Social Protection Programme Associate

Support the implementation of social protection programmes for children in China.

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UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

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Application deadline 1 month ago: Tuesday 26 May 2026 at 00:00 UTC

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Overview

Support the implementation of social protection programmes for children in China.

You have:

  • Knowledge about the social protection system in China is a strong advantage.
  • Willingness and capacity to learn and stay updated on emerging developments in social policy, including the application of digital technologies and AI in social protection.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • Strong attention to detail and proven ability to prioritise and handle multiple tasks.
  • Able to work both individually and as part of a team.
  • Proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel).
  • Previous volunteer/intern experience desired.
  • No immediate relatives working in any UNICEF offices.

Contract

This is a UNV contract. More about UNV contracts.

UNICEF China works to promote policies and laws safeguarding children's rights. The Social Policy Section leads our efforts in child poverty, social protection, public financial management for children, and local governance. Working closely with the Chinese government and other partners, we generate evidence on multidimensional child deprivations, social protection system, basic public services for children, public financial management, and early childhood care services. The evidence helps inform legislation and policies that benefit all children, especially the most vulnerable, benefit from equitable and inclusive social protection and basic public services. For more information, please visit: https://www.unicef.cn/en/what-we-do/social-policy.

The UNV assignment have opportunities to contribute to our programmes that aim at strengthening the social protection system in China.

Under the direct supervision of the Social Policy Specialist working on social protection programmes, the UN Associate Volunteer will:

· Support the implementation of AI‑empowered social assistance initiatives, including assisting in coordinating of studies and pilots, documenting progress and lessons learned, and supporting the preparation of technical documents (e.g., background materials, analytical briefs, newsletters); · Conduct desk research in the field of social protection, including social assistance, health insurance, maternity insurance, childcare subsidy, and related areas; · Support evidence generation and research management processes, including reviewing draft research reports, summarizing key findings, and contributing to the drafting of policy notes and other analytical reports in the area of social protection; · Develop communication and advocacy content, such as blog posts, videos, graphics, presentations, and policy notes, to promote child-sensitive social protection;
· Support the organization of seminars, workshops, technical consultations, and missions with government counterparts, research institutions, and other key stakeholders; · Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.

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 an 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.

· UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: https://www.unicef.org/careers/get-prepared#Values

· UNICEF competencies required for this position are: - Builds and maintains partnerships - Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness - Drives to achieve results for impact - Innovates and embraces change - Manages ambiguity and complexity - Thinks and acts strategically - Works collaboratively with others - Nurtures, leads and manages people

· Familiarize with UNICEF's competency framework and its different levels.

· Knowledge about the social protection system in China is a strong advantage. · Willingness and capacity to learn and stay updated on emerging developments in social policy, including the application of digital technologies and AI in social protection. · Strong written and verbal communication skills. · Strong attention to detail and proven ability to prioritise and handle multiple tasks. · Able to work both individually and as part of a team. · Proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel). · Previous volunteer/intern experience desired. · No immediate relatives working in any UNICEF offices.

The duty station of the national UN Volunteer is located in Beijing, China. The security level for the entire country (including Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR) is assessed as Security Level – SL1 (Minimal). UNDSS assesses the safety and security of major cities and towns in China including Beijing as calm and stable. Current security arrangements are adequate for UN personnel to reside and conduct business. There are no known direct threats to the UN in China. No significant security related events have occurred in China against the UN or international organizations in the past few years.

Beijing is in the warm temperature zone and has a continental climate. Annual rainfall averages nearly 700 millimeters, most of which falls in July and August. The frost-free period is 185 days. The average temperatures of the hottest month, July is 27℃, and the average of the coldest month, January, is -4.6℃. The short seasons, spring (usually from February to April) and autumn (usually from August to October) are better seasons for visiting Beijing. Good times to visit Beijing are May, September, and October, when there are bright skies and fewer tourists crowding the city’s attractions. Winter is dry and cold with a little snow, summer is hot and rainy. Beijing in spring can be windy. In summer the temperature can reach as high as 30℃. Autumn is a beautiful season in Beijing, but it is recommended that you bring some warm clothes. In winter, you should have warm clothes available, including a long coat or a down jacket. There is usually some snowfall in winter, so it is a good idea to bring appropriate footwear.

Chinese Yuan (CNY) is China’s official currency. All local shops will only accept CNY cash, and Wechat/Alipay electronic pay, but some will accept credit cards. Master and Visa card is widely accepted in China.

China has excellent cell phone coverage. 4G&5G data connections and public WIFI networks can be found throughout the country. Mobile phone networks cover the whole country. Internet can be accessible everywhere, but some firewall/connection restrictions are in place to block the usage of some websites, search engines, social media, or other Apps.

You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator. The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos.”

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan.

Potential interview questions

How do you prioritize your tasks when working on multiple assignments simultaneously? This question assesses your ability to manage and prioritize various responsibilities effectively. Provide examples of how you organize tasks based on urgency and importance.
Can you share your experience related to child-sensitive social protection initiatives? The interviewer wants to understand your familiarity with relevant topics and practical applications. Pro members can see the explanation.
Describe a situation where you had to communicate complex information to a diverse audience. Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
What do you consider the most important trend in social policy today, especially related to children? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
How would you approach building partnerships with governmental and non-governmental organizations? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
How do you ensure the accuracy and quality of your research findings? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
In what ways do you believe technology can improve social protection systems? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
How do you handle feedback and criticism related to your work? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Added 1 month ago - Updated 1 month ago - Source: unv.org