Communication & Advocacy Specialist at UNICEF

United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Communication & Advocacy Specialist (Child Protection) - (P-3) Job Number: 530955 Location: Maiduguri, Borno Work Type : Temporary Appointment (364 days), #113357

How can you make a difference?

• Under the general guidance of the Child Protection Manager (P4) and direct supervision of the Child Protection Specialist (P4), UNICEF, Maiduguri, Borno State, The Communication and Advocacy Specialist (Child Protection) will provide technical assistance to the Government and other partners on community-based reintegration programming and implementation.
• The Specialist will support the successful implementation of community-based reintegration of children and adults formerly associated with Non State Armed Groups (NSAG) in north-east Nigeria.
• The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) in Nigeria on behalf of UNDP and IOM is seeking to recruit a qualified Communication & Advocacy Specialist (Child Protection) to provide technical guidance in the community-based social reintegration of formerly associated with armed groups and implementation of EU funded Support for Reconciliation and Reintegration project with a focus to implement the advocacy and communications strategy, design, manage and facilitate the implementation of the social reintegration strategy, advocacy campaigns, and publication strategies with a view to influencing the successful reintegration of persons formerly associated with armed groups, to promote public and media outreach and to mobilize political and community support for the social reintegration of children, women, and men formerly associated with NSAG in northeast Nigeria.

Key Tasks / Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate the implementation of the community based social reintegration, communication and advocacy component of the EU Support for Reconciliation and Reintegration of Former Armed Non-State Combatants and Boko Haram Associates with UNICEF, IOM, and UNDP.
• Strengthen and support community platforms to provide the building blocks to support community-based reconciliation and reintegration. Furthermore, the strengthening of these platforms is part of a longer-term process to help communities develop the skills to manage dialogue and foster deep listening, which should create an enabling environment for other community grievances and injustices to be raised and addressed.
• Lead and support the information dissemination through context-appropriate media, to provide communities with information on the rehabilitation, reconciliation, and reintegration processes aimed at increased transparency, proactively managing expectations and building trust.
• Identify communication and media channels to inform communities on social reintegration and other key information including developing content for radio programmes and traditional festivals, designing pamphlets, and targeting social media, clubs, associations, traditional ceremonies, and religious gatherings. Creating a safe space for community members to obtain information and ask questions about the reconciliation and reintegration process.
• Support UNICEF, UNDP and IOM and implementing partners to prepare the families and communities to receive children, men and women formerly associated with NSAGs through community-led participatory activities in selected communities for effective reconciliation and reintegration.
• Support to promote dialogue and increase community leadership in support mechanisms for reconciliation and reintegration. As recommended in the Borno State Reconciliation and Reintegration Policy, this will include working with religious institutions and leaders to support alternative narratives and inter-faith activities, and craft messages about the importance of tolerance and forgiveness.
• Support to implement Support for Reconciliation and Reintegration (S2R) project visibility plan and ensures photographs and/or videos are being taken, filed and used for communications and reporting purposes.
• Monitoring, planning, implementation and management of the relevant grants including the EU grants, develop work-plans, monitor implementation and prepare donor reports.
• Work closely with partners to ensure better reintegration of children formerly associated with NSAG and girls and women who have suffered conflict-related sexual violence, through the provision of appropriate psychosocial support, family tracing, reunification and reconciliation, livelihood support and community dialogue to promote return and reintegration.
• Participate in the monthly coordination meetings on project implementation, successes and challenges and contribute to the way forward to achieve the intended results.

Qualifications To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have:

• An advanced University degree (Master’s or higher) in Social / Behavioral Sciences (Social Work, Education, Psychology, Sociology, Or Other Social Science fields), Anthropology, Development studies or its equivalent is required.
• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience in implementing community based social reintegration and experience on community mobilization and engagement and social cohesion is required.
• Developing country work experience and / or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Proven ability to work independently under difficult conditions is required.
• Ability to conceptualize ideas clearly and concisely in written and oral form, innovative, plan and execute ideas is required.
• Experience of working with community structures and / or religious groups and leaders on child protection including association of children with armed groups is desirable.
• Experience in protracted conflict environments is a strong advantage.
• Knowledge of socio-economic, cultural, and community development issues in the North-East Nigeria and Lake Chad Basin region is an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate:

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

The functional competencies required for this post are:

• Leading and supervising (I)
• Formulating strategies and concepts (II)
• Analyzing (III)
• Relating and networking (II)
• Deciding and Initiating action (II)
• Applying technical expertise (III)

View our competency framework at: http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

    How to Apply Interested and qualified candidates should: Click here to apply Note

• UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.
• 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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
• The successful candidate for this emergency recruitment MUST be available to commence work within 31 days of receiving an offer.
• Please note that this is a non-family duty station.
• Employment is conditional upon receipt of medical clearance, any clearance required, the grant of a visa, and completion of any other pre-employment criteria that UNICEF may establish. Candidates may not be further considered or offer of employment may be withdrawn if these conditions are unlikely to be met before the date for commencement of service

Borno State, Maiduguri