Social Policy Officer (Senior Expert)

Contract

This is a UNV National Expert contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Expert contracts.

Brazil has made important progress in tackling child poverty over the last decades, nevertheless, there are still important challenges. More than 20.3 million children and adolescents lived in monetary poverty and 5.8 lived in extreme monetary poverty in 2021. Furthermore, approximately 32 million children live in multidimensional poverty, with deprivation on sanitation, information, housing, education, water and exposure to child labor. The Social Protection system (SUAS), although well-established, still stumbles in achieving the necessary coverage and adequacy for the fundamental services to tackle multidimensional poverty, such as the Assistance-Family Service (PAIF). At municipal level, social assistance surveillance is fragile with less than one-third of municipalities with a formal structure in place , weakening the capacity to inform social protection initiatives. On top of that, the entry point to access social protection and the main municipal social assistance structure, the Social Assistance Reference Centers (CRAS), face challenges to meet the increased demand after subsequential budget cuts and structural dismantling. To address this complex situation and improve conditions for children it is crucial to strengthen institutions to better plan, design and implement public policies, especially those in close contact with the population as the CRAS. In this sense, UNICEF has been working in partnership with sub-national governments to strengthen SUAS, focusing on the municipal systems in the Amazon and Semiarid regions. One of the main implementation strategies at the subnational level is the UNICEF Seal, which is implemented in Brazilian municipalities across the Semiarid and Amazon regions, over four years, focusing on social protection, early childhood development, education, health, etc. Currently, UNICEF Seal has a dedicated outcome to Social Protection (RS7), focused on strengthening SUAS at the municipal level, reinforcing the intersectoral approach with education, health and special social protection and expanding the coverage of Family Care services (PAIF).
As a complementary strategy to strengthen social protection, UNICEF will implement a pilot intervention in Presidente Figueiredo (AM), a vulnerable municipality located about 107 Km from Manaus in the Amazon Territory. The municipality has more than 37,000 inhabitants of which one-third are children and adolescents. The municipality counts on one Social Assistance Reference Centers (CRAS) and one Social Assistance Specialized Reference Centers (CREAS), managed by the Social Assistance and Culture Municipal Secretariat (SEMASC). The vulnerable population represents more than 25% of the population and the only CRAS in the municipality has not been able to meet the increasing demand . In this sense, the pilot intervention Acompanhamento Familiar will provide support to SEMASC and the CRAS through the provision of additional human resources, training and technical support on family care services, information and process management. The main goal is to expand the coverage of Family Care services (PAIF coverage). Insofar the reduction of deprivations relies also on other public services, not only on those provided by the social assistance, the Acompanhamento Familiar initiative will be implemented in close alignment with Selo UNICEF and its planned systematic outcomes in Health, Education, WASH, Child Protection, among others.

Under the overall supervision of the Chief of Social Policy, Monitoring and Evaluation and the guidance of the Chief of the Amazon Territory (TAM) and the Chief Field Office in Manaus (AM), the selected UN Volunteer will contribute to UNICEF’s work undertaking the following tasks:

Coordinate the Acompanhamento Familiar initiative • Provide technical support on Social Protection to refine the design of the initiative; • Develop a monitoring and evaluation framework for the initiative; • Liaise with internal and external partners of the initiative, including implementing partners, donors and municipal counterparts; • Provide regular and timely reporting on the initiative; • Assure close alignment between the initiative and other UNICEF initiatives in the TAM territory, especially SELO UNICEF.

Support the Social Policy agenda in the Amazon Territory (TAM) • Provide technical support and advice on UNICEF’s strategic engagement with state and municipal social protection counterparts; • Provide technical support to advance UNICEF Social Policy and Social Protection agendas in TAM; • Provide technical support in social protection for the Selo UNICEF strategy, including technical support to its implementing partners; • Constantly map out opportunities to foster Social Policy and Social Protection agenda in TAM; • Report regularly and timely the ongoing initiatives and results achieved in TAM.
Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Provide annual and end of assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers; • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Results/expected outputs:

• Sound implementation of the Acompanhamento Familiar initiative; • Adequate support provided to the Social Policy team and other programme sections as required; • Quality material and knowledge products for internal and external audiences produced in a timely fashion; • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed.

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNICEF; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNICEF procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented; • Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and UNICEF in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority; • Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues; • Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment. • Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities; • Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups; • Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary; • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNICEF mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

social protection or public policies or project management/M&E;

• Relevant professional experience at the municipal level, preferably in the Amazon region;

• Have affinity with or interest in child rights, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System;

• Knowledge of programmes of cash transfers and the Unified Social Assistance System (SUAS) will be an asset;

• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization will be an asset.

the assignment will be in Manaus . Manaus is a family duty station and classified B (hardship). The Amazonas state’s capital, Manaus was founded in 1969. It is considered the major financial center of the north region, and is located at the confluence of the Negro and Solimões rivers. The average temperature is 28,9ºC, rising to over 40ºC during the hottest period. The hottest month in Manaus is September and the coolest month is April. Because of its proximity to the equator, the hot weather is constant in the region. Manaus’ total estimated population is now over 2.2 million inhabitants. The city has important parks and ecological reserves, such as the Park of Mindú, Sumaúma State Park, the Park of Bilhares and Adolpho Ducke Botanical Garden (the largest botanical garden in the world), among others.

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging their own housing and other living essentials. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan. Brazil is security level 3 (moderate). United Nations Department of Safety and Security UNDSS Brazil advises to exercise a high degree of caution in Brazil due to high levels of serious and violent crime, particularly in major cities. Violent crime as muggings, armed robbery, kidnappings, and sexual assault, is very high. Avoid shanty towns (favelas) in the big cities and if you are attacked or robbed, do not resist. Demonstrations can occur at any time and may turn violent with little or no warning. All United Nations personnel must scrupulously comply with UNDSS procedures and recommendations during their assignment in Brazil. For missions in rural areas or indigenous reservations, special procedures may apply; UN personnel should consult with the local DSS office in advance.