Child Protection Specialist (Migration and Emergencies), P-3, Mexico City, Mexico, Temp Appointment

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 123,395 USD and 161,576 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, wellbeing

Mexico is a country of origin, transit and destination for migrant children from the countries of northern Central America, seeking safety and opportunity in Mexico or the United States. These are children fleeing from gang-related and gender-based violence, organized crime, extortion, poverty and limited access to education and social services. They have been repeatedly exposed to threats, intimidation and insecurity in a lawless environment. Many also want to be reunited with their families who reside in the United States.

Mexico made significant progress as the General Law on the Rights of Children and Adolescents (Children’s Law) was passed in 2014. The Law created a child rights governance and coordination mechanisms within a National Integrated Child Rights Protection System, to redress fragmentation of policies and responsibilities for children’s rights. The Law sets normative standards for children’s protection applicable across the country, redressing the previous heterogeneity of state laws. The Children’s Law also opened new opportunities for the protection of migrant and refugee children through the creation of special protection mechanisms such as the child protection authorities at federal, local and municipal levels.

After several years of advocacy, both the Migration Law and the Refugee, Complementary Protection and Political Asylum Law were amended in November 2020, reinforcing the principles of non-detention and protection for children and adolescents on the move, as well as best interest determination. UNICEF support DIF in the development of a care and reception model for migrant and refugee children that is part of a more ambitious care reform.

UNICEF is supporting state and local authorities for the rapid identification, registration and care of unaccompanied and separated children and adolescents who have entered the country or are moving through Mexico at both the northern and southern borders. UNICEF is providing technical assistance to child protection authorities to implement standard procedures and case management. UNICEF is also supporting implementation of alternative care options for short and long-term solutions. UNICEF is also a key actor providing mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) to children on the move, and their families, currently housed in different shelters across the country, through recreational and sport activities with support from implementing partners.

México is also an emergency prone country. Mexico’s complex landscape, extensive coastline, and unique geological and climatic setting make it vulnerable to a variety of natural disasters, including earthquakes and tsunamis, flooding and landslides, volcanic eruptions, and meteorological hazards. Each of these primary hazards in turn is associated with a variety of secondary hazards (e.g., flooding from tropical cyclone precipitation or landslides triggered by an earthquake).

How can you make a difference?

Under the direct supervision and overall guidance of the Child Protection Chief, the Child Protection Specialist (Emergency/Migration) is responsible for leading and managing both UNICEF’s child protection migration and emergency preparedness and response programs. The incumbent is responsible for managing the related output of UNICEF Annual Work Plan. The Specialist works in close collaboration with the chiefs of field offices and child protection officers responsible of the different relevant technical areas, including system strengthening, case management and care reform. The incumbent will supervise a team of national and international colleagues.

1. Support to programme/project development and planning
2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results
3. Technical and operational support to programme implementation
4. Networking and partnership building
5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

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

• The following required education, experience, and languages:

  • An advanced university degree (Master’s) in one of the following fields is required: international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law, or another relevant social science field. Alternatively, a bachelor’s degree with two additional years of experience may be accepted in lieu of the Master’s degree.
  • A minimum of five years of professional experience in social development planning and management in child-protection-related areas.
  • Experience in child protection in emergency contexts and in humanitarian action.
  • Experience managing teams.
  • Fluency in Spanish and English.

  Additionally, you may have the following experience, but please note that it is not mandatory, it is rather an asset:

  • Experience in managing child protection in development and humanitarian contexts.
  • Relevant experience in child protection in migration contexts and children on the move.
  • Essential Technical Knowledge of theories, principles, and methods in areas of Children on the Move, Child Protection, CPiE, GBViE, and MHPSS.
  • Relevant experience in child protection and related areas, program/project development, and management in a UN system agency or organization.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

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.

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

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:

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either: a role with direct contact with children, works directly with child, is a safeguarding response role or has been assessed as an elevated risk role for child safeguarding. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) applies.

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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government 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.