Programme Specialist (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse), P-4, Fixed Term, ESARO, Nairobi, Kenya

Overview

Strengthen UNICEF ESARO's PSEA efforts across the region

You have:

• Advanced university degree in international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law, or another relevant social science field.
• Minimum 8 years of professional experience in design, implementation and management of child protection or GBV programming, PSEA and child safeguarding.
• Knowledge of UN and IASC policies related to PSEA, AAP, GBV, and Centrality of Protection.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills in a multicultural environment.
• Proven ability to work independently under difficult conditions.
• Fluency in English and knowledge of French or Portuguese is an asset.
• Strong understanding of GBV and Child Protection case management systems and survivor assistance.
• Experience in community engagement and development of community-based complaints and feedback mechanisms.
• Availability to travel frequently in the region.

Contract

This is a P-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 126,994 USD and 163,733 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

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, Future

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.

Strategic office context :

1) The Programme Specialist (PSEA) function is housed within the Child Protection Section on behalf of the Office of the Regional Director to ensure that both within the Regional Office and in support of the 21 Country Offices, UNICEF’s corporate standards and policies to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation are upheld.

2) Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) is at the core of UNICEF’s mandate. UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy for sexual exploitation and abuse perpetrated by UNICEF personnel and by personnel and sub-contractors of UNICEF Implementing Partners. SEA constitutes the most serious breach of accountability by the humanitarian sector. Consequently, the PSEA is distinctly linked to accountability to affected populations (AAP), with a high profile and a strong set of specific commitments. In December 2018, under the IASC Championship of UNICEF Executive Director, the IASC Principals laid out three main priorities to prevent and respond to SEA, namely: 1) safe and accessible reporting that is gender and child sensitive; 2) quality SEA survivor assistance; and 3) enhanced accountability, including through prompt and respectful investigations. UNICEF is also committed to work in collaboration with other UN agencies in implementing the Strategy of the Secretary-General's Bulletin on Special Measures for Protection From Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (ST/SGB/2003/13); the IASC Plan for Accelerating Protection from SEA in humanitarian response and in rolling out the UN Victim Assistance Protocol, Technical Note and Training Package which UNICEF is leading globally.

Across East and Southern Africa (ESA), risks of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) are high and become even more severe in humanitarian settings including armed conflicts, natural disasters and public health emergencies. UNICEF East and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) has been scaling up efforts to address PSEA in all 21 countries in the region. This includes support to increase access to survivor assistance through GBV and Child Protection specialized programming, developing safe and accessible reporting mechanisms that is gender and age sensitive, building capacity among staff and implementing partners on PSEA and strengthening SEA investigation capacity.

How can you make a difference?

The purpose of this position is to strengthen UNICEF ESARO’s work to scale up PSEA efforts across the region and provide technical support and guidance to UNICEF country offices (CO) to accelerate PSEA implementation, with a particular focus on humanitarian contexts and the L3 in the Horn of Africa. The Programme Specialist (PSEA) will work directly within the UNICEF ESARO Child Protection team and engage collaboratively with UNICEF sections at the regional level, particularly the HACT Specialist responsible for oversight of UNICEF’s implementing partners at CO level, and in COs to enhance efforts to address PSEA including prevention, reporting, response and monitoring of SEA. Under the direct supervision of the ESARO CP Regional Advisor, working in close cooperation with the Gender-based Violence in Emergencies (GBViE) Specialist, the PSEA Specialist will provide technical assistance to strengthen CO capacities to develop access to safe and child sensitive reporting channels, including within community-based complaint mechanisms; scale up survivor assistance; and to support cases investigation, as relevant. The PSEA Specialist will work directly with PSEA Specialists in COs and focal points and engage with AAP Focal Points in the RO and COs.

Under the direct supervision of the Child Protection Regional Advisor, the incumbent will:

1) Provide strategic and technical support to UNICEF ESARO and COs to scale up efforts to address PSEA

• Contribute to the implementation and roll out of global and regional guidance and strategies to improve efforts to address SEA including survivor assistance, SEA investigations, SEA risk assessments and engagement with government and other partners
• Contribute to the Roll-Out of the UN Victim Assistance Protocol in ESA and support capacity building across COs and at the inter-agency level
• Provide technical support to COs for implementation of survivor assistance to ensure survivors have access to appropriate services i.e. medical, psychosocial, legal and material support, in accordance with the UN Victim Assistance protocol
• Strengthen COs capacities to develop and improve access to safe, gender and age sensitive reporting channels including community-based complaint mechanisms (CBCM)
• Promote adherence to global procedures for SEA reporting and strengthen understanding among UNICEF staff and partners on UNICEF PSEA policies and reporting procedures
• Provide technical support to ESARO Senior Management, and quality assurance to COs for receiving, handling, and referring SEA allegations including submitting Significant Incident Reporting (SIR) in line with UNICEF instruction for reporting allegations of SEA and Concerns of Abuse
• Provide technical support to ESARO Senior Management, and quality assurance for the inclusion of PSEA into programmes (WASH, Health, Nutrition, Education, Emergencies, Social Behaviour Change, etc.)
• Lead initiatives for COs to build capacity of partners for SEA investigations including documentation of reported SEA allegations and taking appropriate measures to ensure safety and confidentiality of survivors, complainants and witnesses

2) Strengthen knowledge management and policy development on PSEA for ESARO and COs

• Contribute to the development of new global and regional guidance and strategies of specific relevance including the global government cooperation framework on PSEA
• Keep abreast of developments with PSEA and child safeguarding and make appropriate recommendations for UNICEF ESARO on enhancing prevention and response strategies
• Support documentation of good practices, learning exchanges and forums on PSEA interventions and regularly update the SharePoint sites for ESAR staff to access policy and guidance materials studies n PSEA, and child safeguarding
• Actively monitor financial and human resource capacity to ensure sufficient resources are in place to effectively achieve UNICEF PSEA commitments particularly in emergency settings
• Promote the inclusion of PSEA into resource mobilization efforts, reports, proposals, ToRs, humanitarian appeal processes, advocacy materials and other relevant documents, as required
• Monitor progress of PSEA implementation in the region and provide regular updates including briefing notes, programme reports and other documents to inform ESARO senior management

3) Work closely with the Programme Specialist for HACT to operationalize the UNICEF Procedure for PSEA Assessments of CSO Implementing Partnerships

• Support the HACT Specialist in the regional office to monitor quality standards of PSEA Assessments conducted by Cos, advise COs on actions based on partner assessment, and provide technical support to the development of IP Action Plans as needed
• Strengthen capacity for country offices to conduct partner assessments, including transitioning to the UN common system for assessments, strengthen field monitoring and partner capacity for both CSOs and government, building CO capacity through PSEA Toolkit and Action Plan

4) Improve coordination of UNICEF PSEA interventions internally and at the interagency level

• Support UNICEF CO PSEA Focal Points (FPs) and Specialists by organizing regular meetings, providing trainings, enhancing communication and information sharing among COs on PSEA
• Strengthen implementation of COs PSEA inter-agency initiatives/networks, including the setting-up of in-country PSEA Networks
• Represent UNICEF on the inter-agency PSEA regional working group and on UNICEF HQ coordination groups and maintain close relationship with PSEA focal points in other regions
• Regularly support COs capacity building efforts including co-facilitating PSEA training modules for UNICEF and IPs staff as appropriate on international standards on PSEA, roles and responsibilities, and how to submit and receive complaints and strengthening GBV services for survivor assistance

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

• Advanced university degree in one of the following fields: international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law, or another relevant social science field
• A minimum of 8 years of professional experience in design, implementation and management of child protection or GBV programming, PSEA and child safeguarding, preferably with the UN and/or international NGO in humanitarian contexts
• Experience in and knowledge of UN and IASC policies and guidance related but not limited to PSEA, AAP, GBV and Centrality of Protection. Familiarity with the latest development in PSEA, interagency PSEA responses and humanitarian cluster systems. IASC PSEA Training for Coordinators will be considered an advantage
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to liaise with people successfully and effectively in a wide range of functions in a multi-cultural environment
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships, both within and outside the organization
• Proven ability to work independently under difficult conditions
• Excellent facilitation, training, networking and advocacy skills
• Strong understanding of GBV and Child Protection case management systems and survivor assistance
• Experience in community engagement and development of community-based complaints and feedback mechanisms
• Availability to travel frequently in the region
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French or Portuguese an asset

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

Core Values attributes

• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability
• Sustainability

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

Core competencies skills

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• 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 here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic. 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 is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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 position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either: a role with direct contact with children, works directly with child, is a safeguarding response role or has been assessed as an elevated risk role for child safeguarding. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) applies.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children.

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 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.

Potential interview questions