International Consultants - Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM) at the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (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: International Consultant - Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM), 11.5 months

Job No.: 550620
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Level: Consultancy
Contract type: Consultancy
Categories: Child Protection

Job Description
How can you make a difference:
The Contractor recruited to carry out this assignment will undertake the following responsibilities under the supervision of the Child Protection Manager:

Support to program/project development and planning:

• Support the preparation/design and conduct/update of the MRM component of the child protection program situation analysis through accurate and complete monitoring and analysis, and the timely preparation r finalization of sectoral input.
• Participate in strategic program discussion on the planning of child protection programs/projects. Provide quality inputs in the formulation of country program documents and plans of actions relating to the Child Protection Program.
• Take primary responsibility for the development of the MRM work plan, and the preparation of timely and quality MRM-related reports for the Country Taskforce on MRM.
• Strengthening legislative and institutional frameworks to protect children vulnerable and exposed to violence, abuse and exploitation.
• Strengthening capacities of government and key stakeholders, including social welfare and justice services that prevent and respond to violence against children.
• Supporting the development, coordination and implementation of an inter-sectoral national social norms change strategy to end violence against children including child marriage, FGM/C and other harmful traditional practices.
• Strengthening the birth registration system to scale up the registration of children under age five years, with focus on children under one.
• Ensuring children in humanitarian situations have timely and sustained access to quality preventive and responsive child protection services.

Program management, monitoring and delivery of results:

• Plan and/or collaborate with internal and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators and measurements to assess/strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results for the assigned sector in child protection programs.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, program 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 program and management, identify lessons learned and use the knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals.
• Actively monitor programs/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 resolution.
• Monitor and verify the optimum/appropriate use of sectoral program resources (financial, administrative and other assets) confirming compliance with organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity and ensuring timely reporting and liquidation of resources.
• Prepare regular/mandated program/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of program progress.

Technical and operational support to program implementation:

• Provide technical guidance and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and country office partners/donors on the interpretation, application and understanding of UNICEF MRM guidelines and the implementation of Action Plans signed by the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), as well as policies, strategies, processes and best practices and approaches on child protection and related issues to support program management, implementation and delivery of results.
• Arrange/coordinate availability of technical experts with Regional Office/HQ to ensure timely/appropriate support throughout the programming/projects process.
• Participate in child protection program meetings including program development and contingency planning discussions on emergency preparedness in the country or other locations designated to provide technical and operational information, advice and support.
• Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic program materials for management use, information and/or consideration.
• Prepare and timely provide inputs to quarterly reports (GHN), country report on Children and Armed Conflict in Nigeria, and contribution to the SG Annual Report to the Office of the SRSG on Children and Armed Conflict.
• Ensure capacity building of identified partners and UNICEF MRM team to increase coverage, participants, report cases of grave child rights violations and to strengthen the analysis of trends and response to children victims by remote and country mission technical supervision, support and coaching as needed.
• Ensure the link between monitoring and reporting activities and programmatic response to children victims of violations by liaising with protection and child protection working groups for appropriate referral of cases.
• Provide inputs to UNICEF strategic sectoral programmatic documents and proposals and reports to donors related to MRM.
• On a monthly basis, all MRM cases documented in concerned cross-border Cos and by relevant CTF agencies are compiled, reviewed (ensuring credibility, reliability and verification of all cases), finalized and uploaded to the MRM database.
• Ensure quality CPiE programming, in particular on CAAFAG, in line with established standards, guidelines and procedures, through technical leadership to CO.

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 to reinforce cooperation to achieve sustainable and broad results in child protection.
• Participate in the meetings related to children in emergency, including the MRM Working Group and the Country Taskforce on MRM, and any other relevant inter-agency working groups relevant to the MRM agenda in Nigeria.
• Ensure exchange of information, experience, and identify new strategies and courses of action to accelerate/improve MRM data collection, reporting and analysis. Conduct field visits to monitor programs and collect information as appropriate. Conduct periodic program reviews with Government counterparts and other partners.
• Collaborate in the preparation of communication and information materials to support efforts to prevent grave violations against children, including the involvement of children in armed conflict.
• Collaborate with other Programs to ensure linkages between MRM and other sectors.

Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building:

• Apply/introduce innovative approaches and good practice to build the capacity of partners and stakeholders and to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable program results.
• Keep abreast, research, benchmark and implement best practices in child protection management and information systems. Assess, institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programs and projects.
• Organize and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders to promote sustainable results in child protection and related programs/projects.

Qualifications
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have:

• An Advanced University Degree in International Development, Human Rights, Psychology, Sociology, International Law and other Social Science field is required.
• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in social development planning and management in child protection and/other related areas at the international level some of which preferably were served in a developing country is required. Relevant experience in child protection and related areas, program/project development and management in a UN system agency or organization is an asset. Relevant experience in program development in MRM in a UN system agency or organization is considered an asset.
• Experience in both development and humanitarian contexts is an added advantage.
• Experience working in the UN system agency or UN organization is an asset
• Fluency in English is required.

Application Closing Date
15th May, 2022 West Central Africa Standard Time.

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

Important Information and Notice

• Not open to Nigerian nationals
• 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.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.