focus on priority practices such as antenatal care, breastfeeding and complementary feeding. As part of this effort, the project includes a behavioural science component to better understand social and behavioural barriers, test hypotheses, design and implement behavioural experiments, generate evidence for scale-up and replication, and strengthen the capacities of national and local partners. The UNV Specialist in Applied Behavioural Sciences will support this component under the leadership of the SBC Specialist, contributing to the practical application of behavioural science approaches within the maternal, infant and child health and nutrition programme and, more broadly, across UNICEF Morocco’s SBC portfolio.

Task Description

Behavioural science and technical support  Support the SBC Specialist in the coordination and oversight of behavioural research and experimentation activities conducted by implementing partners.  Contribute to the design, development and implementation of behavioural experiments aimed at addressing priority social and behavioural challenges in health, nutrition and other UNICEF programme areas.  Support the identification of opportunities for additional behavioural experiments and testing initiatives that can generate practical evidence and strengthen the application of behavioural science approaches within UNICEF programming.  Review and provide technical inputs on behavioural research protocols, data collection tools, intervention materials, training materials and technical deliverables.  Contribute to the interpretation of behavioural evidence and findings, and support the translation of insights into programme recommendations.  Support the documentation of lessons learned, good practices and key findings from behavioural research and experimentation activities. Capacity strengthening and knowledge management  Support the preparation and delivery of capacity strengthening activities on applied behavioural sciences, behavioural insights and social and behaviour change approaches.  Contribute to the development of practical approaches, tools and processes that help streamline and strengthen behavioural experimentation within UNICEF Morocco.  Support the production of briefs, presentations, reports and learning products on applied behavioural sciences and other SBC approaches.  Support the sharing of experiences, key findings and lessons learned from behavioural experiments and research activities to inform future behavioural science and SBC programming in Morocco and engage relevant internal and external stakeholders. Operational support to the SBC section  Provide operational and programme support to the SBC section for the implementation of behavioural science and SBC activities.  Contribute to project monitoring, reporting and administrative follow-up as required.  Support other SBC programme activities and priorities as requested by the supervisor.

Competencies and values

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNICEF; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNICEF, procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented; • Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and UNICEF daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority; • Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues; • Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment. • Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities; • Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups; • Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary; • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNICEF, MENARO’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

Living conditions and remarks

Morocco is a Middle Income Country with a population of 38 million. Since the last decade, the country has undergone political, institutional and demographic transitions. The climate in Rabat and coastal areas is mild with hot summers and wet and rainy short winters. Though Arabic is the official language, French is widely spoken among the majority of the population. Accommodation (apartments, studios, villas) is available at reasonable charges. Services in terms of banking, transportation, health and communications are easily available. Public transportation, including the train system (which has a good safety record) is inexpensive and connects all the major centers in the country. Taxis are in abundance in large cities such as Casablanca and Rabat. These cities boast a variety of diversions, including cinemas, restaurants, and shopping in modern boutiques or in the souk, the open-air market in which vendors sell a wide array of local arts and crafts items. Moroccan cuisine has gained a following among connoisseurs worldwide. All Western amenities (food, clothing, restaurants) are available in the city. As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. National UN Volunteers are part of the insurance plan. Conditions of Service 1. Pre-Assignment Entry Lump Sum: USD 350 Relocation Allowance: USD 175 at the beginning and end of the assignment, provided the duty station is outside commuting distance, as determined by UNV. 2. During the Assignment Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA): MAD 13,179.16 per month. Learning and Training: Access to UNV learning and career development resources. Annual Leave: 2.5 days per month. Insurance: Comprehensive coverage for health, life, and malicious acts for the UN Volunteer, as well as health insurance coverage for up to three eligible dependents. Please refer to the Conditions of Service for detailed eligibility criteria. 3. End of Assignment Exit Lump Sum: USD 120 for each month served, payable upon the successful completion of the assignment and contract.