Programme Officer - PFM & Local Governance), Fixed Term, NO-B, Mogadishu (CSR), Somalia #117237 (For Somali nationals only

Contract

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, results

www.unicef.org/somalia

How can you make a difference?

1. Supporting data and evidence generation to advocate for greater and better FMS public investments in children.

• Apply relevant PFM tools together with FMS government counterparts, including budget briefs, thematic budget analyses, Citizens Budgets, the Open Budget Survey, subnational budget scorecards, subnational financial dashboards, Public Expenditure Reviews (PERs), Public Expenditure Tracking Surveys (PETS), cost efficiency and/or cost effectiveness analyses, expenditure incidence analyses, piloting evidence-based approaches, costing exercises, fiscal space analyses, financing and/or affordability studies, cost benefit analyses, cost of inaction analyses, etc.
• Analyze FMS macroeconomic context and its impact on children and vulnerable families, and propose appropriate responses in terms of public resource allocation policies and social welfare policies.

2. Engaging in the FMS budget process to influence allocation decisions and improve the performance of spending on children.

• Present, discuss and advocate for recommendations from evidence generation activities to be adopted by FMS’ MoF and social sector ministries.
• Facilitate dialogue with key financial decision makers at all levels of FMS government to raise awareness around child rights and make the case for investing in children
• Support capacity building of Parliamentarians to approve the budget and provide effective oversight.

3. Strengthening the capacity of the FMS governments to plan, budget and monitor spending on child-focused sectors.

• Support FMS social sector ministries to develop annual and multi-year budgets and financing plans.
• Collaborate with FMS governments to improve policies, planning, budgeting and accountability processes.
• Support FMS Governments improve the quality, analysis and use of budget data.

4. Improving use of public financial resources for children

• Undertakes budget analysis to inform UNICEF’s advocacy and technical assistance to FMS Ministries of Finance and social sector ministries to improve equitable allocations for essential services for children.
• Works with sector colleagues to build capacity to undertake costing and cost effectiveness analysis on priority interventions to help inform policy decisions on child-focused investments.
• Supports the identification of policy options for improved domestic and local financing of social protection interventions.

5. Supporting Coordination and implementation of the JPLG programme

• Technical leadership, management and coordination of UNICEF inputs into the JPLG programme in the newly created FMS. This include coordination of staff and partners in the zones with the key ministries, and advocating for and reinforcing government commitments towards improving participatory governance and decentralized service delivery at local level.
• Contribute to general policy dialogue with local institutions and key stakeholders for the implementation of decentralization policies and institutionalizing and sustaining decentralized service delivery through the design and support of institutional capacity development and system strengthening for service delivery at state and local levels.
• Design and support implementation of programme initiatives aiming at enhancing local participation, inclusion, transparency and accountability of local governments in planning, management and delivery of social services at local level. These include contributing to capacity strengthening of state and local government to implement civic education programmes, ensuring the sustainability of decentralized service delivery, enhancing local level stability and peace building efforts.
• Participate in technical working group, steering committee and other joint programme meetings, review meetings and evaluation exercises in consultation with Programme Specialist (Local Governance), other UN agencies and FMS government partners.

6. Supporting JPLG strategy

• Support UNICEF JPLG team in the newly created FMS to identify strategic gaps, linkages, and opportunities to improve and expand decentralized service delivery, civic education, participatory planning and social accountability initiatives, including through incorporating a communication for development perspective.
• Support UNICEF programme sections to align with a decentralized service delivery approach, particularly in documents such as sector strategies, in funding proposals and annual work plans.
• Contribute to internal and external communication and advocacy initiatives aimed at raising the profile of local government, local governance issues and decentralized service delivery.
• Ensure that JPLG activities align with UNICEF’s gender, and children and youth-focused strategies and policies.

7. Programme Management

• Monitors contracts with implementing partners, ensuring timely and accurate financial and technical reporting
• Ensure regular oversight and monitoring of JPLG interventions in the newly created FMS.
• Provide regular reporting on progress and budget, tracking progress as per deliverables in the partner agreements and joint work plans, undertaking regular field visits to review jointly with local partners; documenting achievements as well as constraints and recommending possible steps for addressing bottlenecks in implementation.
• In collaboration with respective UN-Agencies, line ministries, contribute to the development of joint work plans and budgets for the newly created FMS.

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

• A university degree in one of the following fields is required: Social Sciences, International Relations, Governance, Public Administration, Public Policy, Social Policy, Social Development, Community Development, or another relevant technical field.
• At least three years’ professional experience, at least two of which should be at a professional level working with government in the areas of good governance, public administration reform, or community development, preferably in a fragile context;
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Understanding of the socio-political context of Somalia would be an advantage.
• Good understanding of government systems, procedures and processes at all levels (especially district) is desirable;
• Strong communication skills, including an ability to build rapport with individuals and groups and maintain an effective network of individuals across organizational departments, agencies and governments;
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

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

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

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:

UNICEF only considers Higher education qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net.

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