Child Protection Specialist (GBViE), P4 TA, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

UNICEF Ethiopia is hiring a seasoned Child Protection Specialist (GBViE) to provide strategic guidance and direct technical support to improve GBViE multi-sectoral responses in Ethiopia under the German AA, FCDO and USAID and World Bank grants, and its complementarity with existing strategies addressing violence against children and those supported by other donors.

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.

And we never give up.

For every child, a champion

Ethiopia is situated in the Horn of Africa and is the second most populous country on the continent with an estimated population of 115 million. It borders six African countries: Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan, and covers 1,104,300 square kilometers. Approximately 85 percent of the population lives in rural areas. Ethiopia represents a melting pot of ancient cultures with Middle Eastern and African cultures evident in the religious, ethnic, and language composition of its people.

Over the past two years, children and their families across Ethiopia faced multiple and complex emergencies, such as the conflict in the northern Ethiopia and the drought, which resulted in millions of people in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. UNICEF has programmes in Child Protection, WASH, Health, Nutrition, Social Policy, and Education and serves over 15 million children in Ethiopia.

Join UNICEF Ethiopia to contribute to improving the lives of children and women.

How can you make a difference?

Roles and Responsibilities:

• The section is in need of the technical capacity to implement the German Federal Foreign Office/AA grant targeting GBV prevention, response and risk mitigation in Southern-Ethiopia, where nine local women’s led organizations have been identified to lead the response. Under the supervision of the Chief Child Protection, the incumbent will also guide the implementation of the GBV component of the FCDO EC2R project in Northern Ethiopia, where innovations in GBV programming are modelled, including GBv and nutrition and GBV and cash transfers. The incumbent will further guide implementation of the 3R-4-CACE World Bank multi-year project with the Government of Ethiopia, under which UNICEF is working with the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs (MoWSA) under Component 2: Improving Access to GBV Response Services to scale up GBV response services in conflict-affected areas in Northern Ethiopia. 
• The additional technical capacity explicitly strengthens UNICEF’s programming inter-sections between violence against women and violence against children, as per the UNICEF Strategic Plan and towards achieving multiple SDG goals. This TA will also work cross-sectoral, particularly with Health, Education, Social Policy, Nutrition and SBC teams, driving UNICEF’s cross-sectoral GBV response and risk mitigation. 
• The incumbent will be responsible for providing high quality technical guidance and assistance on GBViE prevention, risk mitigation and response for the design, planning and expansion of programming, aligned and where possible integrated with UNICEF’s Violence against Children programming through a development-humanitarian-peace nexus approach. These will include oversight for quality assurance and coherence with UNICEF’s global standards, the UNICEF Strategic Plan and Gender Action Plan. S/he will ensure that the GBViE programming is aligned with the Core Commitments for Children. 
• The Child Protection Specialist (GBViE) will work directly with Child Protection teams based in Afar, Amhara, Somali, Oromia and SNNP and other regions. S/he will work collaboratively with UNICEF Child Protection Specialists based in Addis Ababa particularly those working on MHPSS and with UNICEF Health section. The incumbent will coordinate closely with the Government of Ethiopia counterparts in MoWSA, MoH and other and other relevant government ministries, UN agencies and non-governmental partners (NGO) that specialise in GBV prevention and response. 
• The Child Protection Specialist (GBViE) will provide strategic guidance and direct technical support to improve GBViE multi-sectoral responses in Ethiopia under the German AA, FCDO and USAID and World Bank grants, and its complementarity with existing strategies addressing violence against children and those supported by other donors. Institutional capacity development of Government and implementing partners, including local organizations, and UN colleagues on GBV programming features prominently in this TA assignment.

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

Education:

Master’s degree in psychology, social work, human rights and public health or in other related discipline. Two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of a master’s degree. 

Experience:

• At least 8 years of professional experience in GBViE prevention and response in humanitarian settings (with UN agencies and/or NGOs).
• Demonstrated knowledge and working experience in the field of violence against children.
• Demonstrated knowledge and application of the guiding principles for GBViE programming and IASC GBV Guidelines is required.
• Experience working on large scale donor projects.
• Strong planning, project management and budget skills required.
• Experience in coordinating with a range of donor, government, UN and NGO stakeholders.
• Demonstrated skills in planning and facilitating workshops and other capacity-building modalities; • Ability to work independently and productively, with multiple stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
• Flexible work attitude: the ability to work productively in a team environment and independently, and to handle requests or issues as they arise.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills: the ability to successfully and effectively liaise with people in a wide range of functions in a multi-cultural environment.
• Strong analytical and writing skills. 

Language requirements:

• Fluency in English both oral and written.
• Excellent analytical, communication, writing and editorial skills in English.
• Proficiency in an additional official United Nations language is an asset.

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

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (2) 
• Builds and maintains partnerships (2) 
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (2) 
• Drive to achieve results for impact (2) 
• Innovates and embraces change (2) 
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2) 
• Thinks and acts strategically (2) 
• Works collaboratively with others (2) 

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
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 is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. 

Remarks:

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

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also 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 cancelled.

All selected candidates will 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.

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

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.