Social Policy Manager (Social Protection Systems) P4 (2 year Fixed Term ) Office of Research - Innocenti, Florence Italy

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 90,970 USD and 117,287 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, Research

Job organizational context

The Office of Research-Innocenti (OoR) is the dedicated research office of UNICEF. It undertakes and commissions research on emerging or current issues of relevance for children to inform the strategic directions, policies and programs of UNICEF and its partners. The Office explores emerging issues, identifies research gaps, brings together existing researchers, and supports or undertakes research and data collection to address critical questions to inform global debates.

Purpose of the post

With the support of Sida, OoR through the Transfer Project works with national governments to provide research evidence from sub-Saharan Africa to inform better social protection policymaking and programme design and implementation. The Transfer Project is a research learning initiative led by UNICEF, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. Research includes mixed-methods impact evaluations of cash and cash plus programmes, operational research focusing on implementation processes and systemic integration, assessment of shock responsiveness and building of investment case for cash transfers and social protection.

OoR is also developing new lines of research on social protection systems. This includes research on public finance for children (COVID-19 and social spending and children, role of social spending in children’s wellbeing, fiscal incidence analysis) and research on the strengthening of social protection systems covering themes such as political economy analysis, financial sustainability and fiscal space analysis, analysis of governance systems, macro-modelling of social protection effects, and assessing the investment case for social protection systems.

As a member of OoR’s Social and Economic Policy team, the incumbent will be responsible for providing day-to-day research and technical leadership in these workstreams, including defining research methods, leading analysis, setting quality assurance standards, supporting the management of operations of the research projects, establishing and maintaining partnerships (internal/external), and communicating and disseminating research evidence to various stakeholders and the public.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks

Under the supervision of the Chief of the Social and Economic Policy team, the staff member will be responsible for the following activities:

Research and technical assistance on social protection systems • Lead and expand the portfolio of research on social protection systems: e.g. public finance/social spending for children, financial sustainability and fiscal space analysis, analysis of governance systems, macro-modelling of social protection systems effects including cross-sectoral effects and cost effectiveness studies. • Design, undertake and supervise primary and secondary research activities; contribute to study design, tools, protocols, trainings, and methodologies. • Conduct and support the implementation of macro level data analysis of social protection and write-up of research findings, in collaboration with partners on the research programmes. • Make major analytical contributions to research reports, briefs, working papers and other peer reviewed publications. • Coordinate research implemented by teams and partners and assure quality of outputs produced. • Co-ordinate and contribute to the preparation and writing of high-quality publications for peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes; working papers; policy reports and briefs; web stories, blogs and other media • Provide technical assistance in cross-teams in UNICEF (Innocenti, Social policy and Social Protection Programme Group, Regional and Country Offices) and undertake other research activities in areas of social protection and inclusion, as needed.

Research and technical assistance to the Transfer Project • Lead the completion of the guidance on studies of the investment case for social protection • Design, undertake and supervise investment case studies including financial sustainability and fiscal space analysis; contribute to study design, tools, protocols, trainings and methodologies. • Conduct and support the implementation of data analysis for investment case research and write-up of research findings, in collaboration with partners on the research programmes. • Design, undertake and supervise political economy analyses, social protection reviews and assessments, analysis of effective governance and public finance management, and macro-modelling of related cross-national and time series data; contribute to study design, tools, protocols, trainings and methodologies. • Make major analytical contributions to research reports, briefs, working papers and other peer reviewed publications. • Coordinate research implemented by teams and partners and assure quality of outputs produced. • Supporting in the preparation and writing of high-quality publications for peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes; working papers; policy reports and briefs; web stories, blogs and other media • Provide technical assistance in cross-team (Innocenti, NYHQ, Regional and Country Offices) research activities in areas of social protection and inclusion, as needed.

Management and co-ordination • Day-to-day management of research operations, project design, planning, development and implementation. • Monitor work plans, timelines, budgets, milestones and deliverables. • Support the identification, recruitment, and management of consultants (in-country and international) who will support GRASSP and Transfer Project research programmes. • Working closely across teams within OoR (Social and Economic Policy, Child and Adolescent Rights and Empowerment, Research in Education and Development, Research Facilitation and Knowledge Management, Finance, HR, Communications, Operations, Convening) and across offices (HQ, Regional, Country Offices) to ensure that research objectives are met.

Co-lead the development of new lines of research and maintain collaborative relationships with external/internal partners • Lead and contribute to grant seeking proposals for social protection systems research. • Initiate new forward-looking research that could strengthen OoR’s research profile, including developing Working and Discussion Papers. • Provide technical assistance to HQ, regional and country offices in the design of research around social protection and social inclusion policies and interventions, as needed. • Contribute to other ongoing work in the Office; • Carry out other tasks as requested.

Reporting, dissemination and advocacy • Lead and support results reporting to donors and internally within UNICEF, through meetings and preparation of progress reports • Represent OoR and support the communication of research findings including through presentations and lectures, policy briefs, blogs and other social media outlets. • Serve on advisory groups for related research and contribute to peer review in appropriate situations.

Recruitment Qualifications:

Education:

• Advanced university degree in economics, public policy or related field, with specialization in advanced macro-level methods of data analysis, understanding equity and social exclusion or equivalent professional qualifications with specialized training in economics or public policy. PhD with research experience is desirable.

Experience:

• Eight years of professional work experience in economic and social policy, including advanced statistical training in social sector data and macromodelling/macroeconometrics, management of data bases and social policy analysis. • Extensive prior professional experience in economic and social research concerned with equity and social exclusion. • A strong record of professional publications in relevant academic and policy areas. • Expertise in public finance research would be an asset. • Expertise in national social protection system reviews would be an asset. • Experience with writing for – and verbal presentation to – varied audiences, including both specialists and policy makers. • Developing country work experience is preferred. • Knowledge of advanced software applications for quantitative research is preferred.

Language Requirements: • Fluency in English required; • Fluency in another official UN language (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

Other Competencies

• Strong research and analytical skills • Strong planning and organisational skills • Strong skills in macromodelling/macroeconometrics • Excellent writing and verbal communication skills • Ability to work well as part of a team and in a multi-cultural environment. • Aims to achieve high standards for quality of work • Good leadership and management skills • Innovative thinker and problem solver

For every Child, you demonstrate UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are:

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (2)

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)

• Works Collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

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:

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