Background:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

The IRC Yemen began its programs in October 2012. Currently IRC Yemen is operating in eight governorates in the south and north of Yemen through direct programming and through local partnerships in Health, WASH, Nutrition, Economic Recovery & Development, Education, Child Protection, and Women’s Protection and Empowerment.

Scope of Work:

The Social Behavior Change (SBC) Manager will coordinate initiatives to boost vaccine acceptance and promote positive behavioral changes. This involves addressing demand creation barriers through tailored activities developed with community leaders and health actors. The initiatives aim to improve understanding of the intervention area and inform strategies to reach zero-dose and under-immunized children. The role includes collaborating with SBC consultants to design strategies that encourage healthier lifestyles, address social determinants of health, enhance community engagement, and promote sustainable practices for overall well-being.

Job Summary:

The SBC Manager will lead all aspects of the planning, execution, and evaluation of SBC programs, focusing on effective communication and community mobilization strategies while developing and leading initiatives to influence social behaviors positively. This position requires collaboration with various partners, including local authorities, NGOs, community leaders, and healthcare providers, to ensure the successful adoption of health-promoting behaviors. H/She will conduct research, build educational campaigns, and report to the Program Director, working closely with the monitoring and evaluation team to assess the impact of SBC interventions and achieve desired outcomes.

Responsibilities: Program Development and Implementation: Work with SBC consultants to improve understanding of the intervention area and inform the design of a behavior change strategy to reach zero-dose and under-immunized children. Handle in formative research data collection and Vaccine coverage assessments to identify barriers and enablers that impact vaccine hesitancy and immunization behaviors. Support the design and implementation of comprehensive SBC strategies tailored to community needs. Assist in the development of educational materials and resources to support SBC initiatives. Supervise and evaluate the efficiency of behavior change programs to ensure that SBC initiatives align with established strategies. Handle budgets and resources for SBC initiatives. Other tasks as required by the supervisor. Community Engagement: ·       Facilitate community workshops and training sessions to promote health behaviors. ·       Develop an encouraging environment for behavior change in collaborate with community leaders and partners. ·       Conduct outreach activities, a multi-media campaign, host community dialogue forums in target locations. ·       Collaborate with local community leaders, religious leaders, and other influential individuals to demonstrate their credibility and reach to encourage vaccination uptake. ·       Exchange leading between households using a peer-to-peer approach to encourage vaccination acceptance in the community. ·       Coordinate vaccination awareness campaigns in schools, workplaces, and community centers to promote vaccination uptake among these target groups. Reporting and Analysis: ·       Collect and analyze data on community health behaviors and program outcomes. ·       Utilize findings to inform program adjustments and report on progress to partners. ·       Prepare reports and presentations on program outcomes and impact. Team Leadership and Capacity Building: ·       Lead and mentor a team of SBC specialists and community mobilizers. ·       Provide training and support to staff and volunteers involved in SBC initiatives. Collaboration and Networking: ·       Community leaders, healthcare providers, and other collaborators. ·       Establish partnerships with local organizations, health facilities, and government entities to enhance program reach. ·       Participate in relevant forums and working groups to advocate for SBC strategies and share standard methodologies. Conduct meetings quarterly project review meetings, midterm program review and learning workshop, and project opening and closing meetings. Working Relations: ·       Report directly to the Health Coordinator. ·       Lead and supervise SBC team. ·       Collaborate closely with the MEAL team, and health program teams. ·       Engage with community leaders, local NGOs (FMF and YFCA), government representatives, and other partners.