Adolescent Development Officer (Innovation), Fixed Term Appointment, Beirut, Lebanon, PN

Contract

This is a NO-2 contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. More about NO-2 contracts.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, innovation

UNICEF started to work in Lebanon in 1948 and established its office in 1950. For more than 70 years we’ve been working closely with the Government of Lebanon, other UN agencies, international and local NGOs, universities, and more than 100 partners to meet the needs of disadvantaged children in Lebanon. Responding to life-saving needs and ensuring equal access to quality public services, the impact of our work is felt in every aspect and every sphere of society. To learn more about our work, please refer to: https://www.unicef.org/lebanon/what-we-do

Job organizational context: The Youth & Adolescent Development Officer (Innovation) will contribute for the implementation of the Youth and Adolescent Programme which is a key component of the Country Programme. The Youth and Adolescent Officer reports to the Youth and Adolescent Specialist who is at Level NO-C.

Purpose for the job: The Youth & Adolescent Development Officer (Innovations) provides professional technical, operational and administrative assistance throughout the programming process to support the integration of adolescent development and participation in programs/projects within the Country Program with focus on innovation and social entrepreneurship. The Officer is responsible for preparing, executing, managing and implementing a variety of technical and administrative program tasks to ensure that innovative approaches, including design thinking, social entrepreneurship, impact sourcing and the use of technology, are incorporated into the adolescent and youth programme.

How can you make a difference

1. Support to program development and planning

• Conduct/update situation analysis and assessments to establish evidence-based data for UNICEF advocacy and development of policies, framework and programs to promote adolescent development and participation in the country and for monitoring results on related programs/projects.
• Contribute to the development/establishment of adolescent development and participation program goals, objectives and strategies and results-based planning through research, collection, analysis and reporting of related information/data for development planning and priority and goal setting.

• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes by executing/administering a variety of technical, program, operational and administrative transactions, preparing related materials/documentations and complying with organizational processes and management systems, to support program planning, results based planning (RBM) and monitoring and evaluating results.

• Prepare required program documentations/materials/data to facilitate the program review and approval process.

2. Program implementation, monitoring and delivery of results

• Work closely and collaboratively with internal and external colleagues and partners to discuss adolescent development and participation operational and implementation issues, provide solutions, recommendations and/or alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level intervention and/or decision. Keep record of reports and assessments for easy reference and/or to capture and institutionalize lessons learned.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, program reviews and annual reviews with government and other counterparts to assess programs/projects on adolescent development and participation and report on required action/interventions at the higher level of program management.
• Monitor and report on the use of adolescent development and participation program resources (financial, administrative and other assets), verify compliance with approved allocation/goals, organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity. Report on critical issues/findings to ensure timely resolution by management/stakeholders. Follow up on unresolved issues to ensure resolution.
• Prepare regular/mandated relevant program/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of program progress.

3. Technical and operational support to program implementation

• Conduct regular program field visits and surveys and/or exchange information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress and provide technical support, take appropriate action to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for resolution. Report on critical issues, bottlenecks and potential problems for timely action to achieve results.
• Provide technical and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on the application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices on adolescent development and participation related issues to support program implementation, operations and delivery of results.

4. Networking and partnership building

• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with government counterparts and national stakeholders through active sharing of information and knowledge to facilitate program implementation and build capacity of stakeholders to achieve and sustain results on adolescent development and participation programs.
• Draft communication and information materials for CO program advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support resource mobilization to ensure the adolescent development and participation programs are adequately resourced and supported.
• Participate in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) meetings/events on programming to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNDAF operational planning and preparation of adolescent development and participation programs/projects and to integrate and harmonize UNICEF position and strategies with the UNDAF development and planning process.
• Research information on potential donors and prepare resource mobilization materials and briefs for fund raising and partnership development purposes.

5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Identify, capture, synthesize and share lessons learned for knowledge development and to build the capacity of stakeholders.

• Apply innovative approaches and promote good practice to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable program results.

• Research and report on best and cutting edge practices for development planning of knowledge products and systems.

• Participate as resource person in capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

Education: A University Degree in anthropology, psychology, sociology, education or other social science field is required.

Experience: A minimum of 2 years of professional experience in social development planning and management in youth & adolescent development related areas with specific focus on youth innovation and social entrepreneurship;

Desired qualifications:

• Experience designing, incorporating, implementing innovation into humanitarian and development programs is required.
• Experience managing multiple partners in complex environments is required.
• Experience developing and implementing program strategies in social entrepreneurship and/or start-ups in a humanitarian/development context is required.
• Significant knowledge and experience in the use of design thinking as an approach and methodology is an asset.
• Relevant experience in program/project development and management in related areas in a UN system agency or organization is an asset.

Languages: Fluency in English and Arabic is required.

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

Core Values

• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

Functional Competencies:

• Formulating strategies and concepts (I)
• Analyzing (II)
• Applying technical expertise (II)
• Learning and researching (II)
• Planning and organizing (II)
• Creating and Innovating (II)

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.