Social Policy Specialist, NO-3, Tehran, Iran #86131 (Iranian Nationals Only)

Contract

This is a NO-3 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-3 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, A champion

https://youtu.be/E1xkXZs0cAQ

How can you make a difference?

PURPOSE OF THE JOB:

The Social Policy Specialist reports to the Deputy Representative for general guidance and direction, and is responsible for managing and supervising 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) generation of evidences efficient child-focused decision making and to reduce data gape ge; and (d) governance, decentralization and accountability measures to increase public participation and the quality, equity and coverage of social services. This encompasses both direct programme work with government and civil society partners as well as linkages and support to teams working on education, health, child protection, water and sanitation, and HIV.

MAJOR DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Improving evidence and 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.

•Analyses social protection development, emerging issues, 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

• Supports the identification of policy options for improved child-sensitive social protection interventions.

Strengthening social protection coverage and impact for children

• Technical support to the Government in increasing efficiency and implementation of an integrated child- centred safety net system

• Facilitate smooth communication/coordination between UNICEF, relevant government stakeholders and as well as with Development Partners working on social safety nets.

• Support 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.

• Promotes 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.

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

• Technical support and engagement with the Government to increase shock responsiveness of social protection system

• Support Government’s roll out of the social Cash Transfer program to reach the most vulnerable children and national upscaling.

• Support the Government for availability of monitoring mechanisms for better targeting of social protection services.

• Coordinate with regional offices and relevant partners to mobilize the required technical expertise to build Government’s capacity on public financing for children.

Contributed to effective inter-agency & external partnerships collaboration

• Represent UNICEF in the relevant UNDAF working groups, contribute to the planned joint activities, and provide necessary technical inputs

• Coordinate with RCO and Co-Chairs of WG to support inter-agency collaboration and joint initiative.

• Contribute to budget mobilization for joint UN responses under Socio-Economic recovery programm

Strengthening capacity of local governments to plan, budget, consult on and monitor child-focused social services.

•Where national decentralization processes are taking place, collaborate with central and local authorities to improve policies, planning, budgeting, consultation and accountability processes so that decisions and child-focused service delivery more closely respond to the needs of local communities.

•Collaborate with the central and local authorities to strengthen capacity on quality data collection, analysis for policy development, planning, implementation, coordination, monitoring of essential social services, with emphasis on community participation and accountability.

Strengthened advocacy and partnerships for child-sensitive social protection

•Support 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 protection programme and the country programme overall.

•Establishe 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.

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

UNICEF Programme Management

•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. Ensure risk analysis and risk mitigation are embedded into overall management of the support, in close consultation with UNICEF programme sections, Cooperating Partners, and governments.

•Support and contribute 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.

IMPACT OF RESULTS:

The strategic and effective advocacy, planning and formulation of social policy programs/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 programs and projects in turn contribute to maintaining/enhancing the credibility and ability of UNICEF to provide program services for mothers and children that promotes greater social equality in the country.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The technical competencies required for this post are….

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education: Advanced university degree in Economics, Public Policy, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Science, or other relevant disciplines.

Experience: Minimum of seven years of relevant professional work experience in humanitarian/development settings is required. Extensive experience with UN affiliated agencies is an asset

Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered a strong asset.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset.

COMPETENCIES:

Core Values

• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust

• Accountability Core Competencies

• Communication (II)

• Working with People (II)
• Drive for Results (II)

Functional Competencies

• Formulating Strategies and Concepts (II)
• Analyzing (II)
• Applying Technical Expertise (II)
• Planning and Organizing (II)
• Learning and researching (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:

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.