Behavioral Change Communication Officer - UNDP

UNDP is supporting the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) to improve access to safe and hygienic private toilets for the inhabitants of the low-income community of Moshie Zongo. In Kumasi, 50% of its 1.2 million population lack access to household toilets. The problem is worst in low-income neighbourhoods such as Moshie Zongo, where 82.7% of the households do not have access to decent sanitation.

The City Council has explored opportunities and measures to address this problem over the years. Following pilot experimentation, the KMA is implementing an initiative seeking to provide household toilets to low-income residents at Moshie Zongo thanks to access to low-interest loans for toilet construction in private households. The initiative also contemplates training unemployed youth to provide the construction of low-cost toilets locally designed. The initiative was one of the 15 winners of the Global Mayors Challenge in 2021.

The project includes three components:

• Selection and training of unemployed youth to construct household toilets in the community. Activities include supervising the construction of household toilets including containment units, superstructure with related facilities and washing facilities. The training component involves the development and adoption of selection criteria for the unemployed youth, building technical capacities and guidance to connect and fulfill demand for household toilets in the community.
• Civic education and targeted campaigns to educate community members and create demand for household toilet and
• Set up and management of a revolving fund to provide loans to households to privately fund the construction of toilets, working closely with the fund manager to effectively administer the funds and meet project objectives.

Within this context, UNDP seeks to engage a Behavioural Change Communications Officer internally to support the implementation of the Global Mayors Challenge in Kumasi.

The Behavioural Change Communications Officer will support the Project Supervisor in undertaking community engagement and behavioural change communication activities in the project community to drive change in behaviour from the use of unhygienic public toilets and open defecation and to create social demand for household toilets. The main responsibility will be to ensure effective community mobilization and engagement using different behavioural change communication tools and strategies to drive the need for safe, hygienic and private household toilets.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Behavioural Change and Communications Officer, under the supervision of the Project Supervisor, Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and in close cooperation with the UNDP team will do the following:

• Develop behavioural change communication plans and Behavioural Change and Communications performance monitoring plans for the project implementation;
• Lead all community campaign events including durbars, mini-durbars, interpersonal house–to–house campaigns, community information centre and information van campaigns;
• Ensure project compliance with all community norms and practices;
• Develop criteria and checklist for the recruitment of Toilet campaign champions;
• Provide inputs for the development of Behavioural Change and Communications materials for toilet campaign champions;
• Lead the training of toilet campaign champions;
• Engage community leadership including traditional authorities, religious leaders, local elected officials and opinion leaders, youth and women groups within the community for the project take-off;
• Develop the sales and marketing campaign for household toilets in the community;
• Create platforms for Toilet Campaign champions to introduce toilet and toilet finance products to communities through interpersonal engagements;
• Set sales targets for Toilet Campaign Champions;
• Create effective linkages between Toilet Campaign Champions and Project artisans to be able to effectively connect demand to supply of household toilet construction; and
• Prepare periodic reports on Behavioural Change and Communications, demand creation and toilet sales.

Institutional Arrangement: The Behavioural Change and Communications Officer will be reporting to the Project Supervisor, and working closely with the project’s financial institution partner, KMA and the technical team at UNDP Office in Ghana.

Competencies

Core:

• Achieve Results: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balance speed and accuracy in doing work.
• Think Innovatively: Offer new ideas/be open to new approaches, and demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking.
• Learn Continuously: Go outside your comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning.
• Adapt with Agility: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, and involve others in the change process.
• Act with Determination: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously.
• Engage and Partner: Is facilitator/integrator, brings people together, builds/maintains coalitions/partnerships.
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, and considers in decision making.

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Education Requirements:

• Master’s Degree in Public Health, Social Sciences or any related field, or a
• A Bachelor’s Degree in Public health, Social Sciences or related field with two (2) years of relevant work experience, is required.

Min. years of relevant work experience:

• A minimum of two (2) years with a Bachelor’s Degree of relevant work experience in projects related to behavioural practices on urban issues, is required.

Required skills:

• Experience working in sanitation projects in Kumasi or other municipalities in Ghana is required.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) is required.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies Section:

• Experience in capacity building, advocacy and knowledge management is an asset.
• Experience working on projects related to the local implementation of Agenda 2030 is an asset.
• Proven professional experience focusing on client management and working with a diverse team will be an asset.
• Knowledge and experience of UN procurement and contracting procedures is an assets.

Required Language/s:

• Proficiency in the English language is required.
• Working knowledge of Twi and/or Hausa dialects is an added advantage.