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,
Organizational Context and Purpose for the job
The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society most disadvantaged citizens addressing inequity not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations. Social protection plays a critical role in safeguarding vulnerable populations from the effects of multidimensional poverty and promoting social justice to generate stability and social cohesion.
Job organizational context: The Social Protection Specialist will be reporting to the Chief, Social Policy who is at Level 4.
Purpose for the job:
The Specialist supports the development and preparation of the Social Protection programme(s) and is responsible for the management, implementation, monitoring, reporting, and evaluation of the social protection programmes/projects within the country programme. The Specialist provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes. H/She facilitates the administration and achievement of concrete and sustainable contributions to national and international efforts to ensure that no child is left behind.
The Specialist contributes to the achievement of results according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM), and UNICEF Strategic Plans, standards of performance and accountability framework.
Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks
Summary of key functions/accountabilities:
1.Improving data on social protection for increased use for policies and programmes
- Supports the collection, analysis and user-friendly presentation of data on social protection, including strengthening relevant stakeholders 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 protection initiatives to reduce poverty.
- Analyzes social protection budgets and proposes and promotes appropriate responses including government resource allocation policies and the effects of social welfare policies on the rights of children;
- Undertakes improved monitoring and research around social protection impact on child outcomes and use of data and research findings for strengthening programme results.
2. Strengthening social protection system and coverage to enhance impact for children
- Promotes strengthening of the social protection system through expansion of a programme coverage for children, updating policies and strategies, expansion and decentralization of single-registry, improvement of disbursement modality and grievance mechanism, linkages of social assistance to livelihood, integration and harmonization of social assistance programmes, strengthening of the coordination mechanism to deliver social protection services to the most vulnerable children and their families, and improvement of linkages with other social protection interventions such as health insurance, public works and social care services as well as complementary services and interventions related to nutrition, health, education, water and sanitation, child protection and HIV; and
- Support government to improve community resilience and livelihoods through the implementation of Community Development Model (Cash-Plus interventions).
3.Social protection dialogue, coordination and programme development
- Supports Government in the review, development and implementation of sectoral policies, regulatory frameworks and advocacy processes to ensure the inclusion of social protection and safety net mechanism for vulnerable children, and children living in poverty.
- Participates in social protection dialogue with the Government counterparts, civil society organizations, private sector and development partners;
- Supports the partners to improve coordination of the social protection sector through establishment and strengthening of structures and tools for enhanced delivery of service for children;
- Supports coordination between sectors and between different levels of government structures to enable social protection policy implementation;
- Supports to make the social protection system shock responsive by improving its preparedness and response components; and
- Coordinating UNICEF Humanitarian Actions with different Programme Sections and other humanitarian partners.
4.Sustainable decentralization and capacity building
- Collaborates 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.
- Collaborates 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.
5.Strengthened advocacy and partnerships for child-sensitive social policy
- Supports 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.
- Establishes 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.
- Identifies other critical partners, promotes awareness and builds capacity of partners, and actively facilitates effective collaboration within the UN family.
6.UNICEF Programme Management
- Supports and contributes to effective and efficient planning, management, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the country programme, particularly social protection programming.
- Ensures that the social protection planning 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.
- Supports the development of the sectoral work plans to ensure compliance to country programme and sectoral objectives. Coordinates with Operations/Supply staff on supply and non-supply assistance activities ensuring proper and timely UNICEF and Government accountability.
- Ensures quality and timely input of project information in computerized programme system and the issuance of status reports for monitoring and evaluation purposes.
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.
Competencies and level of proficiency required (based on UNICEF Professional Competency Profiles.
Core Values
- Commitment
- Diversity and inclusion
- Integrity
Core competencies
- Communication (II)
- Working with people (II)
- Drive for results (II)
Functional Competencies:
- Formulating strategies and concepts (II)
- Analyzing (III)
- Relating and networking (II)
- Deciding and Initiating action (II)
- Applying technical expertise (III)
- Planning and organizing (II)
View our competency framework at
http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf
Recruitment Qualifications
Education:
An advanced university degree (Master’s) in Economics and/or Public Finance/ International Development/relevant social science.
Experience:
- A minimum of five years of progressive, professional work experience in social protection;
- Hands on experience in building social protection system;
- Working experience in a developing country is considered as a strong asset;
- Background and/or familiarity with emergency is considered as a strong asset.
Language Requirements:
Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as an asset.
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:
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
More Information
- Job City Maseru
