Catholic Relief Services – CRS
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Job Description
- Job Title: Project Officer – Social Behavior Change
- Department: Program/RFSA_Ifaa
- Job grade: 7
- Reports To: Technical Advisor II – SBC (Lead)
- Number required: 1(one)
- Term of employment: Definite period (i.e. till June 2026)
- Country/Location: Ethiopia/Addis Ababa
Job Summary:
You will lead and coordinate the design, adaptation, and implementation of Social and Behavior Change (SBC) strategies across diverse technical sectors, including Health, Nutrition, Gender, Youth, Agriculture, and WASH, to promote positive behavior and social norms in vulnerable rural communities. Your role involves collaborating with implementing partners, consortium members, government, and local stakeholders to effectively roll out and monitor SBC interventions. You will create and disseminate integrated content, build local actor capacities for sustainability, and ensure project activities align with program quality standards and donor requirements. Additionally, you will support learning and adaptation through community engagement, share insights from social and behavioral science advancements, monitor project challenges, and coordinate evaluations to drive continuous improvement and impact.
Roles and Key Responsibilities:
- Actively engage across various technical sectors, including Health, Nutrition, Gender, Youth, Social Dynamics, Agriculture, Livelihoods, Market Systems, WASH, and Environment/Climate Change, to integrate message dissemination, monitoring, and follow-up, effectively nudging and reinforcing behaviors through repeated interactions.
- Collaborate with implementing partner (IP) technical and frontline staff, consortium members, government entities, public and private stakeholders, and local service providers to ensure the smooth implementation and rollout of SBC messages in line with the project’s standards, priorities, and approaches.
- Develop, adapt, and disseminate integrated transmedia content and materials tailored for rural, vulnerable communities, while building the capacities of local actors to ensure sustainability.
- Identify and implement SBC approaches suitable for the Ifaa context, providing strong technical support and oversight to design and roll out SBC activities that foster positive behaviors and social norms.
- Share insights for learning and adaptation by incorporating the latest developments and best practices from social and behavioral sciences, using participatory methods and community engagement to improve SBC program outcomes.
- Support the coordination and execution of all assigned project activities as detailed in the implementation plan, ensuring alignment with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and industry best practices.
- Monitor and report challenges or gaps, providing timely information to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules. Assist partners in reflecting on and learning from project experiences.
- Enhance accountability by coordinating project evaluation activities and supporting partners in data collection and analysis using specified mechanisms and tools. Work collaboratively with local partners to prepare reports according to the established reporting schedule.
- Gather information on staff capacity and technical assistance needs of partner organizations and monitor capacity-building and technical support activities to ensure their effectiveness and impact.
- Complete project documentation for assigned activities, proactively identifying information for case studies and reports on promising practices, and diligently documenting successes.
About You
Basic Qualifications
- Master’s/Bachelor’s degree in one of or related fields: Social work, Health Education and Promotion, Anthropology, Sociology, Journalism and communication, Psychology, Marketing, Communication, public health/nutrition with a specialization in behavioral science.
- Experience: At least 2 years of experience for Master’s and 4 years of work experience for bachelor’s in communication to foster positive behavior and social change ideally within an international organization.
- Communication Skills: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills in English, Afan Oromo and Amharic, tailored to the target audience and communication channel.
- Technical Skills: Content creation, production, pretest and dissemination roll out for SBC contents, messages/materials.
- Event and Media Management: Experience in event management and sound local media relations.
Required Languages – Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, Amharic and Afaan Oromo
Travel Required: 35% Field travel to East Hararghe woredas and Kebeles
Personal Skills
- Observation, active listening and analysis skills with ability to make sound judgment
- Good relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners and community members
- Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities
- Proactive, service and results-oriented
Preferred Qualifications
- Proficiency in IT, MS Office applications as well as demonstrated skills on digital media creation production and editing of print and audiovisual contents (such as Photoshop/Adobe InDesign/Illustrator, Adobe Audition, Adobe Premiere pro, etc) is a plus.
- Good understanding and respect for cultural differences, diversity and inclusion to effectively engage project team and participants towards sustained positive change.
- Experience in participatory action planning and community engagement.
- Experience monitoring projects and collecting relevant data preferred.
- Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
Agency REDI Competencies (for all CRS Staff):
Agency competencies clarify expected behaviors and attitudes for all staff. When demonstrated, they create an engaging workplace, help staff achieve their best, and help CRS achieve agency goals. These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.
- Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
- Acts with Integrity – Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission. Is considered honest.
- Builds and Maintains Trust – Shows consistency between words and actions.
- Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
- Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.
Agency Leadership Competencies:
- Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
- Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
- Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.
Supervisory Responsibilities: None
Key Working Relationships:
Internal: Ifaa/RFSA CoP, DCOP for Programming, MEAL and Operations, SBC lead and SPOs, Ifaa sector leads their SPOs and POs, team technical and operation teams, all Country Program staff,
External: Ifaa/RFSA Implementing Partner, Coordinators and experts at woreda and Kebele level, Ifaa Consortium member teams, local government, public and private stakeholders and communities and, representatives from for-profit and other non-profit organizations.
Required Skills
- Project management
- Project/campaign management
- Effective communication and sociability
- Attention to detail
- Team building
- Project planning
- Team work
Desired Skills
- Strategic thinking
- Technical writing
How To Apply
If you are ready to take on this rewarding opportunity and make a difference in the lives of others, you may fill out the application form through this link: https://form.jotform.com/243352346729562 and attach your up-to-date CV on/before the application deadline on December 9, 2024. You will be contacted only if selected for a written exam/interview. Phone solicitations will not be accepted, and these job opportunities are open to Ethiopian nationals only.
CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.
Qualified female and persons with disabilities are highly encouraged to apply.
Equal Opportunity Employer