Advocacy Specialist, P-3, Regional Office for East Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, Thailand #128542 (Temp Appointment for 364 days)

Contract

This is a P-3 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 5 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 105,852 USD and 138,605 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 over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, an Advocate

This post sits within the East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO) as part of the Regional Communication and Advocacy Section. In supporting Country Offices to progress on UNICEF vision, mandate and commitment, the Communication and Advocacy section of EAPRO serves as the 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.

Advocacy is at the center 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 Advocacy Specialist reports to the Regional Chief of Advocacy and Communication (P5).

How can you make a difference?

The P3 Advocacy Specialist is accountable for coordinating, implementing, monitoring and evaluating strategies to achieve positive outcomes for children and young people. This includes supporting the implementation of regional and national advocacy strategies.

The Advocacy Specialist works in close coordination with Programme Division, other HQ Divisions, Regional, Country Offices, National Committees, and other relevant internal and external stakeholders.

This staff member will drive the development of effective, integrated advocacy strategies across UNICEF EAPRO in collaboration with 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 target global advocacy fora and support effective advocacy at the national level.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

Advocacy strategy development:

• Lead efforts to develop robust, integrated regional advocacy strategies on immunization, strengthening Primary Health Care, improving food environment, adolescent girls’ empowerment and climate action, in line with global guidelines.

• Provide technical support to COs to develop country-specific advocacy strategies on key priorities.

• Propose new approaches and innovative ideas as part of the strategy development process.
• Provide guidance to COs and RO on strategic advocacy tactics and partnerships, promoting knowledge exchange on best practice and lessons learned from different countries and regions.

Advocacy strategy implementation:

• Coordinate the implementation of advocacy strategies and plans, working across teams in relevant Country Offices and regional teams to effectively coordinate implementation of a range of advocacy tactics, such as: developing advocacy briefs and products, producing advocacy narratives, shaping creative activations to drive public engagement, working with the media, and organizing advocacy events.
• Support priority advocacy and communications moments or activations, in coordination with HQ and CO teams.
• Working with COs and regional teams, provide support and guidance to COs and ROs in analyzing the effectiveness of the strategies, approach and activities at country and regional level, and lead the analysis of approaches, outputs and outcomes.

Advocacy M&E: Establish baselines against which advocacy outcomes are regularly monitored; analyze the effectiveness of the strategy, approach and activities, and drive the day-to-day production and dissemination of advocacy M&E results on a regular basis.

Team Building, Project and Budget Management:

• Coordinate across divisional, international and inclusive teams featuring a variety of advocacy and non-advocacy professionals to deliver strategic advocacy initiatives.
• Manage day-to-day delivery of key projects/ workstreams, reviewing work plans to ensure progress and delivery while addressing obstacles and bottlenecks. Ensure effectiveness and transparent use of budget and resources.

Advocacy Capacity Building:

• Contribute to building internal UNICEF capacities in advocacy, through proactive and regular contribution to development, refinement and contextualization of advocacy capacity building modules for regional and country teams through direct coaching, guidance, training and sharing of advocacy expertise, in collaboration with the division of Global Communication & Advocacy.
• Support Country Offices for building advocacy capacity internally and for partners for strengthening collaborations and engagements on specific strategies.

Stakeholder engagement:

• Identify, build and maintain formal and informal advocacy partnerships and networks through proactive collaboration with strategic internal and external partners, where relevant at national and regional levels.
• Adopt a consultative approach and solicit the support of key stakeholders at critical points of implementation of advocacy strategies, as well as on global advocacy moments and opportunities to advance efforts on specific agendas.

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

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

Education:

• Advanced university degree is required in one of the following fields: Social sciences, Public Policy, International Relations, International Development, Communication or other relevant fields.
• Alternatively, a first-level university degree in a relevant field combined with (2) additional years of qualifying professional experience in partnership development may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of five years of progressively responsible professional work experience in advocacy and campaign strategy development and execution, preferably at both regional and national levels.
• Experience in leading the development and implementation of advocacy strategies and public engagement is required.
• Strong track record in writing engaging campaign narratives and delivering creative campaign tactics based on a clear theory of change is required
• Demonstrated experience in design and management of projects, including monitoring of results is required
• Knowledge of international development, and children’s rights will be essential.
• Ability to operate independently and provide expert advice and support on advocacy and campaigns.
• Experience of working for an advocacy organization e.g. international or national NGO, UN or other multilateral organization and knowledge of the United Nations system or other international organisations are an asset.
• Experience in training and facilitation will be an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable males and females are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Nationals of the country are eligible to apply for IP positions in an RO provided they have at least two (2) years of international work experience: gained through international assignments with other offices outside the country of nationality of at least one year duration.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.