Latest Job Vacancies at UNICEF, 23rd March, 2018


The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) - For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments We are looking for qualified candidates to fill the position below:     Job Title: Social Policy Specialist - NOC Job Number:  511868 Location: Abuja Work Type: Fixed Term Staff Responsibilities Improving data on child poverty & vulnerability and increased use for policy and programme action:

  • Supports the collection, analysis and user-friendly presentation of data on multidimensional and monetary child poverty, including strengthening national capacity to collect routinely, report and use data for policy decision-making.
  • Provides timely, regular data-driven analysis for effective prioritization, planning, and development; facilitates results-based management for planning, adjusting, and scaling-up specific social policy initiatives to reduce child poverty.
  • Analyzes the macroeconomic context and its impact on social development, emerging issues and social policy concerns, as well as implications for children, and proposes and promotes appropriate responses in respect of such issues and concerns, including government resource allocation policies and the effect of social welfare policies on the rights of children.
Strengthening social protection coverage and impact for children:
  • Supports the development of social protection policies, legislation and programmes with attention to increasing coverage of and impact on children, with special attention the most marginalized.  Identifies, generates and presents evidence to support this goal in collaboration with partners.
  • Promotes strengthening of integrated social protection systems, providing technical support to partners to improve the design of cash transfers and child grants and improve linkages with other social protection interventions such as health insurance, public works and social care services as well as complementary services and intervention related to nutrition, health, education, water and sanitation, child protection and HIV.
  • Undertakes improved monitoring and research around social protection impact on child outcomes, and use of data and research findings for strengthening programme results.
Improving use of public financial resources for children:
  • Undertakes budget analysis to inform UNICEF advocacy and technical assistance to Ministries of Finance, planning commissions and social sector ministries to improve equitable allocations for essential services for children. Works with sector colleagues to build capacity to undertake costing and cost effectiveness analysis on priority interventions to help inform policy decisions on child-focused investments.
  • Supports the identification of policy options for improved domestic financing of child-sensitive social protection interventions.
  • Undertakes, and builds capacity of partners for, improved monitoring and tracking of public expenditure to support transparency, accountability and effective financial flows for essential service delivery, including through support to district level planning, budgeting and public financial management as well as facilitating community participation.
Strengthening capacity of local governments to plan, budget, consult on and monitor child-focused social services:
  • Where national decentralization processes are taking place, collaborates with central and local authorities to improve policies, planning, budgeting, consultation and accountability processes so that decisions and child-focused service delivery more closely respond to the needs of local communities.
  • Collaborates with the central and local authorities to strengthen capacity on quality data collection, analysis for policy development, planning, implementation, coordination, monitoring of essential social services, with emphasis on community participation and accountability.
Strengthened advocacy and partnerships for child-sensitive social policy:
  • Supports correct and compelling use of data and evidence on the situation of children and coverage and impact of child focused services in support of the social policy programme and the country programme overall.
  • Establishes effective partnerships with the Government, bilateral and multilateral donors, NGOs, civil society and local leaders, the private sector, and other UN agencies to support sustained and proactive commitment to the Convention of the Rights of the Child and to achieve global UN agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals.
  • Identifies other critical partners, promotes awareness and builds capacity of partners, and actively facilitates effective collaboration within the UN family.
UNICEF Programme Management:
  • Manages and coordinates technical support around child poverty, social protection, public finance and governance ensuring it is well planned, monitored, and implemented in a timely fashion so as to adequately support scale-up and delivery. Ensures risk analysis and risk mitigation are embedded into overall management of the support, in close consultation with UNICEF programme sections, Cooperating Partners, and governments.
  • Supports and contributes to effective and efficient planning, management, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the country programme.
  • Ensures that the social planning project enhances policy dialogue, planning, supervision, technical advice, management, training, research and support; and that the monitoring and evaluation component strengthens monitoring and evaluation of the social sectors and provides support to sectoral and decentralized information systems.
Impact of Results
  • The strategic and effective advocacy, planning and formulation of social policy programs/projects and the achievement of sustainable results, contributes to achievement of goals and objectives to create a protective environment for children and thus ensure their survival, development and well-being in society. Achievements in social policy programs and projects in turn contribute to maintaining/enhancing the credibility and ability of UNICEF to provide program services for mothers and children that promotes greater social equality in the country.
Competencies and level of proficiency required (based on UNICEF Professional Competency Profiles) Core Values:
  • Commitment
  • Diversity and inclusion
  • Integrity
Core Competencies:
  • Communication (I)
  • Working with people (II)
  • Drive for results (I)
Functional Competencies:
  • Formulating strategies and concepts (I)
  • Analyzing (II)
  • Applying technical expertise (II)
  • Learning and researching (II)
  • Planning and organizing (II).
Recruitments Education:
  • Advanced university degree in Economics, Public Policy, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Science, or other relevant disciplines.
Experience:
  • Minimum of five years of relevant professional work experience is required.
  • Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered a strong asset.
  • Experience in policy formulation and/or implementation in social protection or public finance in a sub-Saharan African country and preferably ECOWAS Countries, is highly desirable.
Language Requirements:
  • Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset
Interested and qualified candidates should: Click here to apply     Job Title: Nutrition Specialist - NOC Job Number: 511867 Location: Abuja Work Type: Fixed Term Staff Summary of Key Functions/Accountabilities
  • Management and/or advisory support to the Chief
  • Program development and planning
  • Program management, monitoring and delivery of results
  • Advisory services and technical support
  • Advocacy, networking and partnership building
  • Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
Management and/or advisory support to the Chief:
  • Provide advice to the Chief in establishing the annual work plan including developing strategies and determining priorities/targets and performance measurements specifically in relation to policy development and advocacy
  • Coordinate work progress monitoring and ensure results are achieved according to schedule and performance standards and report to Chief critical issues for timely action.Provide assistance/advice a
  • nd guidance to colleagues in the Section on government programming in nutrition  to enable colleagues to ensure alignment of UNICEF programming with national objectives.
Program development and planning:
  • Plan and/or provide technical support/guidance to the preparation/design and conduct/update of situation analysis for the nutrition sector/s to ensure timely comprehensive and current data on maternal and child nutrition are available to guide policy and development, design and management of nutrition programs/projects. Keep abreast of development trends to enhance program management, efficiency and delivery.
  • Participate in strategic program discussion on the planning of nutrition programs/projects. Formulate, design and prepare nutrition (and/or large sector/s) of programs/projects proposal, ensuring alignment with the overall UNICE's Strategic Plans and Country Program and coherence/integration with UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDF), regional strategies and national priorities, plans and competencies.
  • Establish specific goals, objectives and strategies and implementation plans for the sector/s based on results-based planning terminology and methodology (RBM). Prepare required documentations for program review and approval.
  • Work closely and collaboratively with internal and external colleagues and partners to discuss strategies and methodologies and to determine national priorities/competencies to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable results.
  • Provide authoritative technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes to ensure integration, coherence and harmonization of programs/projects with other UNICEF sectors and achievement of results as planned and allocated.
Program management, monitoring and delivery of results:
  • Plan and/or collaborate with internal and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators and measurement to assess/strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results for the assigned sector/s in nutrition programs.
  • Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, program reviews and annual reviews with government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required action/interventions to achieve results.
  • Prepare/assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths/weaknesses in program and management, identify lessons learned and use knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals.
  • Actively monitor programs/projects through field visits, surveys and/or exchange of information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.
  • Plan, monitor and certify and control the optimum/appropriate use of program resources (financial, administrative and other assets) confirming compliance with organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity and ensuring timely reporting and liquidation of resources
  • Prepare mandated and key program/project reports for donors and other partners to keep them informed of program progress.
Advisory services and technical support:
  • Provide advice to key government officials, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on policies, strategies and best practices and approaches on health and related issues to support program development planning, management, implementation and delivery of results.
  • Participate in program strategic discussions/planning to provide technical advice/contribute to policy discussions and agenda setting to promote health/nutrition interventions especially in the areas of gender, emergency preparedness and maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition.
  • Prepare policy papers, briefs and other strategic program materials for management use, information and/or consideration.
  • Participate in emergency preparedness initiatives program development and contingency planning and/or to respond to emergencies in country or where designated.
Advocacy, networking and partnership building:
  • Build and strengthen strategic partnerships with nutrition/health sector government counterparts, national stakeholders and global partners/allies/donors/academia through active networking, advocacy and effective communication to build capacity, exchange knowledge/expertise and/or promote cooperation and alliances to achieve program goals on maternal/children rights and social justice/equity.
  • Prepare communication and information materials to highlight program goals, achievements and/or needs to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support fund raising for nutrition programs (maternal, newborn and child survival and development).
  • Participate and/or represent UNICEF in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) discussions and planning on health and related issues to ensure organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the UNDAF process in development planning and agenda setting. Collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues UNDAF planning and preparation of nutrition programs/projects.
Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building:
  • Promote critical thinking and innovative approaches and good practices for sustainable health programs/projects initiatives through advocacy and technical advisory services.
  • Keep abreast, research, benchmark and implement best and cutting edge practices in health management and information systems. Institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned.
  • Contribute to the development of policies and procedures and introduce innovation and best practices to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programs and projects.
  • Organize, plan and/or implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders to promote sustainable results on health/nutrition related programs/projects.
Impact of Results:
  • The efficiency and efficacy of program preparation planning and implementation of nutrition programs/projects contributes to and accelerates the national development efforts to improve the nutritional status of mothers, infants and children in the country, and this in turn contributes to maintaining/enhancing the credibility and ability of UNICEF to continue to provide program services for mothers and children that promotes greater social equity in the country.
Core Values
  • Commitment
  • Diversity and inclusion
  • Integrity
Recruitment Qualifications Education:
  • An Advanced University Degree in Nutrition, Nutritional Epidemiology, Public Health, Global/International Health and Nutrition, Health/Nutrition Research, Policy and/or Management, or other Health related science field is required.
Experience:
  • A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in public health/nutrition planning and management and/or in relevant areas of maternal, newborn and child nutrition health care at the international level some of which preferably in a developing country is required.
  • Relevant experience in health/nutrition program/project development and management in any UN system agency or organization is an asset.
Core competencies:
  • Communication (II)
  • Working with people (II)
  • Drive for results (II)
Functional Competencies:
  • Leading and supervising (I)
  • Formulating strategies and concepts (II)
  • Analyzing (III)
  • Relating and networking (II)
  • Deciding and Initiating action (II)
  • Applying technical expertise (III)
Language Requirements:
  • Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset
Interested and qualified candidates should: Click here to apply     Job Title: Child Protection Specialist, NOC Job Number: 511869 Location: Maiduguri Work Type : Fixed Term Staff Summary of Key Functions/Accountabilities
  • Support to programs/projects development and planning
  • Program management, monitoring and delivery of results
  • Technical and operational support to program implementation
  • Networking and partnership building
  • Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
Detailed Key Functions/Accountabilities Support to program/project development and planning:
  • Support the preparation/design and conduct/update of situation analysis for the child protection programs/projects and/or sector to ensure that current comprehensive and evidence based data on child protection issues are available to guide UNICEF's strategic policy advocacy, intervention and development efforts on child rights and protection and to set program priorities, strategies, design and implementation plans. Keep abreast of development trends to enhance program management, efficiency and delivery.
  • Participate in strategic program discussion on the planning of child protection programs/projects. Formulate, design and prepare programs/projects proposal for the sector, ensuring alignment with the overall UNICEF's Strategic Plans and Country Program and coherence/integration with UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDF), regional strategies and national priorities, plans and competencies.
  • Establish specific goals, objectives and strategies and implementation plans for the sector/s using results-based planning terminology and methodology (RBM). Prepare required documentations for program review and approval.
  • Work closely and collaboratively with internal and external colleagues and partners to discuss strategies and methodologies and to determine national priorities/competencies to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable results.
  • Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes and to ensure integration, coherence and harmonization of programs/projects with other UNICEF sectors and achievement of results as planned and allocated.
Program management, monitoring and delivery of results:
  • Plan and/or collaborate with internal and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators and measurement to assess/strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results for the assigned sector in child protection programs.
  • Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, program reviews and annual reviews with government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required action/interventions to achieve results.
  • Prepare/assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths/weaknesses in program and management, identify lessons learned and use knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals.
  • Actively monitor programs/projects through field visits, surveys and/or exchange of information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.
  • Monitor and verify the optimum/appropriate use of sectoral program resources (financial, administrative and other assets) confirming compliance with organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity and ensuring timely reporting and liquidation of resources.
  • Prepare regular/mandated program/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of program progress.
Technical and operational support to program implementation:
  • Provide technical guidance and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and country office partners/donors on interpretation, application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices and approaches on child protection and related issues to support program management, implementation and delivery of results.
  • Arrange/coordinate availability of technical experts with Regional Office/HQ to ensure timely/appropriate support throughout the programming/projects process.
  • Participate in child protection program meetings including program development and contingency planning discussions on emergency preparedness in the country or other locations designated to provide technical and operational information, advice and support.
  • Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic program materials for management use, information and/or consideration.
Networking and partnership building:
  • Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with relevant government counterparts, national stakeholders and global partners/allies/donors/academia through active networking, advocacy and effective communication to build capacity, exchange knowledge/expertise and to reinforce cooperation to achieve sustainable and broad results in child protection.
  • Prepare communication and information materials for CO program advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support fund raising for child protection programs and emergency interventions.
  • Participate and/or represent UNICEF in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) discussions and planning on child protection and related issues to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNDAF planning and preparation of programs/projects ensuring organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the UNDAF process in development planning and agenda setting.
Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building:
  • Apply/introduce innovative approaches and good practice to build the capacity of partners and stakeholders and to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable program results.
  • Keep abreast, research, benchmark and implement best practices in child protection management and information systems. Assess, institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned.
  • Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programs and projects.
  • Organize and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders to promote sustainable results in child protection and related programs/projects.
Impact of Results
  • The strategic and effective advocacy, planning and formulation of child protection programs/projects and the achievement of sustainable results, contributes to achievement of goals and objectives to create a protective environment for children against harm and all forms of violence and ensures their survival, development and well-being in society.
  • Achievements in child protection programs and projects in turn contribute to maintaining/enhancing the credibility and ability of UNICEF to provide program services for mothers and children that promotes greater social equality in the country.
Requirements/ Qualifications Education:
  • An Advanced University degree in International Development, Human Rights, Psychology, Sociology, International Law and other Social Science field is required.
Experience:
  • A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in social development planning and management in child protection and/other related areas at the international level some of which preferably were served in a developing country is required.
  • Relevant experience in child protection and related areas, program/project development and management in a UN system agency or organization is an asset.
  • Experience in both development and humanitarian contexts is an added advantage.
Language Requirements:
  • Fluency in English is required.
  • Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset
Competencies and level of proficiency required (based on UNICEF Professional Competency Profiles) Core Values:
  • Commitment
  • Diversity and inclusion
  • Integrity
Core competencies:
  • Communication (II)
  • Working with people (II)
  • Drive for results (II)
Functional Competencies:
  • Leading and supervising (I)
  • Formulating strategies and concepts (II)
  • Analyzing (III)
  • Relating and networking (II)
  • Deciding and Initiating action (II)
  • Applying technical expertise (III)
Interested and qualified candidates should: Click here to apply   Application Deadline 8th April, 2018.