Child Protection Specialist, NOC, FT, Amman, Jordan Country Office

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, protection.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is leader in the region for the rights of its children. Working closely with the Government of Jordan, civil society, the private sector and communities, UNICEF Jordan Country Office aims to sustain results achieved for children to date, and strive to further improve policies, national institutions and programmes, for the well-being of every child in Jordan, in line with Jordan's Vision 2025 and the National Human Resources Development Strategy (2016-2025) towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Our programmes focus on improving the lives of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children in the Kingdom, irrespective of their nationality, gender, religion or background. Our main pillars include: Child Protection; Education; Water, Sanitation & Hygiene; Adolescent and Youth Engagement; Health and Nutrition; Social Protection; and Operations.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the Chief of Child Protection, the Child Protection Specialist supports the development and implementation of violence prevention component of the Child Protection programs with the aim to increase capacities of children, families and communities to promote practices to protect themselves and prevent violence in Jordan. CPS is responsible for managing, implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and reporting of progress of child protection violence prevention programs. Specific responsibilities are highlighted below:

1. Support to programme/project development and planning

• Review National Strategy on Social Norms and Behavioral Change and identify and pursue concrete opportunities and platforms for violence prevention at scale by incorporating different component of the programme • Develop an effective multi-sectoral prevention approach to VAC with special focus on convergent approaches with Education, youth, Social protection and Health programmes, among others. This multi-sectoral approach will also involve communication for development (C4D) as well as Communication, Advocacy and Partnerships (CAP). • Develop and implement an effective multi-sectoral prevention and response approach to child marriage in refugee camps in coordination with education, health, youths and Social Protection sections. • Develop and deliver community-based prevention programme by integrating positive discipline, Better Parenting Approach. Systematically integrate positive parenting approaches within UNICEF-supported community-based prevention programme. • Work closely with Sharia court at field level and relevant ministries such as MoJ, MOSD at central level to establish system of monthly/quarterly administrative data collection about child marriage in the country. Use data for evident base planning and implementation • Mapping and identification of existing / potential platform at community level (community engagement initiatives/ community-based structures) such as Youth clubs, women club, community-based organizations or community child protection committees and involve their participation and engagement to prevent violence at community level. • Work closely and collaboratively with internal and external colleagues and partners to identify best practices and potential opportunities in existing community-based child protection programme and build UNICEF violence prevention strategies and methodologies. • Ensure violence prevention output and activities are reflected in Project Cooperation Agreements. • Assess UNICEF implementing partners capacities and develop comprehensive capacity building strategy on community-based prevention programmes and approaches to Jordan context and ensure increased capacity among government institutions and UNICEF Child protection partners. • Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes to ensure integration, coherence and harmonization of programs/projects with other UNICEF sectors and achievement of results as planned and allocated

2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results

• Plan and/or collaborate with monitoring and evaluation initiatives to establish benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators, to assess/strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results in programs addressing violence against children.
• Effectively use existing evidence, data, information from monthly reports based on child helpline, Family Violence Tracking System (FVTS) and develop tools and approached to systematically monitor and document progress against indicators. Implement an evidence generation plan for all VAC strategies based on data gap and need basis.
• Participate in major monitoring and evaluation exercises, program reviews and annual reviews with government and other counterparts to assess progress and to engage stakeholders to take required action/interventions to achieve results.
• 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.
• Monitor programs/projects to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.
• Plan, monitor and control the use of program resources (financial, human, administrative and other assets) certifying/verifying compliance with organizational rules, regulations and procedures, donor commitments and standards of accountability and integrity. Ensure timely reporting and liquidation of resources.

3. Technical, advisory service and operational support to programme implementation

• Work closely with child protection team members and provide technical guidance on integrating violence prevention intervention within other programme and provide operational support.
• Provide technical support National Council for Family Affairs (NCFA), other ministries and ensure violence prevention components are integrated in Child Protection Standrds Operating Procedures (SoPs).
• Coordinate/ensure the availability of technical experts (with Regional Office/HQ) to ensure timely support throughout all stages of programming/project processes.
• Participate in child protection programme meetings, including programme development and contingency planning discussions on emergency preparedness in the country or other locations designated, to provide technical and operational information, advice and support.
• Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic programme materials for management use, information and/or consideration.

4. Networking and partnership building

• Explore opportunities for working with local government structures such as municipalities and other relevant department at decentralized level and engage them in strategic manner and promote local government commitment and ownership of Violence prevention initiatives.
• Represent UNICEF in child marriage task force, provide support to NCFA on their leadership and work closely with UNFPA to promote effort in ending child marriage in the country.
• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with relevant government counterparts, national stakeholders, global partners, allies, donors, and academia - through active networking, advocacy and effective communication - to build capacity, exchange knowledge and expertise, and to reinforce cooperation to achieve sustainable and broad results in child protection.
• Prepare communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships/alliances and to support fund raising for child protection programmes and emergency interventions.
• Participate and/or represent UNICEF in appropriate coordination, discussions and planning on child protection related issues to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues. Ensure organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the UNDAF process for development planning and agenda setting.

5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Apply and introduce innovative approaches and good practices to build the capacity of partners and stakeholders, and to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results.
• Keep well-informed, research, benchmark, and implement best practices in VAC prevention programme. Assess, institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programmes and projects.
• Organize and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients and stakeholders to promote sustainable results in child protection and related programmes/projects

Submit/prepare program/project reports to donors and other partners to keep them informed on program progress and critical issues.

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

• ****Education:**** An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: Child Rights, international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law, or another relevant social science field. A first-level university degree in a relevant field combined with seven years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
• Experience: A minimum of five years of professional experience in planning and managing child protection programme with specific focus on Ending Violence Against Children is required. Experience in working on Social Norms and Behavioral change initiatives specially addressing negative social norms such s Child Marriage in Jordan. in addtion, experience in working with decentralized local government system such as municipality, community-based organization on community-based child protection programme, community engagement, child and youth participation. Also, 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 Arabic is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as an asset

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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. For the position, suitable male candidates will receive preferential consideration and selection, as long as they meet the eligibility requirements stated above.

UNICEF offers a wide range of benefits to its personnel, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. The UNICEF Jordan Country Office has an elevator as well as accessible bathrooms. Core hours in Jordan Country Office are from 09:00 to 15:00 (excluding lunch break), from Sunday to Thursday.

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:

For international posts: 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

This position is not considered an elevated risk role. However, UNICEF reserves the right to conduct further vetting/ assessment within the scope of child safeguarding as appropriate.