The consultancy aims to support UNICEF Serbia’s Child Protection Programme by advancing efforts to strengthen family-based care and prevent child-family separation. Under the supervision of the Child Protection Specialist, the consultant will provide technical and operational assistance to ensure effective implementation of child protection and family strengthening initiatives within the Country Program. The role includes advising on a broad range of child protection issues and supporting UNICEF’s technical assistance in family strengthening and continued child care reform, contributing to a safe and nurturing environment for every child in Serbia.

Contract Duration- Approximately 11 months

Working arrangement: Home based

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 for as long as we are needed. 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 professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

                                                         TERMS OF REFERENCE

Child Protection Programme in UNICEF Serbia works towards advancing rights of children in the country and ensuring that all children can live in a safe, non-violent and family-based environment and are protected from all forms of violence, exploitation, abuse and harmful practices. UNICEF Serbia’s work is aligned with the key national priorities and policies and supports further reforms of the relevant sectors. Programme builds on strategic partnerships and results achieved with joint efforts so far, and addresses the remaining gaps and challenges in the areas of prevention of child[1]family separation, improvement of alternative care capacities, prevention and protection of children from violence taking place in areas of their lives, and strengthening justice for children. Addressing cross sectoral challenges, the program closely cooperates with the social welfare, family and demography and justice line ministries, as well as with relevant nongovernment and international partners to further contribute to strengthening the enabling environment, building capacity for quality service delivery and empowering all children and their families to claim their rights, focusing on most vulnerable boys and girls, including those living with developmental challenges, those coming from ethnic minority communities, those affected by migration, or facing other deprivations. The purpose of this position is to contribute to UNICEF’s efforts in advancing the protection of children in Serbia and strengthening capacities of Government and key actors, with focus on family strengthening, prevention of separation of children and promoting safe, family-based environment for every child in the country.

Scope of Work:

Under the supervision of the Child Protection Specialist, the consultant will have the responsibility to contribute to UNICEF’s efforts in advancing the protection of children and family strengthening through provision of technical, and operational assistance in child protection projects and initiatives within the Country Program, more concretely to: 1. Supporting effective implementation of UNICEF child protection/family strengthening programing, 2. Advising on a broad range of child protection areas and supporting UNICEF’s technical assistance role on family strengthening and continued child care reform

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: Download File External ToR_TMC0001070.pdf

Minimum requirements:

  • University degree in social work, psychology, sociology or other related fields
  • At least seven years of work experience related to child protection, childcare reform and family strengthening
  • At least seven years of experience in coordinating implementation of projects which include cooperating with local level and national level child protection stakeholders
  • Excellent understanding of child protection regulatory framework
  • Proven experience in collaboration with key child protection stakeholders
  • Experience in child protection in both emergency and development context
  • Ability to manage multiple tasks and keep to strict deadlines
  • Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment and to successfully coordinate multiple initiatives
  • Proficiency in English and fluency in Serbian
  • Previous experience with UN/UNICEF is an asset

For every Child, you demonstrate Care

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 promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

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.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal (Talent Management System):

Remarks:  

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.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

At Impactpool we do our best to provide you the most accurate info, but closing dates may be wrong on our site. Please check on the recruiting organization's page for the exact info. Candidates are responsible for complying with deadlines and are encouraged to submit applications well ahead.
Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.