UNICEF is recruiting to fill the following vacanct positions in Abuja and Borno.

 Position: UNICEF Child Protection Emergencies Specialist P-4

Purpose of the Position

The Child Protection Specialist reports to the Chief Child Protection for general guidance and direction. The Specialist supports the Chief in the managing the Section and contributing to knowledge development/innovation and for developing and preparing child protection (and/or integrated/complex/key) programs/projects. The Specialist provides authoritative technical guidance/operational support throughout all stages of programming to facilitate the management and delivery of concrete and sustainable UNICEF contribution to national and international efforts to create a protective environment for children against all harm and to protect their rights to survival, development and well being as established under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, international treaties/framework and UN intergovernmental bodies.

The Specialist contributes to achievement of concrete and sustainable programs/projects results according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM) and UNICEF's Strategic Plans, standards of performance and accountability framework

Key Expected Results

1. Management and advisory support to the Chief

• Provide technical assistance/advice to colleagues in the Section on all aspects of programming and implementation to enable colleagues to achieve program/performance objectives
• Provide advice to the Chief in establishing the annual work plan including developing strategies and determining priorities/targets and performance measurements. Coordinate work progress monitoring and ensure results are achieved according to schedule and performance standards and report to Chief critical issues for timely action.
• Perform the full duties of the Chief in his/her absence.

2. Program development and planning

• 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 on results-based planning terminology and methodology (RBM). Prepare required documentations for program review and approval.
• Plan and/or provide technical assistance and operational support to the preparation/design and conduct/update of situation analysis 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 national/regional/international development priorities on child protection and rights to enhance program management and delivery.
• 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.

3. Program management, monitoring and quality control of results

• progress and to engage stakeholders to take 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.
• Plan and/or collaborate with monitoring and evaluation initiatives to establish benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators, to assess/strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results in child protection programs.
• Participate in major monitoring and evaluation exercises, program reviews and annual reviews with government and other counterparts to assess 
• Monitor programs/projects 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 control the use of program resources (financial, human, administrative and other assets) certifying/verifying compliance with organizational rules, regulations and procedures, donor commitments and standards of accountability and integrity. Ensure timely reporting and liquidation of resources.
• Submit/prepare program/project reports to donors and other partners to keep them informed on program progress and critical issues.

4. Advisory services and technical support

• Provide technical advice to key government officials, NGO, UN system and other country office partners on policies, strategies, best practices and approaches on child protection, human rights and other related issues to support program development planning, implementation and delivery of results.
• Coordinate/ensure the availability of technical experts (with Regional Office/HQ) to ensure timely support throughout all stages of programming/project processes.
• Participate in strategic discussions to influence policy and agenda setting for combating poverty and all forms of discrimination against women/children by advising on and advocating strategies and approaches to promote/catalyze social changes for a protective environment for child survival, development and well being in society.
• Prepare policy papers, briefs and other strategic program materials for management use, information and consideration.
• Participate in country discussions on child protection emergency preparedness, programming and contingency planning to ensure proactive and appropriate response are in place to meet onset of emergencies nationally or other designated locations.

5. Advocacy, networking and partnership building

• Build and strengthen strategic partnerships through networking and advocacy with local/national governments, UN system agency partners, donors, internationally recognized institutions, NGOs, funding organization, research institutes and private sector to reinforce cooperation and/or pursue opportunities to promote goals and achieve sustainable and broad results on child protection.
• Prepare communication strategies and implementation plans and activities for maximum communication impact and outreach to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances for sustainable results and support fund raising for UNICEF and Country Office child protection programs and emergency interventions.
• Participate and/or represent UNICEF in inter-agency (UNCT) discussions and planning on child protection 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 programs/projects including emergency preparedness.

6. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Promote critical thinking and innovative approaches and good practices for sustainable child protection programs/projects initiatives through advocacy and technical advisory services.

· Keep abreast, research, benchmark, introduce and implement best and cutting edge practices on child protection management and information systems. Institutionalize and disseminate 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/implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders to promote sustainable results on child protection and related programs/projects.

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

1. EDUCATION
   An Advanced University degree in international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law or other social science field is required.
   *A first university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of advanced university degree.
2. WORK EXPERIENCE
   A minimum of 8 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.
3. LANGUAGE
   Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset

Competencies of Successful Candidate

i) Core Values:

• Commitment
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Integrity

ii) Core Competencies:

• Communication
• Working with People
• Drive for Results

iii) Functional Competencies:

• Leading and Supervising
• Formulating Strategies and Concepts
• Analyzing
• Relating and Networking
• Persuading and Influencing
• Creating and Innovating

Remarks

* The successful candidate for this emergency recruitment MUST be available to commence work within 31 days of receiving an offer.

 Position: UNICEF Child Protection Emergencies Specialist, P-3

Purpose of the Position

The Child Protection Specialist reports to the Chief, Child Protection (P5) for guidance and general supervision. The Specialist supports the development and preparation of the Child Protection (or a sector of) programs/projects and for managing, implementing, monitoring, evaluating and reporting of progress of child protection programs/projects within the country program. The Specialist provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes to facilitate the administration and achievement of concrete and sustainable UNICEF contribution to national and international efforts to create a protective environment for children against all harm and to protect their rights to survival, development and well being as established under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, international treaties/framework and UN intergovernmental bodies.

The Specialist contributes to achievement of results according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM) and UNICEF's Strategic Plans, standards of performance and accountability framework.

Key Expected Results

1. 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.

1. 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.

1. 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.

1. 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.

1. 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.

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

1. EDUCATION
   An Advanced University degree in international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law and other social science field is required.
   *A first university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of advanced university degree.
2. WORK 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.
3. LANGUAGE
   Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset

Competencies of Successful Candidate

i) Core Values:

• Commitment
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Integrity

ii) Core Competencies:

• Communication
• Working with People
• Drive for Results

iii) Functional Competencies:

• Leading and Supervising
• Formulating Strategies and Concepts
• Analyzing
• Relating and Networking
• Persuading and Influencing
• Creating and Innovating

Remarks

* The successful candidate for this emergency recruitment MUST be available to commence work within 31 days of receiving an offer.

How to Apply

If you would like to make an active and lasting contribution to build a better world for children, please apply to the link below no later than 29 June, 2015.

If you have not yet registered with UNICEF Employment, please click on the link below and complete the Registration form. https://careers.unicef.org/registrationUNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization.