Request for Consultant: for Multiple Micronutrient Supplement (MMS) Market Shaping Project in Ethiopia: Social Behavioral Change Communication, Demand Generation, and Advocacy Strategy Lead

2.1 Duties and Responsibilities

• Working closely with the R4D team, the consultant will:
I.   Undertake desk review of available program experiences and literature to generate evidence on critical demand-side barriers and factors to MMS uptake and adherence
• Synthesize various market landscapes which have been completed by different partners globally and in Ethiopia around MMS demand generation and advocacy.
• Based on experiences from Iron Folic Acid (IFA) supplementation or recent/ongoing MMS operational research synthesize evidence on factors that influence uptake and adherence of ANC supplementation with a focus on pregnant women and their families, the wider community, and service providers 
• Based on SBCC of IFA or other ANC supplementation experiences or SBCC of MMS from recent or ongoing operational research synthesize factors like feasibility, impact, sustainability, and relative costs of the different SBCC channels to reach the different segments of target audiences to increase demand and adherence of MMS in different geographic and socio-cultural contexts 


II.       Conduct In depth Interviews (IIs) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with end users, Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and selected segments of service providers (supervisors, managers, Health Extension Workers - HEWs, ANC service providers at health center and primary hospitals in different geographies such as urban, rural, agrarian and pastoralist) to:
• Identify where advocacy is most needed (i.e., what groups of stakeholders—i.e., regulators, payors—are within their sphere of influence and not yet bought into MMS) and draw on principles from political economy analysis to inform the strategy based on their power and influence.
• Identify key factors impacting awareness, demand and adherence for ANC supplementation in general, as well as considerations around switching demand from IFA to MMS?
• Explore ways to reach the relevant segments of healthcare workers, supervisors, and managers to increase their knowledge on MMS supplementation, and to increase their counseling skills
• Explore ways to reach PWs and their families, and the wider community (SBCC channels)
• Capture perspectives on factors like feasibility, impact, sustainability, and relative costs of the different SBCC channels to reach various segments of target audiences (with a focus to service providers and their supervisors / managers, pregnant women and their families and the wider community)


III.      Develop an evidence-informed advocacy and SBCC strategy that guides IFA transition to MMS in Ethiopia
• Based on the analysis of information through desk review, IIs and FGDs, provide recommendations on strategic aspects to be addressed through MMS SBCC strategy and advocacy strategy to achieve IFA transition and high coverage and adherence of MMS to ensure the desired biological impact of MMS in Ethiopia.
• Formulate evidence-informed SBCC strategy including a M&E plan through a co-creation process including narration of the most feasible SBCC channels and key messages for each intended audience (service providers and their supervisors, pregnant women and their families, and the wider community) with a focus on uptake and adherence.
• As part of the SBCC strategy, highlight challenges, risks and assumptions envisioned to have the potential to affect MMS SBCC activities implementation and consequently hinder the long-term adoption of practices
• Develop an evidence-informed Advocacy Strategy with clear advocacy actions and messages targeting key policy / decision leaders and managers at federal and regional levels including an advocacy narrative to create a dossier of evidence for MMS champions, stakeholders' role and responsibility matrix and implementation plan. 

2.2 Deliverables

• Illustrative/expected deliverables include the following:
• Detailed work plan, expected within 1 week from the date of signing of the contract
• An assessment report reflecting recommendations on strategic aspects to be addressed through SBCC strategy and advocacy strategy (based on desk reviews and key informant interviews/consultations with stakeholders). The report should include:
• Gaps and key focus areas that could be addressed through advocacy
• Gaps in existing nutrition policies, plans, and government commitments, and key thrust areas that could be addressed through advocacy
• Ongoing/planned advocacy efforts and mandates of different partners for consolidation and better alignment of MMS actions
• Stakeholder mapping consisting of potential allies, key influencers, and target audience for nutrition advocacy
• A robust SBCC strategy and advocacy strategy for MMS, to include: advocacy actions, specific messages, implementation roadmap/modalities (short-term with quick wins and long-term), stakeholders’ roles and responsibilities matrix, monitoring and evaluation framework, and budget plan

2.3 Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Communications, Marketing, Social or Behavioral Sciences, Public Relations, Public Health, Nutrition, or related field; and ideally experience in the aforementioned fields
• Minimum of 10 years of SBCC-specific experience in designing, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of SBCC strategies and materials as well as related training, preferably in public health sphere. Experience with political economy analysis desirable
• Experience in public health SBCC framework development, as well as pre-testing and concept testing SBCC approaches and content;
• Strong organizational skills, and ability to lead a stream of work;
• Ability to work independently as well as in cooperation with a multi-cultural team;
• Ability to think creatively and strategically;
• Excellent technical writing and verbal communication skills;
• Experience in public health SBCC framework development
• Has experience with the use of mass media and social networks to influence and gain public support, and the negotiation and formation of all alliances across interest groups
• Relevant computer software skills (including, at a minimum, the standard applications in MS Office).


2.4 Period of performance
• In this role, the Consultant will work closely with a variety of country-level stakeholders and members of the R4D Market Shaping team in Ethiopia and Washington, DC to carry out the above list of indicative activities and deliverables. The anticipated time frame for the work is February 2023 –May 2024, with a possibility of extension and/or depending on performance and decision on action with donor.


2.5 Payment schedule
• R4D will pay the consultant on successful delivery of each deliverable as per the LOE and daily professional fee agreed in the contract agreement for each deliverable. In addition, R4D will reimburse travel-related expenses in line with its travel policy.  
   
2.6 Reporting
• The Social and Behavioral Change Communication Consultant will report to the Designated Senior team member and maintain a functional relationship with all team members at the country and global level, government stakeholders, and other Development/implementing partners working on Micronutrient deficiencies and malnutrition in pregnant women.   
 
3.   To apply:
• Interested applicants should please provide their resume/CV, in addition to a cover letter clearly stating daily rate, as well as an estimated number of days LOE required to complete the work detailed above, broken down by deliverable. The applicant’s proposal should also include any further information on the technical proposal for how the applicant would propose to carry out the work.


• For any questions about the consultancy, please contact Yodi Tesfaye at ytesfaye@r4d.org.