The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC works with people forced to flee from war, conflict and disaster and the host communities which support them, as well as those who remain within their homes and communities. At work today in over 40 countries and 25 U.S. cities, we improve outcomes in the areas of health, safety, economic wellbeing, education, and power.

Job Summary: Working closely with the Project Team Leader and the IRC Uganda Communications and Advocacy Coordinator, this position will provide strategic leadership, technical direction, and coordination for the design and implementation of evidence-based Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) strategies within the PROTECT SRHR project. The role aims to influence positive behaviors, social norms, and policies that promote access to quality SRHR information and services, including family planning, adolescent sexual health, maternal health, gender equality, HIV and gender-based violence (GBV) prevention. Additionally, this role will coordinate the implementation of the project’s communications strategy inclusive of tracking and enforcing the branding and marking guidelines including donor branding for all visibility items produced; development and production of communication products and content through documentation, photography, and videography and support in ideation and execution of quality project events including coordination of mainstream media engagement, if any. Additionally, the incumbent will be expected to work with the MEAL team to identify and document high quality stories of change, good practices and development of relevant data guided products such as project briefs, case studies, issue papers, reports, and reports, among other communication materials as needed which will be used by donors, the PROTECT SRHR consortium and project staff. This role requires significant field travel to the districts of operation in West Nile to support teams and initiatives on ground.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership and Planning:

Lead the design, implementation, and monitoring of the project’s SBCC strategy aligned with PROTECT SRHR project objectives.
Integrate SBCC approaches into service delivery, advocacy, and community engagement components.
Conduct situation analyses, audience segmentation, and formative research to inform targeted interventions.
Develop annual and quarterly SBCC work plans and budgets in collaboration with project teams and partners.
Work with the Project Management Committee (PMC) and Project Steering Committee (PSC) to identify communications opportunities and update on program events and initiatives, both for the project and other IRC and partner initiatives that could be leveraged for the project.

Technical Oversight and Implementation

Design and oversee the development of SBCC materials (print, radio, TV, social media, community theatre, interpersonal tools).
Support community-led and gender-transformative communication initiatives that challenge harmful social norms affecting SRHR.
Lead capacity strengthening of staff, partners, and community structures on SBCC methodologies and participatory approaches.
Coordinate with service delivery teams to ensure demand creation and community mobilization activities are evidence-based and effective.
Generate content for use in communications materials: set up a system for getting regular content from project staff; interview consortium staff, partners, clients, and other stakeholders; conduct field visits on a regular basis to collect stories including audio-visual content.

Partnership and Collaboration

Work closely with Ministry of Health (MoH) and Ministry of Education, Consortium partners, local government, community-based organizations (CBOs), and media partners to align SBCC efforts with national SRHR communication strategies.
Liaise with consortium partners to ensure harmonization and complementarity of messages and interventions.
Foster collaboration with youth, women’s groups, religious leaders, and traditional authorities to enhance community ownership.

Communication and Knowledge Management

Lead documentation and visibility efforts showcasing project impact on SRHR behavior change.
Manage media engagement, storytelling, and social media campaigns to amplify project messages.
Contribute to donor reports, technical briefs, and knowledge-sharing platforms.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning

In collaboration with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) team, develop and apply SBCC indicators and tools.
Conduct pre-testing, baseline, and post-intervention evaluations to assess reach, recall, and behavioral impact.
Document success stories, lessons learned, and best practices for dissemination at national and regional levels.
Use evidence to adapt and refine communication strategies for continuous improvement.

Key Deliverables

A Comprehensive SBCC strategy and implementation plan.
Suite of culturally appropriate communication materials and media campaigns.
Quarterly and annual SBCC performance reports.
Documented behavioral outcomes and community engagement results.
Strengthened partner and community capacity in SBCC.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

Bachelor’s Degree in relevant field (communications, journalism, marketing, public relations, human rights etc.). Additional relevant postgraduate qualifications in Health Communications, C4D, Public health are an added advantage.
A minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in designing and implementing SBCC or communication for development (C4D) programs, preferably in SRHR, HIV/AIDS, Family Planning, or adolescent health.
Strong understanding of gender, human rights, and social inclusion in health communication.
Proven experience in message design, and participatory communication approaches.
Familiarity with digital and social media strategies for youth engagement.
Experience in producing published material, managing events, media/PR, and content for digital communications.
Experience working in an international development / humanitarian organization preferred.
Experience in working effectively with a range of staff, partners and stakeholders to achieve communications objectives and produce communications deliverables.
Competencies and Attributes
Strategic thinking and creativity in designing communication campaigns.
Strong interpersonal and team-building skills.
Ability to translate research into actionable communication strategies.
Commitment to gender equality, youth empowerment, and community participation.
Flexibility to travel to field locations and work under pressure.