Social & Behavior Change Data Specialist, Polio at the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Social & Behavior Change Data Specialist, Polio

Job no: 580024
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Contract type: Temporary Appointment
Level: P-3
Categories: Social and Behavior Change

Background

• Polio eradication is a corporate priority for UNICEF globally. Although there are only two remaining countries where polio is still endemic, unfortunately, the number and scale of polio outbreaks has continued to exceed expectations. 
• Although Nigeria was certified Wild Polio Virus (WPV) free in 2020, the country is currently facing an unprecedented outbreak of Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Virus Type 2 (cVDPV2). By Dec  2024  Nigeria has reported a total of 116  cVDPV2 cases. 
• To contain the outbreak, Nigeria has and will continue to implement an aggressive schedule of outbreak response activities in 2025 requiring substantive support by Government and partners. 
• UNICEF is committed to continue working on polio eradication until the goal is reached globally. The Top Priority of 2025 for Polio Eradication is to stop the cVDPV circulation from Nigeria by June 2025 .
• UNICEF has been supporting the Government of Nigeria in its polio outbreak responses as the lead social and behavior change partner as well as in vaccine management support.  UNICEF Nigeria is managing more than 18,500 Volunteer Community Mobilisers (VCMs) across 12 polio high risk states to promote polio vaccination during outbreak response and improve routine immunization,. 
• UNICEF is a key member of the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC), assigning key staff to the NEOC’s Strategic and Advocacy, Communication Social Mobilization (ACSM) Working Groups and the logistic working group, as well as being a permanent member of the strategy group.

Purpose Of Assignment
How can you make a difference?

• The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) seeks to ensure that future generations of children will be free from the threat of polio paralysis. Achieving this goal depends on ensuring rapid and effective responses to poliovirus outbreaks in polio-free countries.  
• Polio eradication continues to be an organizational priority and, like COVID-19, is a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). The number of outbreaks of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV2) has far exceeded global expectations in recent years.
• To provide continued support to the Nigeria outbreak response and preparedness, UNICEF is seeking to recruit a Social and Behavior Change (SBC) -Data Specialist to ensure UNICEF’s accountability during any polio outbreak is best managed as a critical component of the global outbreak Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). With increasing outbreaks and the need to implement a timely response in multiple contexts. 

Major Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Polio team lead and in coordination with Deputy GPEI Coordinator, the staff will perform the following duties and responsibilities:

• Build capacity of the national and state teams on data collection, analysis, and interpretation for polio SBC, gender, and misinformation management impacting outbreak response. This includes the development/update of tools and guidance, technical assistance, in-country training.
• Analyze available pre-campaign, campaign, and post-campaign data for consequential geographies and other states in alignment with the global templates and including vaccine management data;
• Design tools and guidance for gender assessments in outbreak and build the capacity of the national and state on gender assessment.
• Compile and coordinate key performance indicators for SBC.

Expected Output:

• A systematic process, guidance document, and tools developed to analyze social data from consequential geographies (Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, Katsina and Zamfara) and other priority states
• Tools and guidance developed for gender assessments during polio outbreaks
• Training package developed for analyzing social data in polio outbreaks
• Polio SBC surge support in country (focusing on consequential geographies) are trained on social data management for SBC
• VCM engaged in the OB response have capacities to timely report, prevent, and eventually address critical misinformation, rumors, and information gaps to ensure higher quality communication interventions before, during, and after the polio outbreak response
• Management and analysis of VCM data
• Data analysis reports for SIAs
• Quarterly KPI reports
• Monthly report of activities summarizing key outcomes (end of each month)

Expected results:

• Updated tools and guidance developed for the analysis of social data related to outbreak response
• Gender assessment tools and guidance developed available to country office
• SIA analysis reports available for campaigns conducted.
• One comprehensive training module for data management for polio outbreak response focuses on analyzing social data from various sources.
• SBC Dashboards set up

Requirements
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have:

• An Advanced University Degree (Master's) in Computer Science, Statistics or Social Sciences.
• A minimum of five years progressively working in Information management, analytics, data visualization, Statistics or M&E preferably in a public health setting.
• Experience working with Open Data Kit (ODK)
• Advance knowledge of Excel and PowerPoint.
• Familiarity with SQL, ArcGIS/QGIS/Open Street mapping
• Knowledge of Python and a front-end development framework.
• Familiarity with Kibana, Power BI or Tableau.
• Working experience in UN or other international development organizations
• Familiarity with emergency responses is considered as a strong asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language is an asset
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.

For every Child, you demonstrate

• UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are:

• Builds and maintains partnerships (2)
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (2)
• Drive to achieve results for impact (2)
• Innovates and embraces change (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)
• Thinks and acts strategically (2)
• Works collaboratively with others (2)
• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (2). 

Application Closing Date
20th February, 2025; West Central Africa Standard Time

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Click here for more information (PDF)