Public Health Communication Consultant, Belize, 3 Months (Home-based)

UNICEF, guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, works together with partners in 190 countries and territories to promote and advocate for the protection of the rights of every child.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, hope.

UNICEF Belize is seeking a qualified Public Health Communication Consultant to support the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) in finalizing the Belize Rotavirus Vaccine Introduction Plan and developing strategies to boost uptake of rotavirus and measles vaccines. The consultant will conduct a technical review of the draft plan, develop tailored Announcement Approach strategies, and produce four training demonstration videos to strengthen health worker communication with caregivers.

This home-based assignment is expected to take approximately 56 working days over three months.

Belize has made important strides in child health and immunization. This consultancy directly supports national efforts to strengthen vaccine confidence and ensure every child is protected from preventable diseases.

Learn more about UNICEF Belize’s work: https://www.unicef.org/belize

How can you make a difference?

As a Public Health Communication Consultant, you will contribute to strengthening national immunization efforts by supporting the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) in Belize to enhance vaccine confidence and uptake. This consultancy will directly inform the introduction of the rotavirus vaccine into the national immunization schedule and support improved measles vaccine coverage through effective communication strategies.

Key responsibilities include:

Conducting a comprehensive technical review and finalization of the Belize Rotavirus Vaccine Introduction Plan.

Designing tailored Announcement Approach strategies for both rotavirus and measles vaccines, informed by consultations and evidence-based practices.

Facilitating stakeholder engagement through focus groups, interviews, and desk reviews.

Developing clear and culturally appropriate messaging to address common caregiver concerns and promote vaccine acceptance.

Producing four instructional demonstration videos to illustrate effective communication techniques for healthcare workers.

Ensuring that all deliverables align with national priorities and UNICEF’s equity and rights-based programming principles.

Through this assignment, you will support health systems to deliver more effective communication, contributing to stronger public trust and improved health outcomes for children in Belize.

To qualify for this consultancy, you will have

An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Public Health, Health Communication, Behaviour Change Communication, or a related field. A Master’s degree is required for this consultancy.

A minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience in developing and implementing public health or immunization communication strategies.

Demonstrated experience in designing training materials and facilitating stakeholder engagement activities, including focus groups and interviews.

Proven ability to produce clear, culturally sensitive messaging and multimedia content to address public health concerns, particularly vaccine hesitancy.

Strong analytical and communication skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information and translate it for diverse audiences.

Familiarity with health literacy principles, behavior change models, and approaches for strengthening vaccine confidence.

Fluency in English is required; knowledge of additional languages is an asset.

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about children’s rights and making a lasting difference on children’s lives, one of the global leading entities on children’s rights would like to hear from you.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, Sustainability (CRITAS), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

UNICEF is also proud of a diverse workforce who are profoundly committed to supporting the full realization of children’s rights, and in uplifting a rights-based approach in all that we do.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

[add the 8th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for a supervisory role]. 

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. 

All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.