Early Childhood Development (ECD) Specialist, NO-C, TA, Warsaw, Poland

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Application deadline 1 year ago: Saturday 24 Sep 2022 at 21:55 UTC

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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, early childhood results

The war in Ukraine has triggered the fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II. The overwhelming majority of refugees are women and children, often separated from husbands and fathers who remained in Ukraine; older people; and significant numbers of unaccompanied children, including those from state care facilities.

Local and national authorities have established reception facilities at border crossing points to receive new arrivals and are providing life-saving assistance, including accommodation, food, and other basic needs, as well as onward transport for those moving to urban centers. In the reception centers, information is also provided on the asylum process and temporary protection, as well as on the risks of trafficking. Access to basic rights and services, such as health, has been facilitated. Steps have already been taken to foster protection and inclusion into national systems, such as for health and education. Referral services are being scaled up, focusing especially on case management and protection of unaccompanied children and those evacuated from boarding schools, institutions and other alternative care arrangements, survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), victims of trafficking, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.

How can you make a difference?

The Specialist supports the development and preparation of ECD programmes (early learning, health, nutrition, WASH, protection) and is responsible for supporting respective UNICEF programs and partners in implementation, monitoring, evaluating, and reporting the progress of ECD programmes/projects related to the ongoing refugee response. The Specialist provides technical guidance and support throughout the programming processes to facilitate the administration and achievement of results on key child development domains, including mainstreaming of ECD within health, nutrition, WASH, education, and child protection programs.

The Specialist contributes to the achievement of results according to plans, allocation, results-based-management approaches and methodology (RBM), the Poland Refugee Response Plan (RRP) and UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance, and accountability framework.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

Support to programme development and planning

  • Support the preparation, design, and updating of the situation analysis and assessments on ECD related issues to establish evidence-based data to support holistic policy and programme development, as well as coordinated planning, implementation, and monitoring of early childhood development programmes/projects within the country programme.
  • Keep abreast of national, regional, and international development priorities to identify opportunities where ECD can enhance inter-sector partnership, integration, and linkages.
  • Participate in programme discussion to determine areas for ECD integration/intervention. Contribute to the formulation, design, and preparation of programmes to ensure integration of ECD in a holistic manner across programme areas and to ensure alignment of ECD programmes with the Poland Refugee Response Plan (RRP), UNICEF's Strategic Plans and regional strategies, and national priorities, plans and competencies.
  • Establish specific goals, objectives and strategies, and implementation plans for the ECD programmes/projects using results-based planning terminology and methodology (RBM). Prepare required ECD documentation for programme review and approval.
  • Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues and partners to discuss strategies and methodologies and to determine national priorities/competencies to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable results in both the humanitarian and developmental contexts.
  • Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes to ensure ECD integration, coherence, harmonization and convergence with other UNICEF programme sectors and achievement of results as planned and allocated.

Programme management, monitoring and delivery of ECD programmes

  • Plan and/or collaborate with internal and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators to assess/strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results on ECD programme intervention.
  • Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual reviews with government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required action/interventions to achieve results.
  • Prepare/assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths/weaknesses in programme management, identify lessons learned, and use the knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals.
  • Actively monitor ECD programmes/projects through field visits, surveys, 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 ECD programme 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.
  • Prepare ECD regular/mandated programme/project reports for management, donors, and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.

Technical and operational support to programme implementation

  • Provide technical and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners, and other country office partners/donors on the interpretation, application, and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes, and best practices on ECD, including child development, early learning and education, health-related issues in maternal and child health and nutrition, especially in Immunization and Infant and Young Child Feeding, positive parenting and early intervention for children with disabilities.
  • Conduct regular program field visits and surveys and/or exchange information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress and provide technical support, take appropriate action to resolve issues, and/or refer to relevant officials for resolution. Report on critical issues, bottlenecks, and potential problems for timely action to achieve results.
  • Arrange/coordinate availability of technical experts with the Regional Office/HQ to ensure timely and appropriate support throughout the programming process.
  • Participate in discussions with national partners, clients, and stakeholders to promote ECD cross-sectoral interventions within the country programme and child development issues.
  • Provide technical and operational guidance to Government counterparts, other partners, on the application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes, and best practices on ECD to support program implementation, operations and delivery of results.
  • Participate in programme meetings including programme development and contingency planning to provide technical and operational information, advice, and support.
  • Support ECD Specialist in drafting ECD policy papers, briefs, and other strategic programme materials for management use.

Networking and partnership building

  • Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with relevant government counterparts, including Municipalities, national stakeholders and global partners/allies/donors/academia through active networking, advocacy and effective communication to build capacity, exchange knowledge/expertise and reinforce cooperation to achieve sustainable and broad results on ECD programmes.
  • In close cooperation with the Health, Education and Child Protection Sections, prepare communication and information materials for ECD programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships/alliances and promote increased investments in ECD programmes and projects.
  • Participate and/or represent UNICEF in appropriate interagency (UNCT) discussions and planning on ECD related issues to collaborate with interagency partners/colleagues on different planning frameworks and preparation of programmes/projects ensuring organizational position's, interests and priorities on ECD are fully considered and integrated in development planning and agenda setting including emergency preparedness.

Innovation, knowledge management, and capacity building

  • Apply/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 on ECD.
  • Keep abreast, research, benchmark, and implement best practices on early childhood development. 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 ECD programmes and projects.
  • Organize and implement capacity-building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders to promote sustainable results on ECD-related programmes/projects in humanitarian and developmental contexts

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

  • An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: early child development, education, public health, child nutrition, economics, psychology, sociology, social work or another relevant technical field.
  • A minimum of five years of professional experience in programme planning, management, and/or research in education, public health or other relevant social science is required.
  • Experience working in a developing country is considered an asset.
  • Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered an asset.
  • Fluency in English and Polish 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 (CRITA) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: https://uni.cf/UNICEFValues

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.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: 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.

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:

Please note that as a designated L3 emergency, the successful candidate is expected to start within four weeks of acceptance of offer.

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.

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org