Child Protection Specialist (CPiE) at the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

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.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Child Protection Specialist (CPiE), Temporary Appointment, P-4

Job Number: 521003
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Work Type: Temporary Appointment

Background
Children have been acutely impacted by the conflict: they have been recruited and used by both sides to the conflict. The government estimates that over 8,000 children have been used by NSAG in combat and non-combatant roles and since 2012, girls and boys are being used by NSAG for suicide attacks. Children who are perceived by the community to have been active combatants of NSAG may be stigmatized or rejected by their families upon return. Some may even be at risk of being attacked by members of the community.

Sexual violence has also been a characteristic of the conflict: it is estimated that 7,000 women and girls have suffered conflict related sexual violence, including following abduction by NSAG and forced into marriages and giving birth to children of members of the NSAG fighters. These women and girls, as well as their children born of rape, often face additional levels of stigma and in some cases violence as they return to their communities following an escape or rescue by the Nigerian Security Forces (NSF).

UNICEF provides technical and financial support to state government partners to coordinate and manage the interim rehabilitation transit centre based in Maiduguri. Support includes training initiatives to enhance capacities to develop, implement and monitor comprehensive social and economic reintegration programme, and promote a protective environment at community level for sustained and safe returns as well as to prevent the recruitment and use of children by armed forces and groups. UNICEF continues to advocate for the signing of a handover protocol for children encountered or detained by the military to civilian authorities and communities and for the endorsement of the Paris Commitments and Paris Principles on the protection of children recruited into armed forces or groups.

Job Description
How can you make a difference?

• Under the direct supervision of the Child Protection in Emergency Manager based in Maiduguri, and with oversight guidance from the Chief of Child Protection based in Abuja, the overall objective of the post is to support overall implementation of children associated with armed forces and groups (CAAFAG) reintegration programme as well as designing and implementing expanded and quality prevention and response initiatives.
• The incumbent will also support advocacy efforts for the signing of the handover protocol to ensure their prompt release and safe and supported safe return, reintegration and recovery from their experiences.
• Lead the implementation of social and economic reintegration for CAAFAG and monitoring, planning, implementation and management of the reintegration grants including EU grants, prepare donor reports, develop works plan for the reintegration grants;
• Work with partners, notably IOM and UNDP among others, to ensure better reintegration of children who were associated with NSAG and including girls and women who have suffered conflict related sexual violence, through the provision of individual psychosocial support, empowerment/livelihoods, peer group support, family tracing, reunification and reconciliation, and community dialogue to promote return and reintegration;
• Support in the establishment and monitoring of the reintegration programme for girls and boys in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States;
• Work with state ministries and other actors to implement community based social and economic reintegration strategy for children associated with armed groups including survivors of conflict related sexual violence. Provide technical guidance for implementation of the strategy and programme on the reintegration of children associated with armed groups (CAAFAG);
• Support the tracing and reunification of families for children with coordination and support of UASC specialist;
• Support the development of community-based reintegration activities for affected children including girls and women with the support of GBV specialist;
• Engage with religious and community leaders to promote reintegration of children including girls and women;
• Manage and quality assure the work of the team of consultants and third party local consultants responsible for overseeing and monitoring the reintegration programme;
• Ensure effective linkages with other components of the child protection in emergencies programme;
• Contribute to the development of new programme cooperation agreements with international and national NGOs for the reintegration of children and women;
• In close collaboration with the Information Management specialist and officers, ensure robust data collection to capture the number of beneficiaries reached by the programme and the impact of the programme, including management of the evaluation of the programme;
• Facilitate the training of and ongoing support for state and non-state actors, including community volunteers, on the reintegration of CAAFAG;
• Facilitate the training of military and security personnel on child protection and engage in advocacy on the handover of children from military authorities to civilian authorities;
• Strengthen the referral mechanism for CAAFAG to available services and programmes, including education and livelihoods programming;
• Establish and manage peacebuilding initiatives in focus communities, including the establishment of peacebuilding clubs;
• Manage the children associated with armed groups programme, including ensuring timely implementation of activities, timely reporting to the donors, compliance with visibility requirements and compliance with internal UNICEF procedures and processes;
• Support and assist to implement the CJTF Action Plan including documentation, verification, separation and reintegration.  

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

• An advanced University Degree (Master's or higher) in Social Work, Social Science, Development Studies or its equivalent is required.
• A minimum of [8]  eight years of relevant professional experience in implementing child protection and social and economic reintegration in emergencies including child protection case management is required.
• Proven ability to work independently under difficult conditions required.
• Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English required.
• Experience in management of multiple grants required.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
• Experience in advocating with military/security forces for the handover of children and Experience in implementing peacebuilding programmes is an asset.
• Experience in implementation of CJTF Action Plans is an asset.
• Experience in team management is an asset.
• Experience of implementing support/reintegration programmes for girls and women associated with armed groups/victims of conflict related sexual violence is an asset.
• Experience of working with community structures and/or religious groups and leaders on child recruitment and child protection is is an asset.
• Experience in case management and tracing and reunification programmes for unaccompanied and separated children is an asset.
• Experience in team management asset
• The position is based in Maiduguri (non-family duty station), Borno State in Eastern Nigeria with regular travel to Adamawa and Yobe States and identified Local Government Areas (LGAs).*

For every Child, you demonstrate…

• UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The competencies required for this post are:
Core Values (Required):

• Commitment
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Integrity

Core Competencies (Required):

• Communication (Level II)
• Working with People (II)
• Drive for Results (II)

Functional Competencies (Required):

• Leading & Supervising (Level II)
• Formulating Strategies & Concepts (Level II)
• Analyzing (Level III)
• Relating & Networking (Level II)
• Applying Technical Expertise (Level III)

For every Child, you demonstrate…

• UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

Application Closing Date
23:55:00 GMT+0100 (W. Central Africa Standard Time); 14th April, 2019.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note

• 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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.