Child Protection Specialist (Systems)
Purpose of the Position
Under the overall supervision of the Regional Child Protection Advisor, you will promote and support adoption of the systems approach to child protection in the region through partnerships, evidence-based advocacy, and capacity building. You will provide technical support, capacity building support, quality assurance, oversight to WCAR country offices to plan, design and implement national child protection policies, institutional and legal reform. You will support the Regional Director in providing technical leadership and strategic representation and contribute to knowledge management in the area of national child protection policies and systems.
Key Expected Results
1. You will provide technical support and advice to country offices and partners in the West and Central Africa region on the analysis, strategic planning and strengthening of child protection systems and their components (e.g. human resources gap analysis, budget analysis). Support the development and implementation of an interagency framework for the strengthening of child protection systems that are adapted to specific country contexts in the region. Ensure effective information sharing on child protection systems strengthening across West and Central Africa. Ensure that UNICEF plays a pro-active role in strengthening strategic partnerships on child protection systems. Represent UNICEF in regional and sub-regional meetings with senior government officials as well as multi-lateral and bi-lateral agencies, to advocate and promote UNICEF programme goals and objectives, and communicate with major partners on organizational policies.
2. You will promote and support the implementation Justice for Children in the region. Support strategic contributions to integrate child justice into broader regional justice initiatives with a focus on capacity strengthening and evidence building to support pre-trial justice. Guided by the UN Approach to Justice for Children, promote partnerships with UNDP, EU, DfID and others at the regional and country level to mobilize human capacities and financial resources for child justice at the country office level. Work closely with UNICEF New York and Brussels offices to mobilize resources to build UNICEF's regional capacity in the area of child justice.
3. You will strengthen the child protection roles and contributions of allied systems and sectors (health, education, civil registration, governance, etc.) within and outside UNICEF. Develop partnerships and provide technical support to build each sector's protective functions.
4. You will provide technical support and guidance to country offices on strengthening social welfare services critical to the protection of child from abuse, exploitation and violence. Promote methodologies for the setting of standards, establishing strong coordination and referral mechanisms at the sub-national level, and building national social worker and community volunteer capacity. Coordinate and strengthen collaboration with regional OVC, Social Protection and Education Advisors and Specialists.
5. You will provide specific technical advice on several core child protection areas, including alternative care, community child protection mechanisms, violence and abuse response and referral mechanisms, child protection indicators and data systems. In close collaboration with the social policy section, provide technical support to country offices to integrate child protection in national legislation, policies and budgets.
Qualifications of Successful Candidate
Advanced university degree in Social Sciences, Law or related areas.
Eight years professional work experience with progressively greater management and/or advisory responsibilities, in the planning, design and implementation of child protection and social protection systems at national policy, service provision and community levels. With significant experience in analysis of and advice on the needs of children and women who need social and legal protection. Direct field experience in child protection and related legal and institutional reform planning, management or evaluation, a distinct advantage. Relevant UN or international NGO experience is an asset.
• Advanced knowledge of one or more of the technical areas of UNICEF programmes.
• Advanced technical knowledge of theories, principles and methods in the following: Strengthening child protection systems and partner capacity for protecting children against violence; in emergencies; in respect of harmful traditional practices; in improving justice for children and in strengthening social welfare systems. Use of data and indicators in child protection.
Fluency in English and French.
Competencies of Successful Candidate
Communicates effectively to varied audiences, including during formal public speaking.
Sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals.
Able to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
Has good leadership and supervisory skills; co-ordinates group activities, ensuring that roles within the team are clear.
Translates strategic direction into plans and objectives.
Analyzes and integrates diverse and complex quantitative and qualitative data from a wide range of sources.
Quickly builds rapport with individuals and groups; maintains an effective network of individuals across organizational departments.
Identifies urgent and potentially difficult decisions and acts on them promptly; initiates and generates team- and department-wide activities.
Demonstrates, applies and shares expert technical knowledge across the organization.
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.
Visit us at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ to register in our new e-Recruitment system and apply to this and other vacancies, quoting E-VN-2011-000132. Applications must be received by 18 February 2011.
Please note that only candidates who are under serious consideration will be contacted.
In the selection of its staff, UNICEF is committed to gender balance and diversity without distinction as to race, sex or religion, and without discrimination of persons with disabilities: well qualified candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
Under the overall supervision of the Regional Child Protection Advisor, you will promote and support adoption of the systems approach to child protection in the region through partnerships, evidence-based advocacy, and capacity building. You will provide technical support, capacity building support, quality assurance, oversight to WCAR country offices to plan, design and implement national child protection policies, institutional and legal reform. You will support the Regional Director in providing technical leadership and strategic representation and contribute to knowledge management in the area of national child protection policies and systems.
Key Expected Results
1. You will provide technical support and advice to country offices and partners in the West and Central Africa region on the analysis, strategic planning and strengthening of child protection systems and their components (e.g. human resources gap analysis, budget analysis). Support the development and implementation of an interagency framework for the strengthening of child protection systems that are adapted to specific country contexts in the region. Ensure effective information sharing on child protection systems strengthening across West and Central Africa. Ensure that UNICEF plays a pro-active role in strengthening strategic partnerships on child protection systems. Represent UNICEF in regional and sub-regional meetings with senior government officials as well as multi-lateral and bi-lateral agencies, to advocate and promote UNICEF programme goals and objectives, and communicate with major partners on organizational policies.
2. You will promote and support the implementation Justice for Children in the region. Support strategic contributions to integrate child justice into broader regional justice initiatives with a focus on capacity strengthening and evidence building to support pre-trial justice. Guided by the UN Approach to Justice for Children, promote partnerships with UNDP, EU, DfID and others at the regional and country level to mobilize human capacities and financial resources for child justice at the country office level. Work closely with UNICEF New York and Brussels offices to mobilize resources to build UNICEF's regional capacity in the area of child justice.
3. You will strengthen the child protection roles and contributions of allied systems and sectors (health, education, civil registration, governance, etc.) within and outside UNICEF. Develop partnerships and provide technical support to build each sector's protective functions.
4. You will provide technical support and guidance to country offices on strengthening social welfare services critical to the protection of child from abuse, exploitation and violence. Promote methodologies for the setting of standards, establishing strong coordination and referral mechanisms at the sub-national level, and building national social worker and community volunteer capacity. Coordinate and strengthen collaboration with regional OVC, Social Protection and Education Advisors and Specialists.
5. You will provide specific technical advice on several core child protection areas, including alternative care, community child protection mechanisms, violence and abuse response and referral mechanisms, child protection indicators and data systems. In close collaboration with the social policy section, provide technical support to country offices to integrate child protection in national legislation, policies and budgets.
Qualifications of Successful Candidate
Advanced university degree in Social Sciences, Law or related areas.
Eight years professional work experience with progressively greater management and/or advisory responsibilities, in the planning, design and implementation of child protection and social protection systems at national policy, service provision and community levels. With significant experience in analysis of and advice on the needs of children and women who need social and legal protection. Direct field experience in child protection and related legal and institutional reform planning, management or evaluation, a distinct advantage. Relevant UN or international NGO experience is an asset.
• Advanced knowledge of one or more of the technical areas of UNICEF programmes.
• Advanced technical knowledge of theories, principles and methods in the following: Strengthening child protection systems and partner capacity for protecting children against violence; in emergencies; in respect of harmful traditional practices; in improving justice for children and in strengthening social welfare systems. Use of data and indicators in child protection.
Fluency in English and French.
Competencies of Successful Candidate
Communicates effectively to varied audiences, including during formal public speaking.
Sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals.
Able to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
Has good leadership and supervisory skills; co-ordinates group activities, ensuring that roles within the team are clear.
Translates strategic direction into plans and objectives.
Analyzes and integrates diverse and complex quantitative and qualitative data from a wide range of sources.
Quickly builds rapport with individuals and groups; maintains an effective network of individuals across organizational departments.
Identifies urgent and potentially difficult decisions and acts on them promptly; initiates and generates team- and department-wide activities.
Demonstrates, applies and shares expert technical knowledge across the organization.
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.
How to apply
If you want a challenging career while improving the lives of children around the world UNICEF, the leading children's rights organization, would like to hear from you.Visit us at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ to register in our new e-Recruitment system and apply to this and other vacancies, quoting E-VN-2011-000132. Applications must be received by 18 February 2011.
Please note that only candidates who are under serious consideration will be contacted.
In the selection of its staff, UNICEF is committed to gender balance and diversity without distinction as to race, sex or religion, and without discrimination of persons with disabilities: well qualified candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
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