Pact Overview

At the heart of Pact is the promise of a better tomorrow. A nonprofit international development organization founded in 1971, Pact works on the ground in nearly 40 countries to improve the lives of those who are challenged by poverty and marginalization. We serve these communities because we envision a world where everyone owns their future. To do this, we build systemic solutions in partnership with local organizations, businesses, and governments that create sustainable and resilient communities where those we serve are heard, capable, and vibrant.

Pact is a recognized global leader in international development. Our staff have a range of expertise in areas including public health, capacity development, governance and civil society, natural resource management, poverty, fragile states, monitoring and evaluation, small-scale and artisanal mining, microfinance and more. This expertise is combined in Pact’s unique integrated approach, which focuses on systemic changes needed to improve people’s lives.

Position Purpose

Pact seeks experienced Social and Behaviour Change Advisor (SBC Advisor) for the USAID Zambia Integrated Health Activity, a $120M contract to support the USAID and PEPFAR objectives of 95/95/95. USAID Zambia Integrated Health will improve health outcomes of Zambians through equitable access to high-quality, client-centered HIV, TB/HIV, MNCH, and FP/RH services, products, and information, and strengthen integration of these services at the health facility and community levels when applicable. The SBC Advisor will be based at the Ndola technical Hub providing technical support to the 3 provinces and districts. He/She will provide technical leadership for advocacy, communications, and social mobilization (ACSM) and manage implementation of strategic social and behavior change interventions at community, provider, household, and individual levels to increase uptake and adherence to integrated HIV, TB, MNCH and FP services and health seeking-behaviours. The SBC Advisor will lead strategies to promote personal agency and community engagement around health interventions and sustain demand for services. The SBC Advisor will report directly to the supervise the Senior Technical Advisor – Community Services and Engagement and will supervise the Provincial Community Mobilization Officers

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement Advocacy, Social Mobilization and Communication (ASCM) and Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) evidence-based strategies and engagement with communities to implement SBC activities that address social and cultural barriers to use of health services and adoption of healthy behaviors.
• Identify/develop and implement innovative and low-cost SBC / RCCE models and solutions that aim to increase personal agency and improve care-seeking behaviors, including innovation and implementation of effective social listening mechanisms at community level.
• Provide technical leadership, guidance, and support in engaging priority populations and community stakeholders in designing, planning, and tailoring SBC interventions that address drivers and barriers to the adoption of healthy behaviors such as the uptake of HTS services in the community.
• Lead the advocacy, communication, and social mobilization including Gender inclusion programming.
• Work with the religious, traditional and provincial leadership including key community stakeholder partners including MOH health promotions to plan community mobilization activities that generate demand for health services and help people adopt new healthy behaviors.
• Lead project strategies to routinely collaborate and engage with communities to implement SBC activities that address social and cultural barriers to use of health services and adoption of healthy behaviors.
• Identify and develop program guidance for the implementation of innovative and low-cost SBC models and solutions that aim to increase personal agency and improve care-seeking behaviors.
• Coordinate targeted capacity building to improve client-provider interactions at the point of service delivery through high-quality training, mentoring, and technical assistance.
• Support identification of new subgrantees and management of project subgrantees under community services
• Lead the integration of appropriate, evidence-based mental health support services, as part of ensuring comprehensive client-centered HIV, TB/HIV, MNCH and FP services.
• Provide input into the SBC components of project workplans, reports, and budget, and participate in project level processes to ensure integration with other project components.
• Monitor the implementation of SBC activities, ensuring that SBC objectives, targets, and deliverables are achieved on time and on budget.
• Design and track indicators that will help to demonstrate that the project SBC interventions result in increased demand for products and services or prompt target audiences to adopt the priority behaviors.
• Liaise with key stakeholders, including MOH, civil society, private sector, and other USAID projects, on SBC issues relevant to the project.
• Ensure adequate matrix management, collaboration, and coordination with the Ndola technical hub advisor team (Clinical services /SIA/Transition and Sustainability).
• Participate in technical working groups addressing SBC issues linked to the project.
• Perform any other duties assigned by the project.

Qualifications / Competencies

• Master’s Degree from an accredited university in health promotion, community health, project management, public health communications, social sciences, or a relevant field.
• At least 6 years of experience in a senior leadership role in the health sector, with emphasis on leading SBC/ACSM strategies and implementation for HIV, TB/HIV, MNCH, and/or FP.
• Demonstrated competencies in designing and implementing SBC activities and community engagement processes for demand generation and uptake of HIV, TB, MCNH, and/or FP services in large-scale, complex, international development assistance programs, preferably with USAID and PEPFAR-funded programs.
• In-depth understanding and knowledge of Zambia’s SBC/community health structures and programming, as well as socio-cultural environment influencing drivers and barriers to service uptake and care seeking.
• Experience leading technical teams, achieving deliverables, and working under USAID contracts preferred.
• Knowledge and experience in the design and implementation of evidence-based behavior change interventions.
• Experience in qualitative research including formative research and KAP surveys research.
• Training in HIV/AID and psycho-social counselling is an added advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to manage subgrantees
• Demonstrated ability to work in complex environments, and work with and between different stakeholders.
• Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with government and civil society stakeholders.
• Demonstrated skills in problem-solving and consensus-building.
• Strong professional written and oral communications skills in English.