Research Specialist

Volunteering Finance & Economy

Overview

Lead research initiatives to strengthen child rights advocacy.

You have:

• Fluency in English is required, fluency in French or Portuguese is an asset.
• Experience working in the UN or other international development organization is an asset.
• Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, among others).
• Excellent oral and written communication skills including drafting and reporting skills.
• Knowledge of KM practices for leveraging evidence.
• Ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners.
• Expertise in research and evaluation design and approaches in public policy and/or programmes related to child rights and wellbeing.
• Culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team.

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

UNICEF is a leading humanitarian and development agency working globally for children rights. Child rights begin with safe shelter, nutrition, protection from disaster and conflict and traverse the life cycle. UNICEF strive to ensure that all children are born alive, stay safe and keep learning.

For 77 years, UNICEF endeavor to improve the lives of children and their families. Working with and for children through adolescence and into adulthood requires a global presence whose goal is to produce results and monitor their effects. UNICEF also lobbies and partners with leaders, thinkers and policy makers to help all children realize their rights—especially the most disadvantaged.

The UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Regional office in Nairobi provides technical support, and oversight for 21 countries, including the generation of regional public goods for thought leadership and advocacy on driving policy, programmes and budget for realizing all children’s rights and leaving no child behind.

Towards this, the Research Specialist will play a critical role in the provision of streamlined and quality guidance across RO and country offices (COs) in ensuring high-quality research evidence generation and use.

The Research Specialist will be working under the supervision of the regional Data and Research Manager part of the Programme, Planning and Monitoring Section in ESARO. The incumbent will engage relevant sections and country office focal points and section staff in driving the agenda forward including wider regional partnerships with relevant entities (academia, research institutes, think-tanks….etc.).

-Regional office section workplans have integrated and prioritized research activities -Coordinate and monitor progress of the region’s (RO and COs) evidence generation agenda and use -Develop relevant guidance and templates for streamlining relevant planning, implementation and use processed -Rollout of ESAR research benchmarking and monitoring framework, and provision of technical and operational guidance. -ESAR has established mechanisms for ensuring quality research outputs, including review processes, adherence to ethical procedures and other relevant regulations (open access, data protection, academic publication). -Strengthened research capacity of country and regional office staff; -Networking and building partnerships for research conduct and funding on priority child related research in ESAR.

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

Research and evaluation design and approaches in public policy and/or programmes related to child rights and wellbeing •Knowledge/ expertise in evidence generation and use cycle – planning, prioritization, budgeting, implementation, uptake, use to impact in development context is an asset. •Knowledge of outcome-focused research, implementation research or operational research is an asset. •Experience working in the UN or other international development organization is an asset. •Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills. •Knowledge of KM practices for leveraging evidence. •Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners. •Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel. •Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, among others), including medium to advanced capabilities with database management in Excel is required. •Fluency in English is a required. Fluency in French or Portuguese is an asset.

The Republic of Kenya is an equatorial nation on the coast of East Africa, neighboring Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and the Indian Ocean. Kenya has two levels of Government; National Government and 47 sub-national Governments called Counties. Counties are further divided into sub-counties. Kenya is a multi-party state with Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. Kenya’s population of more than 40 million is growing at an annual rate of 2.2%. The country’s GNP per capita estimated at purchasing power parity (PPP) is $975, and the GNP is growing at an average rate of 0.1% annually. More than 26% of Kenya’s people live below the international poverty line of $1 per day. Kenya’s main food crops are “maize, wheat, pulses, roots and tubers.” (FAO).

Nairobi is a modern metropolitan city where most basic goods and services, health facilities, public transport, telecommunication and banking services and educational facilities are readily available. The city is widely connected through its main airport, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and the smaller Wilson Airport. Air transport is also available to many up-country destinations. The city is home to some 3,000 UN personnel mainly attributed to the fact that it serves as the headquarters for both the UN HABITAT and UNEP.

The socio-economic and cultural background of the immediate society the UNV would be living and working in is diverse and prevailing security conditions at the place of assignment is modest. The topographic and climatic features of the assignment location is highland cool and warm tropical climate.

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Potential interview questions

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