Job: Child Protection Specialist

Location: Nairobi
Deadline: Thursday, 21 November 2013

Purpose of the Position

You will provide expert policy and technical advice, analysis and technical support to the UNICEF Regional Office and country offices, on policies and programs and advocacy and operational strategies on the prevention and response to violence against children in line with the key recommendations of the UN Study on Violence against Children, especially those actions linked with the Together for Girls Campaign and Security Council Resolution 1882 and 1888.

Key Expected Results

1. Technical support:

Provide and/or facilitate technical support and assistance to UNICEF country offices and key partners in the region for the development and implementation of scaled up prevention and response initiatives for violence against children in the context of promoting a systemic approach to child protection, including for research, situation analyses, programme strategic planning, and systems strengthening in line with international standards and regional strategies/inter-country agreements.

2. Capacity building:

Provide and/or facilitate support to country offices for capacity building of child protection staff including education and health and community workers, government counterparts and non-government partners for addressing special protection issues on prevention and response to violence against children through, linkages to training institutions and key resource persons; the provision of information on international standards and technical guidelines, support for inter-country sharing of projects and experiences, as well as documentation and sharing of good models and lessons learned.

3. Knowledge management:

Ensure the maintenance and updating of a regional knowledge base on the prevention and response to violence against children drawing on available and current data, knowledge and research in the region. Ensure COs have access to this knowledge in order to develop evidence based advocacy and interventions. Promote and support systematic data collection on children affected by violence including innovative research methodologies, at national level.

4. Strategic Partnerships and networking:

In close consultation with other members of the Child Protection, Education, Health, Social Policy and HIV/AIDS regional office teams, support and contribute to networking and co-ordination with strategic partnerships around violence against children and women with the expressed purpose of enhancing cooperation for strengthening systems for scaled up effective programme responses on the follow up of the UN Study on Violence against Children, especially those actions linked with the Together for Girls Campaign and Security Council Resolution 1882 and 1888.

5. Monitoring and Evaluation:

In coordination with other technical colleagues in the Child Protection, Education, Health, HIV/AIDS, Social Policy and Social Protection sections, and in close cooperation with the Monitoring and Evaluation, unit, monitor trends, emerging evidence and practice in the technical area and the responses of other UN agencies, key development partners and advise the Regional Adviser Child Protection and other technical colleagues and country offices on strategic issues. Support quality evaluations of programme interventions on violence against children.

6. Leveraging resources:

Contribute to increasing the financial resources available for child protection activities in the region by supporting country offices on the preparation of project proposals; preparing regional multi-country proposals and donor reports and monitoring utilization of funds in consultation with the Regional Adviser.

7. Regional Office Management:

Participate in the preparation of all regional reports, budget reviews, regional analyses, and regional office work planning exercises and contribute to inter-sectoral coordination and collaboration with other regional office sections, specifically Communication, Education, Health, HIV/AIDS, Social Policy and Planning, sections. Monitor country office work plans and ensure follow-up and quality assurance compliance to specific MTSP and ESAR Regional Management Team targets.

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

• Advanced university degree, preferably in the social sciences, law or other relevant field.
• Eight years of relevant work experience at national and international levels in child protection. Background/familiarity with Emergency.
• Fluency in English and another UN language. Specific Technical Knowledge Required:
• Advanced knowledge of one or more of the technical areas of UNICEF programmes.
• Advanced technical knowledge of theories, principles and methods in the following:
• Strengthening child protection systems and partner capacity for protecting children against violence; in emergencies; in respect of harmful traditional practices; in improving justice for children and in strengthening social welfare systems. Use of data and indicators in child protection.
• Knowledge of the global commitment on aid effectiveness, including the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, the Accra Agenda for Action as well as knowledge of the Global Programme Partnerships (GPPs).
• A first level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Competencies of Successful Candidate

• Communicates effectively to varied audiences, including during formal public speaking.
• Sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals.
• Able to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
• Has good leadership and supervisory skills; co-ordinates group activities, ensuring that roles within the team are clear.
• Translates strategic direction into plans and objectives.
• Analyzes and integrates diverse and complex quantitative and qualitative data from a wide range of sources.
• Quickly builds rapport with individuals and groups; maintains an effective network of individuals across organizational departments.
• Identifies urgent and potentially difficult decisions and acts on them promptly; initiates and generates team- and department-wide activities.
• Demonstrates, applies and shares expert technical knowledge across the organization.

Remarks This is a re-advertisement.

Candidates who applied previously will be considered and need not re-apply. UNICEF 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 organisation.

More Info and Application