Communication Strategy for the Jordan Social Security Corporation

Shamil is a four-year project, beginning in June 2023 and expected to finish in May 2027. Shamil aims to help transform Jordan’s social protection landscape, supporting the government to build a more prosperous and just society with a national social protection system that strengthens the national social contract and ensures access to social security for everyone, across the lifecycle. The project will promote greater gender equality, women’s empowerment, and the inclusion of persons with disabilities and other at-risk groups within the national social protection system and more broadly across society.

Shamil is being implemented by Development Pathways, in partnership with the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) and MMIS Management Consultants.

Shamil has been requested by the Jordan Social Security Corporation (SSC) to support them in developing a new communications strategy. The selected firm will be responsible to develop and test communications and outreach strategies as outlined here. This will include:

• Conduct and deliver appropriate research on the key drivers (and barriers) to participation in SSC activities by market segment.
• Conduct and deliver in-depth research on the informal and formal sectors.
• Develop a comprehensive communication strategy for the segments based on socioeconomic demographics and geographic locations.
• Develop a comprehensive media and marketing campaign using channels and tactics to reach the identified segments and support general consumer awareness and action.
• Develop comprehensive regional outreach strategies for each of the 12 governates.

The purpose of this assignment is to develop a comprehensive communications strategy for Jordan’s SSC, incorporating social marketing concepts that map out the SSC’s goals for external and internal communication and the most important groups to be targeted.

To develop the communications strategy, the selected firm will carry out activities and tasks that fall within three categories:

1. Market research, segmentation and communication strategy development;
2. Development of a comprehensive outreach campaign; and
3. Development of outreach strategies for the 12 governates and specific groups.

While not exhaustive, the following list is indicative of the activities required to develop the strategy.

1. Market Research, Segmentation and Communication Strategy Development

The selected firm will be responsible for developing a comprehensive communications strategy that will serve as a road map for all SSC marketing, branding and outreach strategies in a way that integrates with all SSC information systems components and workforce strategies. This will include recommendations on the methods and mediums that will provide for the greatest impact and maximize participation in SSC programmes. The communication strategy should be grounded in market research aimed at determining the key drivers to consumer (employee and employer) decision-making to participate in SSC programmes. The communications strategy will be instrumental in helping to expand coverage of social security and solve challenges in the uptake of SSC products by the informal sector.

Market research should include but not be limited to:

• An analysis of the consumer decision making process steps by various demographic, ethnographic and market segmentations including but not limited to:
  • Geography: urban, rural, governate
  • Income levels: low, moderate, high
  • Ethnicity and tribal affiliation
  • Nationality: citizens, migrants, refugees.
• An analysis of workforce barriers and financial barriers/opportunities to the uptake of SSC products.
• An analysis of demand-side barriers.
• An analysis of supply-side barriers.
• The research should also include investigating awareness of the SSC’s complaints handling system and its perceived effectiveness.

The SSC Communication Strategy should include but not be limited to:

• Design of market segmentation schemes.
• Delivery of a comprehensive set of recommendations on communications strategies that will increase uptake among the selected market segments.
• Alignment with the SSC’s operational objectives and its business strategy and ensure that communication activities are up to standard.
• Integration of the SSC’s core and related components including community-based outreach, web-based information systems, and marketing and branding strategies, financing, workforce, etc., including ways to enhance awareness and effectiveness of the SSC’s complaints handling system.
• Recommendations should include overcoming information barriers needed to drive consumer behaviour.
• Recommendations should include a set of outreach strategies that engage trade allies as trusted messengers in the sector; and community based organizations for targeted strategies.
• Identification of key partners and their roles.
• A target timeline showing how various elements of the campaign would be rolled out to maximize their effectiveness.
• Provide a set of profiles/classifications of different types of market segments based on market research, input from the SSC and its partners, and feedback from focus groups.
• The communication strategy should include consideration of paid, earned, shared and owned media (PESO), as well as direct outreach, and make recommendations as appropriate.
• Incorporate gender equality and social inclusion principles, including accessible, inclusive and non-discriminatory communications, and adopt informative and inclusive use of language in communication.

Beyond delivery of the broader market research, the selected firm will conduct rapid qualitative research and develop a set of communications strategy recommendations for informal sector groups. The goal of the qualitative research will be to gain an in-depth understanding of people’s behaviours and attitudes considering their needs, characteristics and local circumstances. The research will guide developing deep-dive outreach strategies targeting the informal sector.

2. Development of a comprehensive marketing and branding campaign

The firm will be responsible to develop a comprehensive marketing and branding campaign. Tasks include but are not limited to:

• Print and digital material design and production.
• Delivery of a concise set of core messages for all SSC communications that deliver the essential information about what SSC is and how it can be valuable to target consumers.
• Development of direct presentations for key stakeholder groups.
• Engagement of appropriate stakeholder groups in marketing campaign creation.
• Assuring consistency in branding and messaging of all materials across the SSC spectrum.

3. Development of direct outreach strategies

Based on the communication strategy, the firm will be responsible to develop comprehensive outreach strategies. The outreach strategies should focus on public education and enrolment in SSC programmes. The outreach strategies should include deep-dive outreach strategies for informal sector communities and may include partnering with community-based organizations and/or trade allies as trusted messengers. Strategies will be based on qualitative research.

The communication strategy will incorporate accessible, inclusive and non-discriminatory communications, and adopt informative and inclusive use of language in communication.

Indicative Activities:

• Literature review of relevant SSC documents, ISSA guidelines on communication by social security administrations and other relevant literature

· Assessment of the SSC’s current communication channels and strategies

· Studies and consultations as agreed in inception report

· Develop a comprehensive communication strategy and associated components tailored to the SSC’s objectives, including costed implementation plan (communication road map) and key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the strategy’s effectiveness

· Workshops to present findings and draft strategy

· Finalise strategy

· Conduct training sessions for SSC staff on the new communication strategy and tools

Deliverables:

• An inception report outlining the approach, methodology and tools for conducting the studies as well as a work plan for the assignment
• Draft communication strategy and costed implementation plan/communication road map
• Final communication strategy and costed implementation plan/communication road map
• Training on new strategy