Social and Behavior Change Advisor- Sanitation Activity, DRC

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.
Job Summary:
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is one of the most populous, vast and resource rich countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Decades of conflict and other challenges over the past decades have left the Con go with an 80 percent poverty rate, an annual per capita income of just over $120, inadequate social and health services, and weak governmental institutions. Given its fragility and weak institutions, the country is susceptible to health crises, including recent outbreaks of Ebola, measles, cholera and COVID-19.
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. CRS has operated in the DRC since 1961, successfully implementing programs in nutrition, agriculture livelihoods, emergency, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), health, microfinance, and peacebuilding throughout the country. CRS/DRC currently has around 180 staff operating out of 6 offices in Kinshasa, Goma (North Kivu), Kananga (Kasai Central), Mbuji Mayi (Kasai Oriental), Kalemie (Tanganyika), and Bukavu (South Kivu).
You will manage and provide technical oversight of the development and implementation of the C ountry Program (CP) sanitation programming, particularly for a proposed large and complex sanitation project in central and eastern DRC, ensuring effective systems and processes are in place that support high-quality programming advancing Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work in serving the poor and vulnerable. Your management skills and knowledge will ensure that the CP delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of its WASH programming.
Pending a successful bid for this award, as the Social and Behavior Change (SBC) Advisor you will be responsible for designing, managing, monitoring and providing strategic direction to an evidence-based social and behavior change framework for a prospective sanitation activity. The proposed multi-year project seeks to drive supply and demand for sanitation products services and create an enabling environment for improved sanitation marketing in rural and peri-urban areas of the D.R. Cong o. The project will likely focus on North Kivu, South Kivu, Kasai Orientale, Kasai Central and Lomami provinces.
The SBC advisor will lead the development and implementation of an integrated SBC strategy across the project on the basis of participant and stakeholder knowledge, attitudes and practices to develop SBC approaches that will promote community participation in sanitation activities and drive demand for sanitation products and services. The SBC Advisor will work closely staff and partners to develop high-quality, integrated, and contextually appropriate SBC approaches and tools and to integrate SBC strategies that create sustainable and impactful changes surrounding sanitation practices, and demand for and use of products and services.
S/he will work with staff and partners to build capacity in SBC. The SBC Advisor will also lead on research and learning initiatives related to SBC approaches and integration. In addition, the SBC Advisor will serve as a point of contact for SBC to the donor as well as public, private and non-government stakeholders, when needed.
Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Provide management, guidance, and technical oversight of a sanitation program throughout the project cycle to ensure project design, start-up, implementation and close-out are in line with CRS quality principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices.
• Effectively manage talent for the sanitation program and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, and complete performance management for direct reports.
• Lead the development of program learning - identify opportunities for learning, research and publications in the area of SBC and implementation of MEAL policy. Facilitate the dissemination of promising practices and lessons learned to contribute to the agency knowledge management agenda. Ensure integration of innovations and best practices.

Basic Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in International Development, International Relations or in the field of SBC required. Additional experience may substitute for some education.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in relevant field-based project management experience required, with preferably at least 2-3 years working in the area of SBC and WASH, with a strong preference for sanitation programming and SBC.
• Experience in managing complex projects preferably with an international NGO.
• The candidate must have experience in leading SBC strategy design and implementation.

Required Languages – English, French
Travel - Must be willing and able to travel up to 30%. The position will be located in Goma, Mbuji Mayi or other city depending on final geographic coverage of the program.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Good experience in project grants management, including project design, preferably for grants from multiple public donors, including USAID.
• Demonstrated ability to write high quality technical proposals.
• Experience engaging with partner organizations and strengthening partnerships. Knowledge of CRS partnership strategy a plus.
• MEAL skills and experience required.
• Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.
• Presentation and facilitation skills.
• Demonstrated capacity in developing SBC strategies in contexts of low literacy.
• Experience working in conflict-affected or insecure areas.

*This position is contingent upon award of the funding opportunity CRS winning the project and the USAID’s approval of the candidacy.

Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.