Social Policy Officer NO-A, Mexico City, Mexico, Fixed Term

Contract

This is a NO-1 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-1 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,

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, 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.

UNICEF Mexico has a new Country Programme (2020-2025) which focuses on four main areas including (i) nutrition, (ii) education, (iii) child protection and (iv) social protection.

The work on social protection aims at ensuring that every child is effectively covered by social protection programmes and services. Currently, the Mexican government is developing a series of care policies, including childcare and it is pivotal for UNICEF to contribute to such effort, engage in policy dialogue and advocate for better access of childcare programmes and services.

How can you make a difference?

Under the general guidance of the Chief of Social Policy, the Social Policy officer is accountable for providing technical support and assistance in developing a clear position for UNICEF Mexico around public childcare programmes.

In addition, as part of the efforts to strengthen social protection in the country, the Social Policy officer will support various social policy initiatives mostly focused in making social protection programmes available to all children. This will entail work with government and civil society partners as well as generating and/or expanding linkages and support to teams working on education, nutrition, and child protection, among other sectors.

1. Developing a clear childcare position that guides policy and programme action

• Develops a clear childcare position based on the existing policy framework for a national care system, as well as on the government structure to provide such services. The focus of this work will be the supply of services to the poorest and most vulnerable children and their families who lack any form of social protection or formal social security measures. • Supports analytical work and provides technical support on childcare policies to government, civil society organizations and other partners. • Enables cross sectoral programmatic work linking childcare policies with nutrition, WASH, early learning, protection and social protection, among others.

2. Strengthening social protection coverage and impact for children

• As part of a larger team focusing its work on social protection, the Social Policy Officer provides support to the development of social protection policies, legislation and programmes with attention to increasing coverage of and impact on children, with special attention on the most marginalized. Identifies, generates and presents evidence to support this goal in collaboration with partners.

• Supports strengthening of integrated social protection systems, providing technical support to partners to improve the linkages of childcare services with cash transfers and child grants.

• Supports improved monitoring and research around social protection impact on child outcomes and use of data and research findings for strengthening programme results.

3. Improving use of public financial resources for children

• Supports the identification of policy options for improved domestic financing of child-sensitive social protection interventions, mainly childcare policies.

• Undertakes and builds capacity of partners for improved monitoring and tracking of public expenditure to support transparency, accountability and effective financial flows for essential service delivery, including through support to district level planning, budgeting and public financial management as well as facilitating community participation

4. Strengthened advocacy and partnerships for child-sensitive social policy

• Supports correct and compelling use of data and evidence on the situation of children and coverage and impact of child focused services – in support of the social policy programme and the country programme overall.

• Establishes effective partnerships with the Government, bilateral and multilateral donors, NGOs, civil society and local leaders, the private sector, and other UN agencies to support sustained and proactive commitment to the Convention of the Rights of the Child and to achieve global UN agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals.

• Identifies other critical partners, promotes awareness and builds capacity of partners, and actively facilitates effective collaboration within the UN family.

5. UNICEF Programme Management

• Helps manage and coordinate technical support around child poverty, social protection, public finance and governance ensuring it is well planned, monitored, and implemented in a timely fashion so as to adequately support scale-up and delivery. Ensures risk analysis and risk mitigation are embedded into overall management of the support, in close consultation with UNICEF programme sections, Cooperating Partners, and governments.

• Supports and contributes to effective and efficient planning, management, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the country programme. Ensures that the social planning project enhances policy dialogue, planning, supervision, technical advice, management, training, research and support; and that the monitoring and evaluation component strengthens monitoring and evaluation of the social sectors and provides support to sectoral and decentralized information systems.

The efficient and effective technical, administrative and operational support provided to the development and implementation of strategic and effective advocacy, planning and formulation of social policy programmes/projects and the achievement of sustainable results, contributes to achievement of goals and objectives to create a protective environment for children and thus ensure their survival, development and well-being in society. Achievements in social policy programmes and projects in turn contribute to maintaining/enhancing the credibility and ability of UNICEF to provide programme services for mothers and children that promotes greater social equality in the country.

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

Education: A university degree in one of the following fields is required: Economics, Public Policy, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Science, or another relevant technical field.

Experience:

• A minimum of one year of relevant professional experience is required in areas such as social policy, social protection, labour economics and economic analysis in government or international development agencies.
• Strong knowledge of Mexican childcare policies, services and programmes is strongly desired.

• Experience working in a developing country is considered as a strong asset.

  Language Requirements: Fluency in Spanish and English is required

For every Child, you demonstrate...

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

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

Core Competencies

• 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)

Functional Competencies

• Analyzing (2)
• Applying Technical Expertise (2)
• Learning & Researching (2)
• Planning & Organizing (2)

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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:

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
• Candidates must be citizen of Mexico to be considered eligible for this post.