Background:

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster and hardship, in more than 40 countries worldwide, we partner to put bold solutions into action, helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities now and for the future.  Mercy Corps has worked in Jordan since 2003 to implement a variety of programs funded by global public institutions, as well as private donors, to meet the urgent needs of vulnerable populations, build cohesive and civically engaged communities, and increase inclusive economic opportunities. Mercy Corps’ current portfolio in Jordan focuses on three domains: resilient individuals, strong communities and governance, and environmentally sustainable and inclusive economic growth. Mercy Corps integrates cross-cutting themes of youth, gender equality and empowerment, governance, natural resource management, and technology.

Purpose / Project Description:

Tawazon - Promoting the Voice and Leadership of Women Activity is a five-year USAID funded activity that will bring about transformational changes in gender relations at the home, community, and national levels in Jordan, promoting gender equality and advance women’s leadership. This will be achieved by 1) Strengthening the enabling environment and institutional capacity, as well as addressing structural barriers preventing women from fully exercising their rights, expressing their agency, and freely leading and participating in society without restrictions 2) Promoting equitable social norms and counter prevailing prohibitive norms that perpetuate gender inequality, undermine women’s agency to exercise their rights, and prevent transformative change in gender relations through the development and implementation of a National Social and Behavior Change Communication Strategy in partnership with The Jordanian National Communication for Women (JNCW) and the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Women (IMCW) 3) Advancing the inclusive and transparent leadership and decision-making participation of girls and women through establishing the Arab Women Leadership Academy and 4) Enriching collaboration to strengthen coordination, scale innovative ideas and promote accountably to gender equality among practitioners. 

For that, Tawazon dedicated a research phase to better understand the local context and learn about the existing points of access. This phase includes a thorough assessment of the legislative agenda from the perspective of women, a Global Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Analysis in Jordan, and a qualitative and quantitative Social and Behavior Change Analysis to further understand existing barriers and motivators for increased female participation. The key insights, particularly those from the SBC analysis, informed the development of the first version of a Social and Behavior Change strategy. The Theory of Change was designed with women’s mobility at its core, viewing it as the manifestation of women’s’ agency and decision-making power, as well as the precursor to their empowerment.

The draft strategy focused on achieving the goal of "Women having access to economic, educational, leadership, and other opportunities and realizing their full potential." The strategy's priority behaviors focuses on women's mobility, specifically their ability to decide whether, where, when, and how to leave their homes and enter public spaces, and to exercise these decisions. Each woman's degree of mobility takes different forms, depending on her personal goals and aspirations. The decisions made regarding their own movement are the result of a variety of factors, including her self-confidence and autonomy, the support she receives from relatives and the community, the absence of barriers, and the presence of a supportive legislative and structural environment.

The strategy presents solutions using four pillars:

• Pillar 1 focuses one key category of psychological drivers, that are attitudes. To support achieving the priority behaviors and sub-behaviors, it requires for the target audience to adopt positive attitudes about women’s mobility, which includes positive perception of women’s mobility, associated positive emotions and trust as well as strengthening positive gendered beliefs.
• Pillar 2 focuses another key category of psychological drivers, that is self-efficacy. Some of the priority behaviors and sub-behaviors are also supported by strengthening women’s self-efficacy. Indeed, women’s self-confidence in their abilities and women’s ability to make their own decisions are key drivers of self-efficacy.
• Pillar 3 focuses on sociological drivers, in particular social norms and meta norms. The target behaviors and sub-behaviors are the product of supportive social expectations, regarding women’s mobility, decision making, family dynamics as well as femininity and masculinity.
• Pillar 4 focuses on specific environmental drivers related to mobility. To support women’s mobility, the availability of public transportation, infrastructures and adequate legislation is key.

Consultant Objectives:

Mercy Corps is looking for a consultant to transform the draft Social and Behavior Change Strategy into a National Social and Behavior Change Strategy with a separate strategic pillar for media. Tawazon and its key counterparts have agreed to consider the title “The National Social and Behavior Change and Communication Strategy for Promoting Women’s Voice and Leadership” in English Language, and the title “الاستراتيجية الوطنية للاتصال وتعزيز السلوكيات الاجتماعية الداعمة للمرأة" in Arabic Language.

The consultant should develop a transformative strategy in alignment with the National Strategy for Women 2020 – 2025. The consultant will also review Tawazon’s baseline reports for research findings and newly developed insights from Tawazon validation process, which include community consultations and youth dialogue sessions. 

The consultant will work closely with the Communication and Social Behavior Change Team Lead and should maintain consistent engagement and follow up with Tawazon’s partners and key counterparts to capture feedback.

Consultant Activities:

The Consultant will:

1. Conduct Desk Review and In-Depth Context Analysis: This effort involves providing an overview and strategic context analysis for the country’s efforts to improve women’s empowerment in line with the Political Modernization Vision and its pillars pertaining to women’s empowerment and media, in addition to the Economic Modernization Vision 2022-2025, Public Sector Modernization Vision, and National Strategy for Woman 2023 – 2025. The consultant is also expected to review all Tawazon’s research and scoping findings. This phase also requires the consultant to conduct a stakeholder mapping and analysis exercise, in the form of one-to-one meetings to consult with the identified key informants to advise on the strategic pillars and implementation plan including the media and communications component. The consultant will work closely with Tawazon and JNCW to identify stakeholders and champions as a result of the mapping and analysis exercise. The consultant will present the findings, and all received feedback and recommendations to Tawazon and JNCW for discussion and validation.

Task Deliverable 1: Final Context Analysis Report and PowerPoint Presentation in Arabic Language.

Task Deliverable II:  Presenting the Context Analysis Report

1. Develop the Strategy Framework: This task includes two steps: first, the consultant will restructure and redefine the strategy theory of change, presenting new pillars and SBC approaches based on phase one results and consolidated consultations. The consultant will share the redefined framework with Tawazon and JNCW for discussion and feedback. Second, the consultant will develop a strategy vision and mission, and work on further developing the defined objectives. As a result, the consultant will facilitate a validation session with JNCW, Tawazon, and key stakeholders including media institutions to present the agreed upon strategy framework, vision, mission and objectives.                                                                          Task Deliverable I: Strategy Framework, Vision, Mission and Objectives in Arabic Language.

Task Deliverable II:  Facilitation of the Validation Session

1. Develop the Strategy Narrative: This phase focuses on defining interventions. The consultant will define the main objectives and subobjectives, indicators, outcomes, and outputs, as well as the strategy tactics. To ensure buy-in from Tawazon’s and JNCW stakeholders, the consultant may conduct meetings or consultation sessions, if needed, to consult on specific pillars on the final narrative. The final strategy will be presented to stakeholders.

Task Deliverable I: Final Strategy and PowerPoint Presentation in Arabic Language

Task Deliverable II:  Presenting the Strategy

1. Develop the Strategy Executive Plan: This phase entails creating the interventions timeline, envisioning risks and articulating mitigation measures to prevent, reduce, and respond for those identified as high-impact and/or high-probability risks. As a result, the consultant will map all the tasks required to manage and implement the strategy, as well as identify roles and responsibilities for implementing partners based on the theory of change and stakeholders’ analysis. To finalize the executive plan, the consultant will present it to JNCW and Tawazon for review and feedback, then will conduct a validation session specifically for this reason.

Task Deliverable I: Presentation and Validation Sessions of the Strategy Executive Plan

Task Deliverable II: Executive Plan in Arabic Language

1. Review the Strategy Monitoring and Evaluation Plan: The consultant will review the developed monitoring and evaluation plan and provide recommendations to improve.

Task Deliverable: Improved M&E Plan in Arabic Language

Consultant Deliverables:

1. Context Analysis Report and Presentation in Arabic Language – Due date for submission: October 30, 2024
2. Strategy Framework, Vision, Mission and Objectives in Arabic Language– Due Date for submission: November 28, 2024
3. Final Strategy and Presentation in Arabic Language – Due Date for submission: December 25, 2024
4. Executive Plan in Arabic Language – Due Date for submission: January 20, 2024
5. Improved M&E Plan in Arabic Language– Due Date for submission: February 17, 2025
6. Final version of the English strategy and executive plan reviewed and verified– Due Date for submission:  March 02, 2025.

Evaluation Criteria:

Technical offer evaluation criteria

• A master’s degree in a relevant field such as business management, communication, international development, law, or a related discipline. Advanced degree is a plus. (5%)
• Minimum 10 years of professional experience working in strategy development for the public sector. (5%)
• Previous experience in developing national strategies including media and gender transformation is a plus.            (20%)
• Demonstrated ability and knowledge on research, data collection and analysis for actionable strategies. (20%)
• Familiarity with the principles of gender equality, women empowerment, legislative frameworks, national and international gender indicators.  (20%)
• Demonstrated ability to write and conduct conversations and dialogues in both English and Arabic languages. (10%)

Total Technical Scoring (80%)

Financial offer evaluation criteria

• Reasonability of the cost (20%)

Total Financial Scoring (20%)

The Consultant will work closely and report to:

Communication and Social Behavior Change Team Lead.

Required Experience & Skills:

1. A master’s degree in a relevant field such as business management, communication, international development, law, or a related discipline. Advanced degree is a plus.
2. Minimum 10 years of professional experience working in strategy development for the public sector.
3. Previous experience in developing national strategies including media and gender transformation is a plus.
4. Ability to conduct research, data collection and analysis for actionable strategies.
5. Extensive knowledge and expertise in the process of creating national strategies, as well as a track record of working with others to develop strategies in a standard-accounting manner.
6. Familiarity with the principles of gender equality, women empowerment, legislative frameworks, national and international gender indicators.
7. Professional knowledge of Jordan context.
8. Professional communication skills with key stakeholders and partners.
9. Ability to manage the available time and resources and to work under tight deadlines.
10. Fluent in English and Arabic languages.

How to Apply: Mercy Corps Jordan is seeking a qualified consultant to work on developing the National Communications and Social Behavior Change Strategy under Tawazon.  If you are interested, please send the requirements to the Mercy Corps – human resources department at "[Click to show email]”. The last date for submission is on the 12th of September 2024 indicating the title of the position " Consultant: Policy Analysis " in the subject line. 

Applications must include the following:

1.         Professional Resume.

2.         Technical and Financial Offer.

3.         At Least One Example of a Strategy.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives. 

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our stakeholders and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.