Youth Engagement Officer (Child Participation), NO-2, UNICEF Eastern Caribbean Area Office, *Open to Nationals of ECA Countries*

Entry Communications & PR Programme & Policy

Overview

Assist UNICEF in developing engaging advocacy campaigns for children.

You have:

• A University degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, International Relations, International Development, Child Participation, or another related field.
• At least two (2) years of relevant professional work experience in child participation, and or advocacy and communications focused on children is required.
• Experience in supporting the development and implementation of child participation strategies, with specific, measurable and timebound objectives and performance indicators.
• Demonstrated experience in supporting and/or managing projects to completion, including developing and implementing clear processes.
• Demonstrated experience in designing content for child audiences and/or community moderation of youth focused platforms.
• Knowledge of children’s rights, public policy, international development, and humanitarian issues.
• Knowledge of child safeguarding and ethics of working with children and youth.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

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.

And we never give up.

For every child, A VOICE

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes children’s rights to participation as one of its four guiding principles. The UNICEF Strategic Plan, 2022-2025 also advances child engagement and empowerment as key concepts towards realizing the rights of every child. The Global Communication and Advocacy Strategy (GCAS) asserts the important role that children can play in the successful realization of UNICEF’s mandate, and outlines the need to listen to, co-create and collaborate with children and create meaningful engagement opportunities for them to make a difference. Being important drivers of change, children and young people are essential partners and contributors to both the development and implementation of UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. With a new and ambitious SP, UNICEF intends to be deliberate and committed in fully involving children and young people in creating the solutions to accelerate the realization of the SDGs and driving change forward.

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of the Job:

This role will assist the UNICEF Office for the Eastern Caribbean Area to develop, implement and monitor effective and engaging advocacy campaigns involving children. Under the leadership of the Communication Specialist the role will support the development and implementation and monitoring of child advocacy campaign strategies, partnerships management, and the creation of child participation platforms.

Key Functions, Accountabilities and Related Duties/Tasks:

1. Child Participation strategy development and implementation 2. Child Communication content development 3. Youth Engagement Platform management, including U-Report 4. Youth Advocates 5. Safeguarding and participation 6. Child Participation M&E 7. Project and budget management 8. Child Participation capacity building & Knowledge Management 9. Stakeholder engagement 10. Other

This staff member will support the development of effective, integrated strategies for child participation in advocacy and campaigning. They will work collaboratively with colleagues across teams, as well as with external partners including children and child-led organisations to create meaningful opportunities for children to take action in support of their rights.

Duties include:

1. Child Participation strategy development and implementation - Assist in the development of child participation strategies to achieve SMART outcomes. 2. Child Participation Platforms - Assist countries to establish national students’ councils and other child-focused local and national structures including child/youth parliaments. 3. Child Engagement Platform management - Support content moderation, community management, content creation and M&E for child and youth focused digital platforms/communities. Oversee the expansion, coordination, and implementation of U-Report. 4. Child and Youth Advocates - Support the implementation of a local Youth and Child Advocates programme: researching potential child and youth advocates; supporting workplan development and communication; supporting child/youth advocates in preparation for events/media; documenting learnings and successes. 5. Safeguarding and participation - Ensure adherence to principles of child/youth participation and safeguarding when assisting in the development/implementation of all campaigns, communication products and platforms. 6. Child Engagement M&E - Support the monitoring and evaluation of child engagement strategies, campaigns and platforms. Assist in the preparation of relevant reports. 7. Project and budget management - Support the day-to-day delivery of key projects/ workstreams, developing and tracking project plans to ensure progress and address obstacles and bottlenecks. Support effective budget management, projections and tracking. 8. Child participation capacity building & Knowledge Management - Support the implementation of capacity building and knowledge management efforts. Assist in the development of trainings and workshops; and develop and disseminate case studies and other knowledge management products. 9. Stakeholder engagement - Research current and potential partners. Assist and maintain a database of formal and informal partnerships and networks whose support is essential to achieving objectives. Support the flow of information to key stakeholders. 10. Others - Undertake other key responsibilities as required.

Impact of Results:

The efficiency and efficacy of support provided by the Youth Engagement Officer (Child Participation): • Increased capacity to engage children and youth as advocates and champions for children’s rights through flagship campaigns and platforms. • Strategic, innovative, effective, and engaging campaigns with increased and robust participation of children, ultimately helping to achieve key advocacy objectives for the organization. • A positive brand image among children and young people, laying the groundwork for sustained supporter engagement.

This role is considered a Direct Contact role in which the incumbent will be in contact with children either face-to-face or by remote communication unmoderated by another person for up to ten hours per month. As such, stricter vetting in the recruitment process is expected as is focused training upon onboarding.

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

• A University degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, International Relations, International Development, Child Participation, or another related field or a related field.
• At least two (2) years of relevant professional work experience in child participation, and or advocacy and communications focused on children is required.
• Experience in supporting the development and implementation of child participation strategies, with specific, measurable and timebound objectives and performance indicators.
• Demonstrated experience in supporting and/or managing projects to completion, including developing and implementing clear processes.
• Demonstrated experience in designing content for child audiences and/or community moderation of youth focused platforms.
• Experience in supporting the effective functioning of a team.
• Knowledge of children’s rights, public policy, international development, and humanitarian issues.
• Knowledge of child safeguarding and ethics of working with children and youth.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

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: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (1) Works collaboratively with others (1) Builds and maintains partnership (1) Innovates and embraces change (1) Thinks and acts strategically (1) Drive to achieve results for impact (1) Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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 is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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:

*Bearing in mind the necessities of service and programmatic priorities, this post is open to nationals of the Eastern Caribbean countries including Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago. Candidates must be citizens of any of these countries to be considered eligible for this post. Please note that National Officers (NOs) are expected to serve in the country of their nationality; therefore the nationality of the selected candidate will determine the duty station of the post. Being locally recruited staff, candidates are personally responsible for any travel and accommodation arrangements required to start her/his appointment. Candidates are advised that depending upon the nationality and duty station of the most technically qualified and suitable candidate and contingent upon the availability of office space in that country, the post may be considered as work from home.

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

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

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Potential interview questions

Added 3 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org