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UNICEF works in some of the world toughest places, to reach the world most disadvantaged children. To save their lives and protect them from disability. To defend their rights. To help them fulfil their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a Polio free world!

Pakistan was the sixth country in the world to sign and ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child, less than one year after it was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989. However, children and adolescents living in Pakistan still face acute challenges.

UNICEF supports the Government of Pakistan to accelerate progress for children, work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and help children realize their rights under the Convention on the Rights of Children. This will be made through, among other things, strong partnerships with provincial authorities, teachers and health professionals, frontline workers and social mobilisers, communities and families, and of course the children and adolescents themselves.

In particular, UNICEF will work so that:

• Every child survives and thrives - being in good health, immunized, protected from polio and accessing nutritious food.
• Every child learns.
• Every child is protected from violence and exploitation and registered at birth.
• Every child lives in a safe and clean environment, with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.

To learn more about UNICEF work in Pakistan, please visit the country website www.unicef.org/pakistan and videos on YouTube and Vimeo

The Programme Specialist (Anthropologist) reports to the Senior Communication Manager (C4D). P-5 for general guidance and direction. The Programme Specialist is responsible for research around priority communities in high risk areas to support the programme to develop community engagement and communication strategies to improve vaccine acceptance. In collaboration with M&E team, the work will also focus on applying appropriate evaluation methodologies to determine and generate evidence on what interventions are producing the intended impact. The incumbent is expected to be able to flexibly design appropriate methodologies to research social barriers for immunization that fit the different contexts across the country, recognizing that a one size fits all approach will not work within the diversity of polio endemic areas in Pakistan. In addition, the incumbent will support coordination and technical support to GPEI partners and research projects to strengthen polio eradication efforts in Pakistan.

The work done by the Polio medical anthropologist will contribute to the following strategic areas of UNICEF support to Polio eradication efforts in Pakistan;

• Meaningful Engagement of Underserved Communities. With fluctuating trends of missed children across different provinces, support the program to capitalize on existing evidence, generate a new knowledge that bridges gaps and facilitate informed design and implementation and evaluation of interventions.
• Social Research for Communication Support. Define a more specific research plans to meet emerging data and evidence needs. Focus on utilizing available data sets to maximize program efficiency but will also collect other data to triangulate some of the depicted trends or provide explanations through other qualitative and community studies. Standard tools will be utilized for comparison as possible across different regions and provinces. Support M&E Specialist in synthesis of critical data in a visually compelling way, such as the use of GIS maps to facilitate easy utilization of information at all levels.
• Strengthen linkages between Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) programme, EPI and integrated service (ISD) delivery in the context of underserved communities. Engaging and working with sections within UNICEF and within the emergency operations centers at the National and provincial areas on ISD in priority areas and communities. This support focuses on understanding social barriers and participatory approaches to guide roll out of integrated services and evaluating their impact on building community trust and increasing vaccine acceptance. Key to this is effective coordination with M&E andPEI, EPI, ISD areas of work on what type of research/evaluation is needed where, and at what time in the program cycle.
• Support monitoring and evaluation of communication activities for polio eradication. At a national level, support annual quantitative survey that triangulate the progress made in addressing issues / outcomes from different interventions.
• Support special studies or secondary analysis will vary as per the program need but will be focused on addressing an important program question.
• Support research to support digital and social media interventions that provide information on consumption patterns, penetration level of different media channels in different target groups and regions or effectiveness to addressing emerging issues.
• Use of socio-anthropological data in programme design. Facilitate participatory engagement with C4D teams on unpacking research outcomes to inform decision making and design of programme interventions.

To make a difference, the incumbent shall be responsible for following key strategic functions, accountabilities and related duties/ tasks;

Support research on social cultural norms and behavioural drivers of key populations

• Conduct a comprehensive situation analysis of social, cultural, communication, economic and political issues affecting vaccine acceptance in the key polio high risk areas and Polio reservoirs.
• Collaborate/consult with a wide range of partners and stakeholders, e.g. academia, research and implementing organizations, to identify and maintain partnerships on available research, studies, and documentation related to key Polio target groups to harmonize evidence related to behavioral drivers, barriers, and health practices and choices.

Conduct field research and evaluation of interventions in place

• Collaborate with internal partners and external partners to design and conduct continuous ethnographic studies in key population groups to augment existing evidence and validate program strategies.
• Carry out comprehensive analysis and reporting on all ethnographic field research using standard anthropological methodologies to guide development of appropriate interventions to address vaccine hesitancy
• Support on social data collection for PEI, EPI and ISD social data needs.
• Support M&E Specialist to develop an evaluation framework to assess impact of interventions on vaccine hesitancy and over its implementation. Document and disseminate evidence generated from these assessments to programme decisions.

Strengthen linkages between Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) programme, EPI and integrated service (ISD) delivery.

• Support research on participatory approaches to inform design and roll out of services and interventions to address vaccine hesitancy.
• Working across PEI and across EPI and ISD teams, design evaluation methodologies to assess impact of interventions aimed to address vaccine hesitancy.
• Produce social profiles of key target populations based on comprehensive situation analysis and field research in formats that can be aligned to existing data for decision making tools Document recommendations for evidence-based strategies, approaches, in support of programmes/projects implementation and delivery of results.

Coordination, knowledge management and capacity development in key priority regions to present and provide guidance on tailored campaign strategies for specific target groups

• To foster and develop local research talent to continue to contribute and innovate to the work of the PEI programme.
• Carry out dissemination workshops with relevant internal and external partners to disseminate information and evidence generated for program decision making.
• Participate in NEOC strategic discussions to collaborate on strategic shifts for Polio campaign strategies based on social research.
• Provide oversight of social research priorities to support Polio Eradication efforts in Pakistan.
• At the NEOC, provide technical support and leadership on social research, monitoring and evaluation of targeted interventions and knowledge management especially on work focused on priority communities.
• Coordinate and provide technical support to social research activities implemented by GPEI partners in Pakistan on priority communities or communication for development areas of work.
• Support knowledge management on research on priority communities and evidence on impact of interventions on ground.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

• An advanced university degree (Masters or higher) in one of the following fields is required: social and behavioral science, anthropology, sociology, psychology, education, communication, public health or another relevant technical field.
• A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• A minimum of eight years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: anthropology, social research, public health programming, communication for development, or another related area.
• Experience in mixed-methods, and particularly in qualitative methodologies such as rapid evaluation methods (REM), rapid feedback evaluations (RFE), rapid cycle evaluations (RCE) and rapid ethnographic appraisals (RA).
• Experience in participatory action research (PAR) is highly desirable.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
• Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

The competencies required for this post are Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness, Works Collaboratively with others, Builds and Maintains Partnerships, Innovates and Embraces Change, Thinks and Acts Strategically, drives to achieve impactful results, Manages ambiguity and complexity

View our competency framework at Competency Framework Brochure.pdf

Life at UNICEF

Working at UNICEF is highly rewarding. With attractive remuneration package encompassing competitive pay and benefits, a culture that helps staff thrive and diverse opportunities for personal and professional development, we aim to help you maintain a fulfilling life both at and outside the office.

We make sure you and your loved ones receive the resources and care that you need to thrive. Our contracts, benefits and wellbeing policies and initiatives ensure that you are well equipped to effectively deliver for children such as;

• Tax exemption, family allowances, hardship benefits, 10 UN holidays and annual leave allowance, maternity, paternity, adoption leave, medical and dental insurance, pension etc.
• Career support, staff wellbeing programme, breastfeeding policy, flexible work arrangements, childcare room, family support, policies & initiatives, security etc.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Remarks:

• Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.