Health Specialist – Social and Behavioural Change, Polio, P-4

JOB DETAILS

Position: Health Specialist – Social and Behavioural Change, Polio

Position Level: P-4

Contract Type: Temporary Appointment

Contract Duration: 364 days

Duty Station: Abuja, Nigeria

Job Number: 594824

Functional Area: Health

JOB PURPOSE

The Health Specialist will design, manage, implement, monitor and evaluate social and behavioural-change and social-mobilisation interventions supporting Nigeria’s polio-eradication programme.

The role will generate demand for polio vaccination and routine immunisation, address vaccine hesitancy, reduce refusals and missed children and support sustained community engagement before, during and between vaccination campaigns.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Social and Behavioural-Change Strategy

• Lead the design of evidence-based SBC strategies supporting polio eradication.
• Analyse behavioural, social, cultural and communication barriers to vaccination.
• Identify factors contributing to vaccine refusal and hesitancy.
• Analyse reasons children are repeatedly missed during campaigns.
• Develop targeted approaches for high-risk and underserved communities.
• Ensure strategies reflect current epidemiological and behavioural evidence.
• Integrate communication and community-engagement approaches into programme planning.
• Support sustained engagement between vaccination rounds.
• Adapt strategies during outbreaks or changing programme conditions.
• Contribute to wider health and immunisation interventions where required.

Programme Planning and Implementation

• Develop detailed implementation plans for SBC interventions.
• Coordinate social-mobilisation activities before and during campaigns.
• Support community-engagement activities at national and subnational levels.
• Guide the development and use of communication materials.
• Ensure interventions reach parents, caregivers and influential community stakeholders.
• Strengthen communication through traditional, community and digital media.
• Support health education and vaccination-demand activities.
• Coordinate SBC interventions during polio-outbreak responses.
• Monitor programme implementation and address identified gaps.
• Promote innovation and use of locally appropriate communication methods.

Research and Evidence

• Conduct or commission formative and participatory research.
• Support behavioural and audience analysis.
• Use social data to improve programme strategies.
• Identify information gaps requiring further assessment.
• Apply communication theory and behavioural-analysis methods.
• Use motivational psychology and adult-learning principles.
• Monitor community perceptions and vaccination concerns.
• Analyse feedback from campaigns and community engagement.
• Ensure evidence informs programme adjustments.
• Document lessons learned and effective practices.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Develop indicators for SBC and social-mobilisation interventions.
• Monitor progress against programme targets.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of communication interventions.
• Analyse whether interventions reduce refusals and missed children.
• Support data-quality reviews.
• Prepare technical and management reports.
• Use monitoring findings to recommend corrective actions.
• Support programme reviews and evaluations.
• Ensure results are communicated to relevant stakeholders.

Technical and Operational Support

• Provide technical guidance to UNICEF teams and partners.
• Support federal, state and local government structures.
• Guide implementing partners and field personnel.
• Strengthen the capacity of communication and mobilisation teams.
• Develop technical guidance, tools and learning materials.
• Support programme budgeting and work planning.
• Identify operational risks and propose solutions.
• Ensure programme approaches remain consistent with UNICEF standards.
• Provide technical support during emergencies and outbreaks.

Advocacy and Partnerships

• Build partnerships with government institutions.
• Engage traditional and religious leaders.
• Work with community organisations and civil-society partners.
• Coordinate with United Nations agencies and development partners.
• Support advocacy for polio eradication and routine immunisation.
• Strengthen collaboration with health and communication stakeholders.
• Represent UNICEF in relevant coordination and technical forums.
• Promote consistent communication among programme partners.
• Support resource mobilisation and strategic advocacy where required.

Decision-Making

• Provide evidence-based recommendations to programme leadership.
• Identify issues requiring urgent management attention.
• Prioritise interventions according to programme risks.
• Recommend adjustments during campaigns and outbreaks.
• Balance national programme requirements with local realities.
• Ensure decisions protect children and support equitable access to immunisation.

EDUCATION

An advanced university degree is required in one of the following areas:

• Social and behavioural-change communication.
• Public health.
• Health promotion.
• Health education.
• Community health.
• Sociology.
• Anthropology.
• Psychology.
• Biomedical sciences.
• Social or behavioural sciences.
• Another closely related discipline.

Academic training should preferably include communication planning, participatory communication, social mobilisation or participatory research.

EXPERIENCE

• At least eight years of progressively responsible professional experience.
• Experience designing and managing SBC or social-communication programmes.
• Relevant experience in immunisation or polio programming.
• Country-level experience in development, fragile or humanitarian settings is desirable.
• Public-health or community-health experience is an advantage.
• Experience managing complex partnerships and programmes is desirable.

REQUIRED TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE

• Communication theory.
• Behavioural analysis.
• Motivational psychology.
• Adult-learning principles.
• Community organisation and participation.
• Indigenous and community media.
• Digital communication.
• Strategic communication planning.
• Formative and participatory research.
• Monitoring and evaluation of communication interventions.

LANGUAGES

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.
• Knowledge of a Nigerian local language is desirable.

UNICEF COMPETENCIES

• Builds and maintains partnerships.
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness.
• Drives to achieve results for impact.
• Innovates and embraces change.
• Manages ambiguity and complexity.
• Thinks and acts strategically.
• Works collaboratively with others.

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants must complete the application through UNICEF’s official recruitment portal by 9 August 2026 at 11:55 p.m. West and Central Africa Standard Time.

Applicants should ensure their online profile, employment history, education and supporting documents are complete.

UNICEF does not charge candidates at any stage of recruitment. Selected candidates will undergo reference, qualification and employment-history verification.