Early Childhood Development Officer (NO2), TA, 364 days, Brasília, Brazil (533850)

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Application deadline 3 years ago: Wednesday 16 Sep 2020 at 02:55 UTC

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This is a NO-2 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-2 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, full development

Despite Brazil’s growing commitment with Early Childhood Development (ECD), data on young children’s health, development and learning indicates that efforts for young children should give attention to family caregiving practices including nutrition, stimulation and nurturing care. For example, breastfeeding rates are at 41%; childcare coverage is 34.2%; and home practices of caregiving, support and stimulation are recorded for 674,629 families. In addition, one of the largest epidemics facing Brazilian society is the high level of violence and exposure to violence. It is estimated that almost 2/3 of children under 5 years of age experience harsh discipline and aggression at home (based on regional data). This has a significant impact on young developing minds through raising levels of stress to toxicity.

Brazil has a long history and strong legal and policy framework for ECD, and considerable investments have been made to scale up ECD at both Federal and State levels (eg. from the Primeira Infância Melhor (PIM) programme developed in 2003 in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, to the more recent ECD Pact, the Federal policy, the inclusion of Criança Feliz in Bolsa Familia, the Harvard Leadership Institute course on ECD etc.). In addition, there are a number of government and non-government partners, including academia, foundations, UN agencies and the corporate sector actively engaged in the ECD agenda, presenting a diversified and large partnership landscape.

In 2019 UNICEF committed to strengthen its role and strategic positioning on ECD in Brazil, building on its past engagement in support of the ECD agenda , to bring its thought leadership, technical expertise and municipal engagement to advance quality, integrated ECD interventions for the most vulnerable families and communities. Following the Strategic Moment of Reflection, UNICEF developed a draft programme framework and agreed to concentrate its value add on strengthening the role and capacities of families to provide responsive and nurturing caregiving to their children, prevent violence and promote stimulation and care.

How can you make a difference?

The ECD Manager will provide strategic direction, technical expertise and partnership development to advance UNICEF’s policy and programming on ECD in Brazil, with the focus on integrated approaches to strengthen the role of families in responsive and nurturing caregiving. Working under the supervision of the Deputy Representative, the staff member will be accountable for the design, implementation and monitoring of activities related to the Programme, providing technical guidance, strategic and quality assurance to UNICEF programme and non-programme teams in the area of ECD. Under the guidance of the Deputy Representative, the ECD Manager is expected to:

Result 1: An Integrated ECD Strategy and narrative is developed with an emphasis on empowering families

  1. Using the ECD framework developed by the Office in 2019, draft a compelling strategy and narrative (theory of change) for UNICEF’s policy and programme engagement in the ECD agenda in Brazil
  2. Lead a series of consultations with UNICEF programme teams in Brasilia and field offices to have clarity and ownership of the ECD narrative and operational strategy around family strengthening, ensuring input based on the experiences of UNICEF colleagues in implementation at the state level.
  3. Consult and supporting build partnerships with external partners, working closely under the guidance of the Deputy Representative, Chief of Health and HIV and senior international ECD experts, to further sharpen the narrative at the Federal/National, regional and international levels and to finalize the strategy.
  4. Provide inputs to the design of the new Selo and Plataforma dos Centros Urbanos (PCU) edition, ensuring that ECD results, tools and strategies are included.
  5. Provide inputs, as required, on ECD results and strategy in the context of UNICEF’s Country Programme planning process for 2022-26.

Result 2: A coherent 2020-21 ECD Workplan is developed and implemented with contributions from programme teams and field offices

Support the development and implementation of a coherent 2020-21 Workplan for the ECD Output (2.4), providing technical assistance and quality assurance to UNICEF programme teams and field offices in the following areas:

  1. System strengthening and multi-sectoral service delivery: leveraging existing ECD actions in Selo and PCU platforms to focus on systemic action aimed at empowering families, including through better parenting programmes on early stimulation and responsive caregiving, better leave policies for working families, quality affordable child care.
  2. ECD measurement: work closely with the Social Policy/Monitoring and Evaluation (SP/M&E) team and national partners to incorporate tools to measure child development outcomes (SDG 4.2.1 and SDG 4.2.3) into existing household surveys, such as the Brazil Annual Household Survey (POF), Demographic and Health Survey (PNDS), and/or through digital data collection systems
  3. Evidence-based advocacy: working closely with the Communication team, develop a public advocacy strategy on ECD around nurturing care, particularly strengthening family care, supporting the expansion of Criança Feliz and strengthening linkages between ECD and violence prevention through the concept of the first 1,000 days of protection focusing on young children’s developing brains that are harmed by toxic stress and how family engagement can change that into virtuous cycles of intergenerational progress. Leverage global assets and influential champions.
  4. ECD leadership and capacity building: assess how UNICEF Brazil can leverage ECD executive Leadership (ECD Executive Leadership Brazil-Harvard) to support modules on family strengthening and build capacity for decision makers, from the private sector using this established platform.
  5. ECD in the humanitarian response: provide technical guidance and assistance to the Humanitarian Manager and field programme teams to design and implement ECD interventions for vulnerable Venezuelan families on the move in Brazil.
  6. ECD in COVID-19 pandemic response: provide technical guidance and assistance to the Brazil COVID-19 Plan to the Brazil Country Office (BCO) and field programme teams to design, adapt and implement ECD interventions.

Result 3: Public and private partnerships are secured to advance ECD, including through business engagement to strengthen family friendly policies

  1. Using the Family Friendly Policies in the ECD agenda (UNICEF FFP), design and implement a flagship initiative to advance the role of businesses in advancing ECD through Family Friendly Policies, working in close collaboration with PFP, Programme and Communications teams
  2. Identify new partnership opportunities and lead proposal development and co-creation with the private sector to advance UNICEF policy and programming as well as business engagement on ECD.
  3. Nurture relationships with key ECD networks and stakeholders, including government, business, academia and foundations
  4. Provide inputs to the Brazil ECD Case Study on Care for Child Development (CCD) in the Crianca Feliz programme, being undertaken by the UNICEF LACRO consultant.
  5. Ensure UNICEF is strategically positioned and actively engaged in national and regional ECD policy forums and networks.

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

  • University degree in Management, Education, Psychology, Sociology or other social science field is required.
  • A minimum of 5 years of professional work experience at national or international levels in the field of ECD is required. Experience in UN system agency or organization is an asset.
  • Knowledge of ECD policies, stakeholders and initiatives in Brazil.
  • Knowledge on children’s rights issues, including the Convention of Rights of the Child and the Statute of the Child and the Adolescent.
  • Experience in policy analysis and programme management.
  • Team work skills and capacity to work with tight deadlines.
  • Knowledge in the use of digital media tools and social networks.
  • Experience in the production of materials for learning programs or content for social mobilization initiatives.
  • Fluency in English and Portuguese is required.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce and encourages qualified candidates from all religious and race/ethnic backgrounds, representing the diversity of Brazil, such as black and indigenous people, to apply to become a part of our organization. Candidates will be equally considered regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, social and HIV/aids status.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The functional competencies required for this post are:

  • Relating and Networking (II)
  • Applying Technical Expertise (II)
  • Creating and Innovating (II)
  • Formulating Strategies and Concepts (II)
  • Planning and Organizing (II)

View our competency framework at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf.

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 is open for competition to Brazilian nationals only.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

All candidates who wish to apply to this Vacancy Announcement are requested to prepare and submit their application in English.

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

Added 3 years ago - Updated 3 years ago - Source: unicef.org