Child Protection Specialist, NO-C (TA), New Delhi, India, Post No. 00119394 (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.

And we never give up!

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, 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 in the world's thereby ensuring a better future for every child, this is the chance to make a difference.

Major duties and responsibilities

Support to program/project development and planning

• Support the preparation/design and conduct/update of situation analysis for street children to ensure that current comprehensive and evidence based data on child protection systems strengthening and issues related to child protection are available to guide UNICEF’s strategic policy advocacy, intervention and development efforts on child rights and protection in urban context and to set program priorities, strategies, design and implementation plans. Keep abreast of development trends to enhance program management, efficiency and delivery with special focus on child protection systems related issues.
• Participate in strategic program discussion on child protection systems interventions. Formulate, design and prepare programs/projects proposal for the sector, ensuring alignment with the overall UNICEF’s Strategic Plans and Country Program and coherence/integration with UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), regional strategies and national priorities, plans and competencies.
• Support establishment of specific goals, objectives and strategies and implementation plans for the sector/s using results-based planning terminology and methodology (RBM).
• Work closely and collaboratively with internal and external colleagues and partners to discuss strategies and methodologies and to determine national priorities/competencies to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable results.
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes and to ensure integration, coherence and harmonization of programs/projects with other UNICEF sectors and achievement of results as planned and allocated.
• Provide technical assistance to inter-state dialogue coordination and policy dialogue on child protection systems strengthening.

Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results

• To support with planning and implementation of child protection systems programming across pan India and at the national level.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, program reviews and annual reviews with government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required action/interventions to achieve results. To support with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Documentation of the programme. Regular update of the programme progress and support in budget monitoring by states.
• Plan and/or collaborate with internal and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators and measurement to assess/strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results for the assigned sector in programming.
• Prepare/assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths/weaknesses in program and management, identify lessons learned and use knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals.
• Actively monitor child protection systems strengthening related programs through field visits, and/or exchange of information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.
• Monitor and verify the optimum/appropriate use of sectoral program resources (financial, administrative and other assets) confirming compliance with organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity and ensuring timely reporting and liquidation of resources.

Technical and operational support to programme implementation

• Provide technical guidance and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and country office partners/donors on interpretation, application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices and approaches on child protection systems strengthening to support program management, implementation and delivery of results.
• Arrange/coordinate availability of technical experts with Regional Office/HQ to ensure timely/appropriate support throughout the programming/projects process.
• Participate in child protection system strengthening related meetings including program development and contingency planning discussions to provide technical and operational information, advice and support.
• Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic program materials for management use, donor reports, information and/or consideration.

Networking and partnership building

• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with relevant government counterparts, national stakeholders and global partners/allies/donors/academia through active networking, advocacy and effective communication to build capacity, exchange knowledge/expertise and to reinforce cooperation to achieve sustainable and broad results.
• Prepare communication and information materials for CO program advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support fund raising.

Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Apply/introduce and manage support to innovative approaches and good practice documentation to build the capacity of partners and stakeholders and to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable program results.
• Keep abreast of research, benchmark and implement best practices in child protection systems strengthening related management and information systems. Assess, institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned.
• Provide inputs and manage content related to child protection systems strengthening on Enterprise Content Management (ECM)

Kindly note that this role is an elevated risk role from a child safeguarding perspective.

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

EDUCATION

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law, or another relevant social science field.

WORK EXPERIENCE

• A minimum of five years of professional experience in social development planning and management in child protection related areas is required.
• Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset.
• Relevant experience in programme development in child protection related areas in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
• Experience in both development and humanitarian contexts is considered as an added advantage

LANGUAGES

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

TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE

i. Specific Technical Knowledge Required [ for the job ]

• Child Protection Systems Strengthening
• Child Protection systems in the urban context
• Justice for Children
• Children living in the street
• Urban programming
• Urban governance
• Public finance for children

ii. Common Technical Knowledge Required (for the job group)

• Child Protection and Child Rights issues in India
• India legal and policy framework relating to children
• Child welfare, child justice, social policy

iii. General knowledge of:

• Good oral and written communication skills.
• Computer systems/applications and network, including internet navigation, office applications, and specifically, interactive digital media.
• Knowledge of United Nations or other international organizations;
• Global human rights issues, specifically relating to children and women.
• UNICEF Child Protection goals, policies, guidelines and strategies.
• UNICEF policies and strategy to address national and international issues.
• Gender equality and diversity awareness

For every Child, you demonstrate...

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

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are

• Builds and Maintains Partnerships [ I ]
• Demonstrates Self and Ethical Awareness [ I ]
• Drive to Achieve Impactful Results [ I ]
• Innovates and Embraces Changes [ I ]
• Works Collaboratively with Others [ I ]
• Thinks and Acts Strategically [ I ]
• Manages Ambiguity and Complexity [ I ]

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:

• This vacancy announcement (VA) is open to all (internal and external candidates).
• This VA is open for Indian nationals.
• 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 non-smoking working environment.

  For more information about UNICEF India, please refer to the link below: - https://www.unicef.org/india/