Child Protection Specialist at UNICEF Nigeria

UNICEF’s mission in Nigeria is to help governments at all levels, organizations, communities and families provide every child with education, health, equality and protection.

UNICEF Nigeria seeks the services of suitable and qualified candidates to fill the vacant position of:

Post Title: Child Protection Specialist

Vacancy number: VN-NGR-33-2014
Level: National Professional (NOC)
Contract Type: Fixed Term (FT)
Duration: 2 years
Location: Enugu

Job Description
The successful candidate will be responsible for formulation. design, planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluation of the Child Protection programme in focus states to ensure overall efficiency and effectiveness of the programme management, delivery and accomplishment of programme goals and objectives.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Enhance effective sectoral or inter-sectoral collaborative partnerships in planning, development and implementation of the Child Protection workplan in selected states. Provide substantive advice, recommendations and input in the formulation of Child Protection programme through the gathering of data and evidence.
• Promote the organization goals of UNICEF through advocacy and policy dialogue through active engagement in communication, networking and participation at every opportunity inside and outside UNICEF, leveraging the strength of UNICEF mission, goals and programmes; and forge broad- based partnerships to raise awareness and stimulate open dialogue on the rights of the child and practices that create social exclusion or harm children.
• Promote knowledge management by exchange of knowledge, information, situation analysis, experience or lessons learned; promote knowledge sharing and technical input or recommendations on major programme directions and on introduction of new initiatives in the states. Collect relevant data in order to inform programming.
• Promote the quality of rights-based Child Protection programmes through participation in the formulation of programme goals, strategies and approaches, collaborating with key partners to address the multiple aspects of the protective environment; and to bring coherence, synergy and added value to sectoral or inter-sectoral management processes using a results- based management approach to planning and design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
• Takes primary responsibility for the development of the sectoral work plan and technical decisions at field office level as for programme management, implementation and monitoring of assigned activities, in compliance with the defined programme strategies and approaches, with adequate consultation with relevant stakeholders. Support maintenance of information system for monitoring gender/sex disaggregated data.
• Ensure programme, sectoral or inter-sectoral, efficiency and delivery through a rigorous and transparent approach to monitoring and evaluation. Participation in evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual review meetings with government counterparts, with involvement of all stakeholders. Ensure the preparation of annual Child Protection sector status reports, with contribution of all major partners.
• Coordinates with Operations and Supply staff on supply and non-supply assistance activities ensuring proper and timely UNICEF, and Government as well as all implementing partners’ accountability; and to orientate and train Government and all UNICEF implementing partners in UNICEF supply and non-supply policies and procedures. Certifies disbursements of funds, monitors and submits financial status reports to management in compliance with the regulations and guidelines.
• Ensure exchange of information, experience, identify new strategies and courses of action to accelerate/improve delivery of services and achieve Child Protection programme requirements and objectives. Conduct field visits to monitor programmes and collect information. Conduct periodic programme reviews with Government and non-government counterparts.

Qualifications and Competencies required:

• Advanced university degree, preferably in the social sciences, law or other relevant field.
• Five years of professional work experience at national and international levels in child protection, including field work experience.
• Background/Familiarity with responding to emergencies.
• Fluency in English.

Application Closing Date
Thursday, 21 August 2014

Method of Application
Candidates interested in the above positions should submit his/her application, accompanied by updated CV in English and a completed United Nations Personal History Form, (Please Download Here or www.unicef.org/employ) to the email address below on or before Thursday, 21 August 2014.

Email: [email protected]
Please put the position title you are applying for on the subject line of your email.

UNICEF, a smoke-free environment, is committed to gender equality in its mandate and its staff Well qualified candidates, particularly men are strongly encouraged to apply.