Social Policy Specialist (Child Rights Monitoring), NOC Accra Ghana Post No. 00131543 (Temporary Appointment)

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

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For every child, access.

In Ghana, UNICEF cooperates with the Government and other partners to defend the rights of children and help them fulfill their potential. With offices in Accra and Tamale, the UNICEF team seeks to achieve results in strategic programme areas. The overall goal is for every child to survive and thrive, to live in a safe and clean environment, to learn, to be protected from violence and exploitation, and to have an equitable chance in life. The current Country Programme of cooperation is aligned with the Government priorities, the UN Sustainable Development Partnership (UNSDP) and Key Results for Children (KRCs) in the West and Central African Region (immunization, nutrition, learning outcomes, ending child marriage and ending open defecation). UNICEF main strategies include evidence-based advocacy, system strengthening, integrated programming across sectors, emergency preparedness and response, and innovation.

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How can you make a difference? 

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Chief of Social Policy, the incumbent will be assigned the primarily, shared, or contributory accountabilities for all or part of the following areas of major duties and key end-results of child rights monitoring output area.

The Social Policy (CRM) Specialist is responsible for strengthening child rights systems through Strengthened Capacity for Child-Specific Statistics and Evidence Generation, Utilization of Knowledge in Evidence-Based Decision-Making for Children and Reinforced System for Child Rights Monitoring, Oversight and Participation.  He/She will also support the identification, documentation, validation and sharing of lessons learned and good practices related to child rights within the Country Office and beyond

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  SJD Social Policy Specialist(CRM) NOC .pdf

Key functions and responsibilities

1. Strengthened Capacity for Child-Specific Statistics and Evidence Generation

• In coordination with other stakeholders, support the improving data quality of Child Rights and child poverty, SDGs and other key social development indicators and other to improve national planning.
• Continuously monitor the situation of children and develop a collective Situation Analises of Children and Monitoring and Assessment system owned by key partners at national, regional and local level which supports the preparation of country level statistical and analytic reports on the status of children’s and women’s rights issues; and which allow, when opportunities emerge to influence developmental and social policies.

2. Utilization of Knowledge in Evidence-Based Decision-Making for Children

• Present, discuss, advocate and lobby national ownership of child rights in line with CRC(and SDGs).
• Technical support to global reporting obligations including national reports on progress toward the SDGs, and toward CRC and CEDAW fulfilment.
• Provide technical support in policy making so that they reflect child-focused priorities and deliver on expected results in national development plans and strategies.
• Facilitate dialogue with key financial decision makers at all levels of government to raise awareness on decisions on children.

3. Strengthening Child Rights Monitoring and Reporting Systems  

• To include technical support and advice to global reporting obligations including national reports and dialogue on progress toward the SDGs, and toward CRC and CEDAW fulfilment.
• Ensure strong Child Rights monitoring framework to GoG plans and the capacity of parliament to monitor those.
• Collaborate to implement capacity building strategies as a joint commitment with GoG, CRM institutions and other developmental partners. Utilize a range of appropriate skills building strategies to develop a nationally owned child rights monitoring systems generating high quality evidence on the situation of children for use by policy makers, implementers and development partners.
• Actively seek partnerships with knowledge institutions at national, regional and local level for the identification of capacity gaps and development of strategies to address them, ensuring that capacities to monitor child rights are developed.

4. Coordination, Networking and advice

• Lead the establishment and strengthening of research collaborations with external government, other UN agencies, and non-government partners to build a nexus between research, evidence and advocacy and policy support.
• Represent UNICEF in external networking meetings and events on data and evidence for children.
• Support to ensure that current and accurate child rights monitoring data and results are included in country reports, studies, and knowledge sharing networks.
• Undertake lessons-learned reviews on successful and unsuccessful data monitoring practices and experience at the country level, and ensure they are shared as appropriate.
• Develop and sustain learning through external data and evidence knowledge networks to identify innovations and lessons learned that may be relevant for the CO and partners to improve their monitoring and reporting functions.
• Coordinate office wide initiatives generate and analyze real time information on child rights to influence child rights programming and policy making
• Closely collaborate with all UNICEF sections and field offices and support the establishment of an office-wide child rights monitoring system.
• Advice senior management on child rights advocacy on supply and demand side

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education:  An Advanced University Degree in Public Policy, International Relations, Political or Environmental Science or other relevant disciplines
• Work Experience: At least 5 years of relevant work experience in strengthening child rights monitoring, especially strengthening Capacity for Child-Specific Statistics and Evidence Generation, Utilization of Knowledge in Evidence-Based Decision-Making for Children and Reinforced System for Child Rights Monitoring, Oversight and Participation is required.

  -Strong command in analyzing and influencing policies and medium/long terms development plans at high level, national and decentralized level is required

  -Hands on experience in working with governments, statistical services, academia and other CRM institutions.

  -Experience in international child rights monitoring mechanisms such as SDG VNRs and/or CRC 

• Language Requirements: Fluency in English (local language of the duty station)

        Desirables:

• Research and evidence generation and development of related policy papers, including child poverty analyses.
• Coordination experience is an asset
• Experience on child participation is an asset
• Developing ToRs, proposals and concept notes for collaborations and partnerships for implementation. Contracting and supervising consultancy assignments.
• Ability to work in an international and multicultural environment.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.

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

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility jobs-near-me.org UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions 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. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.