Advocacy Officer, P-2, Fixed Term, Division of Global Communication and Advocacy, UNICEF NYHQ

Contract

This is a P-2 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 2 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 108,633 USD and 147,551 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

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, an Advocate

UNICEF delivers change by combining high-quality programmes at scale, harnessing innovation and collecting evidence, in partnership with Governments, other United Nations partners, civil society, the private sector, communities and children. It uses these to leverage wider change nationally and globally through advocacy, communications and campaigning. UNICEF also builds public support around the world to volunteer, advocate and mobilize resources for the cause of children, and works with partners to achieve an even greater impact. In supporting senior leadership, HQ Divisions, Regional and Country Offices to progress on UNICEF vision, mandate and commitment, the Division of Global Communication and Advocacy (GCA) serves as the global centre of excellence in advocacy, communication and brand. By coalescing our collective efforts, UNICEF aims to be the leading advocate for children, enabled by a cohort of networked, strategic, innovative, and effective advocates who deliver change for children in every part of the world.

GCA’s Advocacy Section has three core objectives:

1. To collaboratively develop, strengthen and implement advocacy strategies, with robust monitoring and evaluation, on advocacy priorities ;

2. To build and strengthen strategic partnerships for advocacy – with civil society, influencers, partner organizations (UN and non-UN) and other actors, to ensure a strategic approach to deploying these partners to increase our advocacy impact ;

3. To develop and implement clear plans to build advocacy capacity across UNICEF.

Advocacy is at the centre of UNICEF’s mandate. We advocate to decision makers for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential.

The Civil Society Advocacy unit, within GCA’s Advocacy Section, plays a critical role in building and maintaining strong relationships with influential civil society partners and working with them to secure our shared advocacy goals for children and young people. The Advocacy Officer P2 is responsible for assisting in the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of global advocacy strategies to achieve positive outcomes for children and young people, with a focus on ensuring strong civil society engagement. The Advocacy Officer works in close coordination with other GCA sections, Programme Group, other HQ Divisions, Regional, Country Offices, National Committees, other relevant internal and external stakeholders.

How can you make a difference?

Under the direct supervision of the P4 Partnerships Manager and with a dotted line to the P4 Advocacy Manager, the Advocacy Officer will support the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of effective, integrated advocacy strategies across UNICEF HQ and key UNICEF Regional, Country Offices and National Committees. S/he will work collaboratively with colleagues across UNICEF at headquarters, country and regional level, as well as with external partners to drive changes in policy and practice and secure political and financial commitments for children. S/he will support effective advocacy at the global and national level.

Duties include:

1. Advocacy strategy development, planning and implementation:

• Assist in the development of advocacy strategies and plans to achieve SMART outcomes, under the supervision of the Advocacy

Manager and Partnerships Manager ;

• Support the implementation of advocacy strategies, contributing to a range of tactics, such as: the production of advocacy assets, writing advocacy briefs, developing narratives, delivering creative campaign activations, and organizing advocacy events.

2. Stakeholder engagement:

• Help develop and implement strategies and workplans for UNICEF’s engagement with CSOs, FBOs and S4D organizations, with a

focus on cocreation to support effective implementation of the Global Advocacy Priorities at global and country level.

• Help maintain an inventory of key partners and build direct relationships with them, conducting regular outreach on UNICEF’s

advocacy priorities. Support the identification of new and influential partners to take UNICEF’s advocacy to the next level.

• Coordinate internal stakeholders (Country Offices, Regional Offices, HQ and National Committees) to ensure alignment on civil

society advocacy engagement, and provide strategic advice across UNICEF on the role of religious organizations, S4D organizations,

and civil society in support of the Strategic Plan.

• Monitor ongoing UNICEF engagement with these actors at all levels; identifying key challenges and opportunities for effective

engagement.

3. Advocacy M&E, capacity building and knowledge management:

• Support the establishment of baselines against which advocacy outcomes are regularly monitored; analyze the effectiveness of the

strategy, approach and activities; produce and disseminate advocacy M&E results on a regular basis.

• Document and disseminate advocacy good practice to build internal UNICEF capacities in advocacy.

• Strengthen knowledge management on UNICEF collaboration with CSOs and FBO networks by maintaining comprehensive records

and documenting successful partnership models, showcasing them on the Advocacy Portal.

4. Project and budget support:

• Support the day-to-day delivery of key projects, initiatives and workstreams within UNICEF’s Global Advocacy Priorities (GAP) portfolio, developing and tracking project plans to ensure progress and address obstacles and bottlenecks.
• Support effective budget management, projections and tracking.

5. Others:

• Undertake other key responsibilities to support the performance and impact of the Advocacy Section as required.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education:

A university degree (Bachelor’s) in one of the following fields: International Relations, Political Science, International Development, Public Policy, Public Administration, Economics, Communication or related fields.

Experience:

• At least two years’ experience in advocacy strategy development and execution, preferably on both a global and national level.
• Experience in managing partnerships with various stakeholders, including civil society organizations. Understanding of faith-based organizations.
• Experience in supporting the development of clear theories of change, with specific, measurable and timebound objectives and performance indicators.
• Demonstrated experience in supporting and/or managing projects to completion, including developing and implementing clear processes, and budget management.
• Experience in supporting the effective functioning of a team.
• Knowledge of international development, humanitarian issues and children’s rights.
• Experience working for an advocacy or campaigning organization e.g. international or national NGO, UN or other multilateral organization is an asset.
• Experience in training and facilitation is an asset.
• Experience working in a developing and emergency environment is an asset.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of an additional UN language is considered a strong asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

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

UNICEF's Core competencies required for this post are (For Staff without Supervisory Responsibilities) ...

• 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)

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.

Division Global and Advocacy (NYHQ)

UNICEF ( Division of Global and advocacy ) is currently undergoing organizational changes; therefore, the exact location of the post has yet to be determined. Selected candidates may be required to commence duties remotely until the location is confirmed. If reassigned or relocated to New York, candidates may be expected to relocate to a new location again during the initial contract or assignment period.