Social Policy Officer (Social Protection & Gender), NOB, Mogadishu CO, Somali Nationals Only

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Application deadline 3 years ago: Tuesday 27 Oct 2020 at 20:55 UTC

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Contract

This is a NO-2 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-2 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. UNICEF's work on gender equality is guided by the Gender Action Plan 2018-2021 (GAP 2.0), is the organization's roadmap for supporting the achievement of gender equality goals as outlined in Agenda 2030/SDGs, with a focus on adolescent girls' empowerment; equality in life outcomes and socialization for girls and boys; and gender responsive communities and systems that support women and children.

UNICEF Somalia is looking for a committed and experienced professional, who has strong passion to make a difference for every child in the role of Social Policy Officer (Social Protection & Gender). The Officer is accountable for providing technical support and assistance in all stages of social policy programing and related advocacy from strategic planning and formulation to delivery of concrete and sustainable results.

And we never give up.

For every child, Protection

How can you make a difference?

Under the general guidance of the Chief of Social Policy Office, the Social Policy Officer is accountable for providing technical support and assistance in all stages of social policy programing and related advocacy from strategic planning and formulation to delivery of concrete and sustainable results. This includes programmes aimed at improving (a) public policies to reduce child poverty; (b) social protection coverage and impact on children; (c) the transparency, adequacy, equity and efficiency of child-focused public investments and financial management; and (d) gender sensitive social protection and gender mainstreaming support across the zonal office. This encompasses both direct programme work with government and civil society partners as well as linkages and support to teams working on emergency, education, health, child protection, water and sanitation, and HIV.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

Improving data on child poverty & vulnerability and increased use for policy and programme action

  • Supports the collection, analysis and user-friendly presentation of data on multidimensional and monetary child poverty, including strengthening national capacity to collect routinely, report and use data for policy decision-making.
  • Provides timely, regular data-driven analysis for effective prioritization, planning, and development; facilitates results-based management for planning, adjusting, and scaling-up specific social policy initiatives to reduce child poverty.
  • Analyzes the macroeconomic context and its impact on social development, emerging issues and social policy concerns, as well as implications for children, and proposes and promotes appropriate responses in respect of such issues and concerns, including government resource allocation policies and the effect of social welfare policies on the rights of children

Strengthening social protection coverage and impact for children

  • Supports the development of social protection policies, legislation and programmes with attention to increasing coverage of and impact on children, with special attention 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 design of cash transfers and child grants and improve linkages with other social protection interventions such as health insurance, public works and social care services as well as complementary services and intervention related to nutrition, health, education, water and sanitation, child protection and HIV.
  • Supports improved monitoring and research around social protection impact on child outcomes, and use of data and research findings for strengthening programme results.
  • Supports the implementation of safety net programming, including those utilizing cash transfers and linkages to service delivery. Advocates for the role of social protection in Somalia.

Improving use of public financial resources for children

  • Undertakes budget analysis to inform UNICEF's advocacy and technical assistance to Ministries of Finance, planning commissions and social sector ministries to improve equitable allocations for essential services for children. Works with sector colleagues to build capacity to undertake costing and cost effectiveness analysis on priority interventions to help inform policy decisions on child-focused investments.
  • Supports the identification of policy options for improved domestic financing of child-sensitive social protection interventions.
  • 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

Technical support for gender mainstreaming

  • Provide technical support and guidance to national government, NGOs, UN Agencies and other country-level and local-level partners on aspects of gender programming and to ensure incorporation of gender mainstreaming in programmes/projects, policy initiatives, proposals, and M&E systems.
  • Support sections in the development of strategies and programmes to implement gender mainstreaming as per the GAP (2.0)
  • Support the development of adequate emergency preparedness measures, updating of contingency plans and establishment of early warning mechanisms that reflect gender needs.
  • Support the development of sex-disaggregated data collection on information crucial for the planning and implementation of UNICEF programming.
  • Support the development of and undertake gender training for UNICEF staff and partner staff across sectors that incorporates gender issues and relevant strategies.
  • Lead and/or participate in needs assessment missions on gender
  • Identify implementing/operational partners, and new opportunities for engagement in order to ensure effective, gender-inclusive programming.

Advocacy, networking and partnership building

  • Liaise and consult with sections, government and other external partners (civil society, NGOs, UN Agencies, private sector) to identify areas for convergence, and develop and reinforce partnerships in gender programming.
  • Forge and support internal and external partnerships and networks in the development of harmonized, gender-transformative programme interventions.
  • Build strategic alliances for gender equality with various partners, including institutional links with UN agencies and other relevant entities.
  • Collaborate with other UN agencies and partners to enhance robust gender results in sectoral programmes at the country level. If necessary, represent UNICEF in external meetings on gender integration into sectoral and cross-sectoral results
  • Lead mapping of potential new partnerships in the zone and leverage existing partnerships to accelerate GAP implementation at the country level in determined priority areas.

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.

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

  • A university degree in Economics, Public Policy, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Science, or other relevant disciplines is required.
  • Minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional work experience is required.
  • Experience working with safety nets, cash programming and policy development.
  • Experience working on gender mainstreaming.
  • Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
  • Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset.

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 functional competencies required for this post are...

  • Formulating strategies and concepts (I)
  • Analyzing (II)
  • Applying Technical Expertise (II)
  • Learning & Researching (II)
  • Planning & Organizing (II)

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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.

Added 3 years ago - Updated 2 years ago - Source: unicef.org