Social Behavior Change Consultant – UNICEF (Juba)

About the role

UNICEF is seeking a Social Behavior Change Consultant to generate actionable evidence for a national SBC strategy that boosts demand for Early Childhood Education (ECE) in South Sudan. The consultant will assess behavioral determinants, social norms and service‑related factors influencing caregiver decisions on enrolment and retention.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct research on behavioral determinants, decision‑making processes, and social norms affecting ECE uptake.
• Produce an implementation framework and strategic recommendations for a national SBC strategy.
• Develop communication, advocacy, training and dialogue materials suitable for low‑literacy, multilingual contexts.
• Facilitate stakeholder engagement with government counterparts at national and sub‑national levels.
• Provide evidence‑based guidance to inform policy and programme design.

Required profile

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Education, Social Sciences, Public Health or related field; PhD is an advantage.
• Minimum five years of progressive experience designing and leading SBC programmes, behavioural research or education programming for UN agencies, donors or reputable NGOs, preferably in low‑resource or fragile settings.
• Proven track record of developing national‑level strategies or frameworks adopted by governments.
• Experience in early childhood education, play‑based learning, school readiness or foundational learning programmes.

Required skills

• Strong stakeholder engagement and facilitation abilities.
• Expertise in developing strategic documents and communication materials for low‑literacy, multilingual audiences.
• Excellent written and oral English; working knowledge of Juba Arabic or other South Sudanese languages.

What we offer

• Opportunity to influence national education policy in a humanitarian context.
• Collaboration with a leading international organization dedicated to child rights.
• Professional development within a diverse, mission‑driven environment.