Social Policy Specialist (Cash Transfer), P3, TA, 6 months, East Jerusalem, SoP

Contract

This is a P-3 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 5 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 123,096 USD and 161,185 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 fulfil 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, Hope

UNICEF in the State of Palestine works to uphold the rights of children to access services and protection, from early childhood through to adolescence. Our objective is to ensure that every child in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, irrespective of background or circumstance, has an equal chance to fulfil their potential. We are working for every child and young person in the State of Palestine.

To learn more about working in Palestine please visit:

https://www.facebook.com/unicefpalestine/

How can you make a difference?

This position is responsible for the implementation of the Child Sensitive Social Protection programme in Gaza. The child-sensitive cash support will provide: i) income support to mitigate negative coping mechanisms affecting children and adolescents who are members of poor and vulnerable households affected by the recent crisis; and ii) strengthen families' resilience against economic shocks with a comprehensive package of social protection services involving cash assistance, case management and referral pathways.

This programme will also be tied to beneficiary awareness on child rights and well-being such as hygiene promotion, school attendance and vaccination. The cash support will be implemented through the National Cash Transfer Programme with the Ministry of Social Development (MOSD) and the Ministry of Finance (MoF). The incumbent will also work with the MOSD for the development of policies and procedures for Shock Responsive Social Protection within the national Social Protection system..

As an advocate for children, you will have the following duties/tasks:

1. Child-sensitive social protection programme

• Develop effective strategies and work plans and be responsible for implementation of the cash transfer component of the UNICEF social protection programme.
• Develop effective systems on targeting, registration, payment process and complaint/grievance for the cash transfer component in collaboration with partners and stakeholders.
• Work with national authorities to develop and operationalize a strategy to strengthen the shock-responsiveness of the National Social Protection programme in response to any future shock. This component will build upon the lessons learnt from the Child Sensitive Social Protection programme in Gaza.
• Work closely with relevant colleagues in the UN System to engage with social protection and humanitarian cash transfer stakeholders for better coordination of efforts.
• Coordinate programmatic and operational response analysis to inform plans, including financial sector assessments in close coordination with the Operations team, to determine viable payment mechanisms and processes.
• Undertake M&E activities to improve programme performance, undertake field visits to monitor and assess programme implementation and recommend corrective actions in collaboration with partners.
• Ensure cash transfer component is supported by knowledge management activities through data collection and analysis, complete and accurate reporting of results to contribute to various reporting requirements.
• Ensure relevant analysis of complaints and feedback received through different sources and ensure implementing partners relevant follow up, including through the UNICEF Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) platform.
• Coordinate the registration process in collaboration with local ministries.
• Collaborate with the Operations Section to establish and maintain sound internal controls especially as it relates to financial and supply management requirements and accountability.
• Develop and maintain partnerships with internal and external counterparts, including with UN and national partners through forums such as the National Social Protection Working Group, Cash Working Group, in order to exchange information on programme/project status and implementation.

2. Cross-cutting Cash Programme support to Country Office

• Act as the main focal point within the Country Office on cash assistance, in coordination with the Social Policy Specialist.
• Liaise with UNICEF HQ and RO Social Protection specialists to ensure that the programme roll out of the cash programming and for Shock Responsive Social Protection is high quality.
• In concert with the supervisor coordinate support requests from RO and HQ on programmatic, operational and data management aspects.
• Advance key preparedness actions for the implementation of cash assistance, including capacity building for UNICEF staff; selection of cash delivery channels and financial service providers; implementing partners and other facilitators for cash program delivery.
• Establish and support mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation of cash transfer programmes; rights based and results-based programming approach to be fully incorporated into all phases of cash transfer programme and projects processes.
• Prepare relevant programme reports required for management, donors, budget reviews, programme analysis, annual reports etc.
• Manage cash assistance information products, including contributions to situation reports, briefing notes, knowledge management products, donor proposals and reports.
• Manage effective partnership and collaboration on cash programming.

To qualify as a Champion for every child you will have:

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: Economics, Public Policy, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Science, or another relevant technical field.
• Five years of relevant professional work experience – in particular of designing, implementing and managing social transfers or cash transfer programmes.
• Knowledge of social protection policy debates and evidence, and UNICEF social protection policies and strategies.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and proven success in facilitating interagency processes to achieve a common goal.
• Experience in data and information management an added advantage.
• Ability to work independently and respond to feedback in a timely and professional manner.
• Developing country work experience - preferably in a humanitarian context.
• Fluency in English is required. Fluency in Arabic is considered as an asset.

For more information on the specific technical expertise needed, kindly visit the below ToR.

ToR- P3 Social Policy Specialist.pdf

For every Child, you demonstrate:

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability.

The functional competencies required for this post are:

• Analyzing (3)
• Deciding and Initiating action (2)
• Applying technical expertise (3)

Core Competencies

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)
• 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)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2) (I)

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:

This position is not considered an elevated risk role. However, UNICEF reserves the right to conduct further vetting/assessment within the scope of child safeguarding as appropriate.

UNICEF may give priority consideration to internal suitable candidates. The term “internal” refers to all personnel with an ongoing employment relationship with UNICEF, including staff members on a continuing, fixed term and temporary appointment, individual contractors and full-time time-based consultants, and UNV. It does not include interns and employees of external entities performing duties for UNICEF

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.