UN Careers - Social Policy Specialist (Protection) at United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

Organization: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

Reports to: Chief of Social Policy and Advocacy Section

Vacancy Number: VN/PBR/2016/07

The

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is mandated by the UN general assembly

to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic

needs and expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. Together

with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that

commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most

vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

Job Summary: The Social Policy Specialist will be responsible

for the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the UNICEF Office’s

work on Social Protection with the objective of supporting Government efforts

in formulating, articulating and implementing comprehensive and inclusive

social protection policies and programmes that promote the rights of vulnerable

children and their families, and build their resilience. The Social Policy

Specialist will also be in charge of effective promotion of child rights

governance in support of the principles embedded in the CRC by strengthening

national capacity to ensure that the government meets its obligations to

monitor and implement children’s rights and that civil societies, including

children, hold the state to account. To this end, key assignments may include,

but not be limited to, child rights-based reviews of national, and district

level plans to strengthen capacity for advocacy for children’s rights, and to

support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the World Fit for Children

(WFFC) agenda

Key Duties and Responsibilities: 

1. Social Protection

Dialogue and Programme Development:

• Designs, prepares, implements, monitors and
  
  evaluates the country office’s work around Social Protection.


• Keenly analyzes and evaluates data to ensure
  
  achievement of objectives and/or takes corrective action when necessary to
  
  meet objectives.


• Actively contributes to the development of
  
  new approaches, methods and practices in Social Protection and advocates
  
  for their implementation and financing to ensure that children are
  
  included in national social protection programmes.


• Participates in intersectoral collaboration
  
  with other programme colleagues around social protection to support
  
  mainstreaming of social protection in other sectors.


• Supports the development of appropriate
  
  communication and information strategy to support and/or advocate
  
  programme development.


• Meets with national and international
  
  agencies covering the management of social protection programmes.


• Actively participates in meetings with
  
  ministries responsible for programme/project review, and follows up on
  
  implementation of recommendations and agreements.


• Supports government authorities in planning,
  
  monitoring, evaluation and organizing Social Protection programmes and
  
  ensures inclusion of children. Identifies training needs and objectives
  
  for the purpose of capacity building of government in social protection.

2. Child rights

governance:

• Works closely with the Child Protection
  
  Section to coordinate child rights monitoring and reporting for CRC and
  
  its optional protocols and other international instruments.


• Builds the capacity of government, civil
  
  society organizations’ and independent human rights institutions (e.g.
  
  UHRC) to monitor the implementation of child rights, and builds a strong
  
  civil society including children to hold the government and the
  
  international community accountable for children’s’ rights.


• Collaborates with the Communication Section
  
  to coordinate the development and implementation of a strategic framework
  
  for Child Rights Governance including the National Child Participation
  
  Strategy.


• Establishes effective partnerships with
  
  Government ministries and agencies, Parliament, donors, Civil Society, the
  
  private sector, media, 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 and
  
  the World Fit for Children (WFFC).


• Works in liaison with the Communication
  
  Section to promote and raise awareness on children’s rights with the
  
  general public, policy makers and civil society organizations at the
  
  national and local level, utilizing effective information dissemination,
  
  mass media campaign, special events, and other means, to ensure local
  
  buy-in, commitment, and continued relevance of UNICEF programming.

3. UNICEF Programme

Management:

• Participates in the development of the
  
  sectoral work plan, ensures the achievement of specific assigned
  
  objectives.


• Prepares programme/project status reports
  
  required for management, Board, donors, budget review, programme analysis,
  
  annual reports, etc.


• Coordinates with the Operations/Supply staff
  
  on supply and non-supply assistance activities ensuring proper and timely
  
  UNICEF and government accountability. Certifies disbursements of funds,
  
  monitors and submits financial status reports to the Deputy Representative
  
  or Representative, as required.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The applicant for the United Nations UNICEF
  
  Social Policy Specialist (Protection) career opportunity should hold an advanced
  
  University degree in Social Sciences, Political Science, Economics, or a
  
  related technical field.


• At least eight years of progressively
  
  responsible professional work experience at the national and international
  
  levels in social protection and child rights or a related field preferably
  
  in developing country contexts.


• Fluency in English is required and strong
  
  written and verbal communications skill therein strongly desirable.

• Core Values (Required): Commitment; Diversity and Inclusion;
  
  Integrity


• Core Competencies (Required):
  
  Communication; Drive for Result; Working with People


• Functional Competencies (Required):
  
  Applying Technical Expertise; Leading and Supervising; Formulating
  
  Strategies and Concepts; Analyzing; Relating and Networking; Persuading
  
  and Influencing; Creating and Innovating

NB: UNICEF is committed to gender equality in its

mandate and its staff; qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to

apply. UNICEF is a smoke free environment.

All

suitably qualified and interested Ugandan Nationals who wish to join the United

Nations UNICEF must send their applications accompanied by an updated CV and

P11 form, download here, as well

as two of the most recent performance evaluation reports.

The

Email applications should be sent in this format and so name your file

attachments: Firstname_Lastname followed by document e.g. Gold_MukasaP11 or

Gold_MukasaCV or Gold_MukasaApplication.

The

applications should be addressed to:

P.O.

Box 7047, Kampala Uganda

Via Email to: ugderecruit@unicef.org

Deadline: 30th March, 2016