Advocacy Specialist (Child Protection & Communication), NO-3 (TA), New Delhi (This is a Temporary Appointment for 364 days)

Contract

This is a NO-3 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-3 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. UNICEF has spent 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. Defending children's rights throughout their lives requires a global presence, aiming to produce results and understand their effects. UNICEF believes all children have a right to survive, thrive and fulfill their potential – to the benefit of a better world.

And we never give up.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF: https://youtu.be/43aiG4w2q_M

For Every Child, AN ADVOCATE:

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, nutrition, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

How can you make a difference?

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children’s rights organization would like to hear from you.

Under the overall guidance of the Chief of Child Protection (CP) and Chief of Communication, Advocacy and Partnerships (CAP), the incumbent will work in close coordination and collaboration with CP, CAP sections as well as other relevant sections to support and guide the state offices on communications and advocacy activities related initiatives relating to Office Advocacy Strategic Framework development process, flagship advocacy priorities i.e., Child Rights Advocacy, the Learning Crisis and especially on the Ending Violence Against Children agenda.

India Country Office has extensive experience in strengthening child protection systems, preventing child marriage and child labour. As a part of the new country programme, the child protection programme is currently exploring strategic options for developing large-scale strategy and interventions to prevent VAC (violence against children), in close cooperation with C4D (Communication for Development) and CAP sections.

Summary of Key functions/accountabilities:

Communication and Public Advocacy – To support that the Country Office has a clear Integrated Advocacy Framework for flagship advocacy priorities, with SMART objectives and results, clearly defined roles and responsibilities, timebound rollout plan, partnership mapping, monitoring indicators and theory of change leading to a roadmap to results for children.

The responsibilities will include communication and advocacy plan to support the Child Protection programme objectives, with a special focus on EVAC (end violence against children) as one of the key ICO (India Country Office) programme and advocacy priorities. Getting children’s issues prominently into the public domain, strengthen political commitment in support of the EVAC agenda and other key priorities such as the Education and the Learning Crisis accelerated due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Work closely with the Ministry of Women & Child Development (MWCD), and other key stakeholders in its public advocacy campaign and engagement to communicate the story of UNICEF's cooperation to a wider audience on child protection priorities especially in the context of EVAC.

• Develop, maintain and follow up implementation of the country office advocacy framework and priorities including CP/EVAC advocacy plan. The plan to include: an environmental and stakeholder assessment; objectives; target audiences; messages and media mix; resources; specific actions, activities and products; monitoring and evaluation of impact; success and opportunity for improvement; ongoing refinement of the strategy.
• Ensure UNICEF’s rights and results-based programming approach is appropriately reflected in the communication strategy, work plan and products.
• Work in close collaboration with CP, CAP and C4D staff and other Networks to ensure CP programmatic interventions are supported by communications interventions, specially EVAC.
• Formulate, update and implement an Integrated Advocacy Strategic Framework for UNICEF India with operational plan, SMART objectives and outcomes statements for each flagship focus area. Carry forward with timebound implementation and rollout.
• Close collaboration with and support to all programme sections and cross-cutting teams to launch, roll out and implement the advocacy strategy with clear roles and responsibilities across teams. Internal collaboration and bringing all key staff and teams is a fundamental function of the position.
• Support to State offices: Undertake consultative process to identify clear communication and advocacy goals/asks and provide support to state office with evidence, strategy and tools to achieve these goals tailored to state-specific contexts/ typologies, including quiet, discreet advocacies in civic strife and conflict affected states.

Networking and partnerships – To support in establishing and maintaining networks and partnerships for achieving key priority advocacy objectives of the EVAC communication plan, and other relevant advocacy priorities linked to child protection.

• Help establish, document, review and refine process of working collaboratively with partners, including meetings, joint projects, information sharing etc.
• Work in collaboration with MWCD, with CP and CAP section to promote a better understanding of, respect and support for EVAC by carrying out media, information and education activities with various stakeholders including CSOs/NGO partners, faith-based organizations (FBOs) and corporate partners.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen the capacity of partners through appropriate advocacy and communication training, access to information, supplies and equipment and through knowledge sharing.

Support communication materials and campaigns for key advocacy priorities

• Support advancing ICO key flagship priorities – Child Rights Advocacy, EVAC and the Learning Crisis.
• Support national advocacy activities around EVAC and other CP priroities including preparing information materials (e.g., press releases, programme summaries, country fact sheets and media kits). Ensure or enhance the quality, consistency and appropriateness of advocacy and communication materials, activities, processes and messages shared with partners.
• Write and edit human interest stories, social media material as applicable.
• Ensure all qualitative aspects of audio visual, print, digital material produced in coordination with design/AV/design/PR agencies meet UNICEF technical, ethical, and brand guidelines and are suited for digital and traditional media channels.
• Support the development of presentations, talking points, donor briefings as required.

National priorities and campaigns - Work closely with CP and CAP section on child protection especially EVAC local/national campaigns as well as integrating and acting on UNICEF’s global communications priorities and campaigns. Both disseminating these elements in a locally appropriate way, as well as providing/enabling coverage of the work in the country for global use.

• Support UNICEF national and global EVAC communications objectives and strategies through development of complementary country specific and local community materials and activities. Work plan should anticipate the inclusion of work on global priorities and campaigns.
• Support other campaigns and initiatives in the country office.

Management – To provide support to the team so that human resources (the communication team) and financial resources (budget planning, management and monitoring) related to communication component under CP are both effectively managed and optimally used.

• Plan and monitor the use of communication budgetary resources related to CP and take appropriate actions to optimize use of funds. Conduct various assurance activities including programme visits, spot checks and special audits as necessary under HACT guidelines.

Monitoring and evaluation – To provide support in establishing communication baselines against which the achievement of objectives of the EVAC communication strategy and other CP priorities are regularly evaluated; analysis is undertaken to continuously improve the effectiveness of communication strategy, approach and activities; results and reports are prepared and shared on a timely basis.

• Provide technical support to ensure that a set of communication performance indicators is identified and adjusted as necessary, and these communication indicators are incorporated or fed forwarded in the Annual Management Plan, Annual Work Plan, etc.
• Conduct timely and accurate monitoring and evaluation activities to ensure the communications objectives are met and the strategy is effective.
• Undertake lessons learned review of successful and unsuccessful communication experiences and share observations/findings so that best practices benefit UNICEF’s communication work.

Capacity building and support – To provide support to the team with professional expertise and advice on all aspects of communication as required; opportunities are identified and addressed for building communication capacity among partners on EVAC.

• Advise UNICEF programmes, section chiefs, colleagues and staff on key areas of ICO advocacy priorities including EVAC communication & advocacy plan and implications for action and policies proposed.
• Support communication activities through knowledge management, information exchange and building capacity of the country communications team. Enable appropriate advocacy and communication training, access to information, supplies and equipment, and developing training and orientation material.

To qualify as a champion for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree in international development, human rights, sociology, communication, journalism, public relations or closely related fields is required.

OR

A first University degree with two additional years (minimum seven years in total) of relevant professional experience in social development planning and management in child protection and/other related areas, in lieu of an Advanced University degree.

• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in strategic communication and child protection is required.
• Experience in social development planning and/or advocacy and partnerships is considered as an asset.
• Fluency in written and spoken English and Hindi is required.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

Core values

• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability

Competencies Areas

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
• Works Collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

View our competency framework 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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.

Remarks:

• This position is based in New Delhi (India).
• Selected applicant will have a 364 days Temporary Appointment contract.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
• UNICEF does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process including application, interview, meeting, traveling, processing, training etc. UNICEF is a nonsmoking working environment.

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