Social and Behavior Change Lead - LHSS Timor-Leste

Job Description

Opportunity

The USAID Health System Sustainability Activity, activity in Timor-Leste is part of the global  Local Health System Sustainability (LHSS) project that works to strengthen health systems as a means to achieve universal health coverage and improve population health and well-being. Interventions focus on reducing financial barriers, holding health services accountable for meeting all clients’ needs and making sure that the care patients receive meets minimum standards. The Timor-Leste Activity supports the Government of Timor-Leste to effectively and sustainably govern, finance, and deliver quality and affordable essential health services while being responsive and accountable to users and an engaged civil society. The activity’s objectives are to strengthen health sector governance, enhance health sector workforce management, improve healthy behaviors, improve health advocacy and civic engagement for health system strengthening, and support the Government’s response to COVID-19.

Key Responsibilities

The Social and Behavior Change (SBC) Lead will lead the USAID Health System Sustainability Activity’s objective to Improve Healthy Behaviors. This includes the design, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of interventions aimed to strengthen civil society and Government’s ability to design and implement effective SBC activities. Responsibilities include:

• Designing and leading interventions that strengthen civil society organizations and key stakeholders within the GoTL so that they are better able to understand, design, implement, monitor, and evaluate SBC activities. Execute this by using qualitative research approaches and engaging with relevant stakeholders and subject matter experts.
• Collaborating closely with LHSS partner Save the Children on the design and implementation of interventions
• Developing workplan activities, timelines, and expected outputs for the project’s SBC-related activities in future project years
• Leading the timely production of quality deliverables to USAID, including quarterly reports, annual reports, work plans, budgets, technical reports, and publications
• Contributing to Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning activities, including developing indicators, collecting data, and reporting on indicators, in collaboration with the MEL team
• Implementing activities in a way that is harmonized with the project’s objectives to ensure complementary and efficient implementation
• Coordinating and collaborating with project staff and partners to implement cross-cutting activities
• Coordinating with international and local subcontractors, working with regional and technical staff to ensure that all activities and outputs are technically sound and appropriate
• Supporting MEL and Knowledge Management/Communications teams to develop case studies and success stories from Timor-Leste interventions
• Actively facilitating and participating in relevant meetings, technical working groups, conferences, etc. as necessary to share knowledge generated through interventions and to represent the project
• Supervising and mentoring the SBC Manager.

Within the LHSS project, the Social and Behavior Change (SBC) Lead will be supported by LHSS home office-based operations, finance, and technical expertise and will report and work under the guidance of the Chief of party.

Preferred Skills/Knowledge

• Experience in leading research activities. Experience leading SBC research and activities would be desirable. The activities may will include formative research, baseline/endline surveys, and other explorations of peoples’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices
• Knowledge of specific health behavioral change around nutrition, domestic and intimate partner violence, and family planning
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with both local communities and with government counterparts, and coordinate various actors such as different Ministry of Health units, other ministries and government agencies, donors and CSOs
• Experience developing and monitoring social and behavioral campaigns and reporting to Monitoring and  Evaluation plans
• Familiarity with health systems strengthening concepts will be an advantage
• Familiarity with USAID-funded projects will be an advantage
• Proven professional knowledge of MS Office applications and appropriate organizational skills
• Ability to work both independently and in a team environment where there is understanding of how the interventions are linked to larger activity goals
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
• Fluent Tetum writing and speaking skills
• Timorese nationals are encouraged to apply

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree + Twelve years of relevant experience, or Master’s Degree + Ten years of relevant experience, or PhD+ Eight years of relevant experience

Abt Associates is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse workforce. Abt Associates provides market-competitive salaries and comprehensive employee benefits. Local candidates strongly encouraged to apply.

Disclaimer: Abt Associates will never ask candidates for money in exchange for an offer of employment.

 

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