Social and Behaviour Change Specialist – Harmful Norms & Practices

About the role

The Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) Specialist will lead the design and implementation of evidence‑based, culturally appropriate interventions aimed at shifting harmful social and gender norms that drive child marriage in Malawi. Reporting to the SBC Manager, the specialist will work closely with government, civil society, community leaders and adolescents to promote sustainable behaviour change.

Key responsibilities

• Generate, analyse and apply research, data and evidence to inform programme design, measurement and monitoring.
• Design, plan and implement norm‑shift activities that are grounded in social and behavioural evidence and tailored to local cultural contexts.
• Advocate for and operationalise norm‑shift interventions by mobilising local resources and coordinating across national and community stakeholders.
• Build capacity of government, civil‑society partners and community structures through training and continuous learning.
• Strengthen community feedback mechanisms and ensure effective coordination, implementation and monitoring of interventions.
• Support enforcement of by‑laws and legal frameworks, and promote reporting and service uptake related to child marriage prevention.

Required profile

• Proven experience in social and behaviour change programmes, especially related to gender norms and child protection.
• Strong understanding of evidence‑generation methods and data‑driven programme design.
• Experience working with government agencies, NGOs and community groups in low‑resource settings.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder‑engagement skills.
• Ability to lead multi‑sectoral partnerships and coordinate complex interventions.

Required skills