Purpose:
Under the general guidance of the Regional Adviser for Child Protection, you are responsible for provision of expert advice, analysis and technical support to the regional, country offices and regional networks in East Asia & Pacific on policies, operational strategies, research and evaluations with regard to the strengthening of national child protection systems.
Qualification:
Advanced university degree in a related technical field, e.g. Social Work, Child Development, International Human Rights Law.*
Minimum eight years of progressively responsible professional work experience at the national and international levels in a relevant field.
Fluency in English and another UN working language. Knowledge of any of the languages in the Region is an asset.
*A first level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Key Expected Results:
1. Technical support
Provide high level technical assistance to the regional office, country offices and regional networks for programme activities related to strengthening child protection systems. This would be achieved through direct technical inputs as well as referrals and the coordination of data banks of short term expertise on whose capacities that country offices can rely.
Coordinate and facilitate the collaboration with CDC, Atlanta and other partners, in the establishment of national violence against children prevalence baselines in 9 countries, and building a regional analysis for advocacy and mobilization of financial and human resources by governments across the region.
2. Capacity development
Facilitate the implementation of the EAPRO Child Protection Programme Strategy and the Child Protection Programme Strategy Toolkit by design and supporting initiatives for UNICEF staff and key counterparts on child protection systems building, with the guidance of the Regional Advisor.
Coordinate with the Child Protection Specialist – Child Rights & Child Justice, in relation to capacity development in child protection systems building, specialist protection concerns and related research and analysis. This work will also extend to programme areas identified in the ASEAN/UNICEF Framework of Cooperation.
3. Networking and coordination
Provide support to strengthen and utilize existing networks and professional associations, linking UNICEF programmes with practitioners, researchers, academics, government staff and donors with regards to child protection system building.
Further, the Specialist will serve a coordinating role in order to ensure the effective implementation of regional initiatives, which includes coordinating and facilitating access to regional and sub-regional workshops, global initiatives, building inter-country exchanges, and identifying and sharing best practices in collaboration with the Regional Advisor, UNICEF staff, counterparts, donor partners and other stakeholders.
Maintain a solid data-base of potential individual and institutional consultants ready to support COs on a wide range of matters pertaining to strengthening systems building for child protection.
Keep abreast of developments in the region and globally, on behalf of UNICEF, and tap into existing networks, professional associations and interest groups, linking UNICEF programmes with practitioners, researchers, academics, government staff and donors.
4. Management
Contribute to the child protection thematic area management within the regional office through provision of support for office and funding management, annual work plan development, fundraising, donor reports, annual reports and any other duties appropriate to the purpose of this post, which may be requested by the regional office and assigned by the Regional Advisor for Child Protection from time to time.
Competencies:
Communicates effectively to varied audiences, including during formal public speaking.
Able to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
Sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals.
Has good leadership and supervisory skills; co-ordinates group activities, ensuring that roles within the team are clear.
Analyzes and integrates diverse and complex quantitative and qualitative data from a wide range of sources.
Identifies urgent and potentially difficult decisions and acts on them promptly; initiates and generates team- and department-wide activities.
Translates strategic direction into plans and objectives.
Quickly builds rapport with individuals and groups; maintains an effective network of individuals across organizational departments.
Demonstrates, applies and shares expert technical knowledge across the organization.
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.
If you want a challenging career while improving the lives of children around the world UNICEF, the leading children’s rights organization, would like to hear from you.
Visit us at www.unicef.org/about/employ to register in our new e-Recruitment system and apply to this and other vacancies, quoting E-VN-2011-001636. Applications must be received by 6 October 2011.
Please note that only candidates who are under serious consideration will be contacted.
In the selection of its staff, UNICEF is committed to gender balance and diversity without distinction as to race, sex or religion, and without discrimination of persons with disabilities: well qualified candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
