Readvertisement-National Community Engagement Consultant: Strengthening Community Engagement System in Islamabad, Pakistan .2.5 Months. Site/Office based (Those who already applied need not re-apply)

Organizational Context

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential. At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

Job Purpose

The National Community Engagement Consultant will play a crucial role in strengthening UNICEF's community engagement system in Pakistan. This consultancy aims to address the persistent challenges of poverty, social exclusion, gender inequality, and vulnerability to disasters that affect over 240 million Pakistanis. The consultant will focus on developing and implementing robust, inclusive, and resilient community engagement mechanisms that are essential for expanding service reach, strengthening frontline systems, and addressing behavioral, social, and structural barriers. By leveraging community trust, local insights, and repeated face-to-face engagement, the consultant will contribute to shifting knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours across various sectors including health, WASH, education, nutrition, child protection, and polio, ultimately making desired behaviours more practical and acceptable for households.

Responsibilities

The consultant will be responsible for assessing the current state of community engagement (CE) within UNICEF Pakistan's programs, identifying gaps and opportunities for improvement. This will involve reviewing existing CE strategies, tools, and practices across different sectors such as health, WASH, education, nutrition, child protection, and polio. The consultant will develop a comprehensive strategy for strengthening the community engagement system, ensuring it is inclusive, participatory, and aligned with UNICEF's overall goals. This includes designing and implementing innovative CE approaches that leverage trusted local actors and culturally grounded methods. The consultant will also be tasked with building the capacity of UNICEF staff and implementing partners in effective CE techniques through training and ongoing support. Furthermore, the consultant will facilitate regular interpersonal, community-embedded delivery mechanisms to drive behavior change and ensure that CE efforts are consistently linked with service delivery. Monitoring and evaluation of CE activities will be a key responsibility, ensuring that interventions are effective in overcoming social barriers, building ownership, and achieving desired outcomes. The consultant will also contribute to knowledge management by documenting best practices and lessons learned from CE initiatives in Pakistan.

Work Experience

A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in community engagement, social and behavior change (SBC) communication, or program management, preferably in a developing country context. Experience working with UN agencies or international NGOs is an asset.

Skills

Community Engagement, Social and Behavior Change Communication, Program Management, Capacity Building, Monitoring and Evaluation, Stakeholder Engagement, Report Writing, Interpersonal Skills, Cross-cultural Communication, Problem-Solving, Strategic Planning, Data Analysis

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