Child Protection Specialist, P-3, New York
Vacancy No: E-VN-2011-002062 Job Level: P-3
Duty Station: New York
Position#: 00023560
Country: United States of America Application Close: 02-Dec-11
Region: NY HQ
Contract Type: Long-term Staff (FT)
Purpose of the Position
Under the guidance of the Child Protection Specialist, Planning and Evidence Building, you will
provide programme guidance and technical support to strengthen UNICEF capacity and
knowledge management on child protection, with a focus on child protection in emergencies.
Oversee the development and implementation of child protection in emergency capacity
mapping and building strategies and tools in collaboration with other clusters, across other key
sectors, and through the global Child Protection Working Group, as relevant.
Contribute to building organizational and sectoral capacity on emergency child protection
assessments, data collection and analysis, coordination and planning, advocacy, monitoring and
progress reporting on child protection activities especially for increased understanding,
recognition and visibility of child protection, with a focus on emergencies. Contribute to
indicator development and their application. Support planning and reporting functions of the
cluster.
Provide technical inputs to overall capacity building activities for child protection as a whole in
line with the Child Protection Strategy. In so doing, apply lessons learned and experiences from
capacity building activities in emergency to capacity building efforts across the sector more
broadly to help mainstream efforts and build overall human resource capacities in child
protection.
Key Expected Results
1. Capacity Building, with a focus on Child Protection in Emergencies
Coordinate with the cluster and across the section (especially with the Child Protection in
Emergencies cluster) and sectors (including DHR and Evaluation) and outside UNICEF
(especially through the Global Child Protection Working Group as well as other relevant NGOs,
INGOs, UN agencies, etc) to map, analyse and identify current and future capacity building
gaps and needs in child protection, with a focus on emergencies. Develop capacity building
strategies and tools to strengthen the knowledge and capacities of CP and non-CP staff within
UNICEF (based on the 2010 UNICEF Child Protection CCCs and the 2008 Child Protection
Strategy) on child protection in emergencies. Identify capacity building initiatives/strategies to
be monitored and assessed, including support to development and implementation of webinars
and other capacity building efforts employing internet-based technologies. Establish and
strengthen partnerships with external partners for enhanced and sustained capacities in child
protection in emergencies, including UNICEF leadership of the Child Protection Working Group
Task Force on Training and Capacity Building.
Maintain contact with regional and country offices and organize and participate in review
meetings and field visits (as required) to monitor and evaluate progress in the capacity building
strategy. Support ROs and COs in the implementation and planning of capacity building
initiatives. Provide advice and assistance in the planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation
and roll-out of capacity-building tools on child protection, with a focus on emergencies, in line
with the UNICEF 2010 CP CCCs. Support wide application of the strategy through existing and
enhanced partnerships within and outside UNICEF. Follow-up as required. Provide technical and
written support for development of relevant pages on UNICEF’s intranet and external website to
strengthen information and knowledge sharing within and outside the organisation on this issue.
Provide technical inputs to capacity building efforts in child protection more broadly.
End Result(s):
Enhanced capacities of UNICEF and broader child protection in emergencies staff for
strengthened results across child protection, in line with UNICEF’s global policies (including
UNICEF’s Child Protection CCCs, the inter-agency Child Protection in Emergencies
Competencies Framework and the Child Protection Strategy). Long term capacity building
strategy for immediate and future needs in child protection in emergencies with inputs for
capacity building across child protection more broadly. Effective partnerships outside UNICEF
for wider application of the capacity building strategy. Evidence and learning of effective
strategies and results disseminated for wider replication within and outside UNICEF.
Capacity development strategies are relevant for UNICEF CP staff at RO and CO level and
among other organisations. Enhanced capacities of CP staff at regional and country level for
strengthened results in child protection with a focus on emergencies. Evidence and learning of
effective strategies and results disseminated for wider replication.
2. Child Protection in Emergencies Assessment
Coordinate across the section and outside UNICEF, including with child protection specific
actors (Global Child Protection Working Group and relevant NGOs, INGOs, UN agencies, etc)
as well as other relevant assessment actors (IASC NATF, aCaps, Protection Cluster Needs
Assessment Task-Force, etc) to strengthen Child Protection assessment and situation analysis in
emergencies. Develop tools and capacity building strategies to strengthen capacities of Child
Protection and non-Child Protection staff within UNICEF and in other relevant humanitarian
organizations/sectors on child protection assessment and situation analysis in emergencies,
including for rapid onset and protracted emergency settings. Support, including through webinars
and other internet based communication and field visits (as required), and provide advice and
assistance to ROs and COs in the planning, implementation and monitoring of child protection
emergency assessments and the roll-out of relevant assessment tools.
End Result(s):
Enhanced capacities of staff in UNICEF as well as the child protection in emergencies and
humanitarian sectors more broadly for strengthened assessment and situation analysis on the
protection situation of children in emergencies. Effective partnerships outside UNICEF for wider
application child protection in emergencies assessment and situation analysis. Evidence and
learning of effective assessment strategies and results disseminated for wider replication within
and outside UNICEF.
3. Child Protection in Emergencies Surge Support
Provide remote and in-country surge support, as necessary and when requested, to support
strengthened child protection preparedness, coordination, assessment, programming, and
capacity building in the immediate onset of emergencies (natural disaster and conflict). On a
requested and needs basis, support: development and implementation of UNICEF child
protection preparedness and response, child protection sub-cluster coordination, coordinated
inter-agency multi-cluster and child protection specific assessments, and UNICEF or wider
capacity building in immediate onset emergencies.
End Result(s):
Enhanced capacity of UNICEF RO, CO and UNICEF-led child protection sub-clusters to
prepare, assess and respond to child protection issues and impacts in immediate onset
emergencies. Evidence and learning of effective strategies and results in immediate onset
emergencies disseminated for wider replication within and outside UNICEF.
Qualifications of Successful Candidate
Advanced university degree in relevant disciplines international relations, development or a
related field in the humanities or social sciences.*
Five years of relevant professional work experience at the national and international levels.
Background/familiarity with child protection in emergencies. Background/familiarity with
development and implementation of capacity-building and assessment strategies and initiatives.
Fluency in English and another UN language.
*A first level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and
experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Competencies of Successful Candidate
Communicates effectively to varied audiences, including during formal public speaking.
Able to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
Sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals.
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.