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 fulfil 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, protection
UNICEF has been present in Ethiopia for 65 years and its history is closely tied to Ethiopia’s gradual transformation into a modern economy with strong aspirations for middle-income status by 2025.
With a staff of more than 400 and a field presence in each of the country’s eight regional states, our programme in Ethiopia is one of the largest UNICEF programmes globally.
UNICEF works to support national efforts to ensure the realization of the rights of children and women through improved child survival, development and protection. Over the past six decades, UNICEF has established strong relations with the government of Ethiopia, bi-laterals, donors, development partners and civil society.
How can you make a difference?
The Child Protection Specialist reports to the Chief of Child Protection for guidance and general supervision. The incumbent will support the development, planning, implementation, management, monitoring, reporting and evaluation of the Birth Registration output and justice for children interventions under the Child Protection Program. The incumbent will provide authoritative technical guidance and management support for the achievement of concrete and sustainable UNICEF contributions to national and international efforts to create a protective environment for children against all harm and to protect their rights to survival, development and wellbeing as established under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, international treaties/frameworks and UN intergovernmental bodies. The incumbent will contribute to the achievement of results according to plans, allocation results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM) and UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance and accountability framework.
1. Support programme/project development and planning
- Contribute to the preparation and periodic updating of situation analysis for the child protection programmes/projects to ensure that current and comprehensive data on child protection issues is available to guide UNICEF’s strategic policy advocacy, intervention and development efforts on child rights and protection, and to set programme priorities, strategies, and design and implementation plans.
- Lead the formulation/refinement and execution of programme goals, strategies and approaches on registration of children’s birth as well as justice for children under UNICEF ECO Child Protection programme.
- Keep abreast of development trends and expand knowledge to enhance programme management, efficiency and delivery.
- Develop work plans and provide technical and management support for their implementation as well as monitor compliance to ensure objectives and targets are met and achieved.
- Participate in strategic programme discussions on the planning of child protection programmes/projects. Formulate, design and prepare programmes/projects proposal for the sector, ensuring alignment with the overall UNICEF’s Strategic Plans and Country Programme and coherence/integration with UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNDSCF), regional strategies and national priorities, plans and competencies.
- Formulate specific goals, objectives and strategies and implementation plans for the sector/s using results-based planning terminology and methodology (RBM). Prepare required documentations for programme review and approval.
- Work closely and collaboratively with internal and external colleagues, networks and partners to discuss strategies and methodologies and to determine national priorities/competencies to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable results.
- Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes and to ensure integration, coherence and harmonization of programmes/projects with other UNICEF sectors and achievement of results as planned and allocated.
- Provide leadership and concrete guidance to technical specialists and programme officers for improved service delivery to children.
2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results
- Plan and/or collaborate with internal and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators and other relevant UNICEF/UN system and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators and measurement which strengthen routine administrative data collection and reporting and enable assessment of performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results.
- Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual reviews with government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required action/interventions to achieve results.
- Prepare/assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths/weaknesses in programme and management, identify lessons learned and use the knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals.
- Actively monitor programmes/projects through field visits, surveys and/or exchange of information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely remedial actions.
- Monitor and verify the appropriate use of programme resources (financial, administrative and other assets) certifying/verifying compliance with organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity and ensuring timely reporting and liquidation of resources.
- Prepare programme/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.
3. Technical and operational support to programme implementation
- Provide technical guidance and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and country office partners/donors on interpretation, application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices and approaches on child protection and related issues to support programme management, implementation and delivery of results.
- Provide technical support to government and non-government organizations at the national, regional and provincial levels in the planning, development and implementation of programmes/projects, with a particular focus on birth registration and justice for children.
- Actively liaise with UN and non-UN partners having ongoing or planned programmes in the area of birth registration and justice systems and help ensure complementarity in approach and synergies in programmatic activities.
- Arrange/coordinate availability of technical experts with Regional Office/HQ to ensure timely/appropriate support throughout the programming/projects process.
- Participate in child protection programme meetings including programme development and contingency planning discussions on emergency preparedness in the country or other locations designated to provide technical and operational information, advice and support.
- Prepare policy papers, briefs and other strategic programme materials for management use, information and/or consideration.
4. Networking and partnership building
- Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with relevant government counterparts, national stakeholders and global partners/allies/donors/academia through active networking, advocacy and effective communication to build capacity, exchange knowledge/expertise and reinforce cooperation to achieve sustainable and broad results in child protection.
- Prepare communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support fundraising for child protection programmes and emergency interventions.
- Participate and/or represent UNICEF in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) discussions and planning on child protection and related issues to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNSDCF planning and preparation of programmes/projects ensuring organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated into the UNSDCF process in development planning and agenda-setting.
5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
- Apply/introduce innovative approaches and good practices to build the capacity of partners and stakeholders and to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results.
- Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programmes and projects.
- Keep abreast of good practices in child protection programming, notably related to BR and the child protection systems. Assess, institutionalise and share good practices and knowledge learned.
- Design and support capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders to promote sustainable results in child protection and related programmes/projects.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
- An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in relevant disciplines of social sciences including law, international development, human rights, psychology and sociology.
- A minimum of eight (8) years of relevant professional experience at the national or international levels in programme planning, management, monitoring, and evaluation, in a Child Protection related field.
- Experience in both development and humanitarian contexts is an added advantage.
- Relevant experience in programme development in child protection related areas in a UN system or other international development organization is considered an asset
- Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
For every Child, you demonstrate…
- UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).
Core Competencies
- Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)
- Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
- Works Collaboratively with others (2)
- Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
- Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
- Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
- Drive to achieve impactful results (2)
- Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)
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.