To provide international technical leadership for the design and delivery of the Adaptive Social Protection (ASP) training programme, including module design, quality assurance, and facilitation of Training-of-Trainers (ToT) and selected roll-out training sessions, in close coordination with the National Agency for Social Protection (NASP), UNICEF and national trainers.

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.

For every child, the right to protection! 

Background:

The World Bank approved a US$100 million concessional loan for Uzbekistan to implement the Innovative Social Protection System for Inclusion of Vulnerable People (INSON) Project. The Project Development Objective is to improve access to and the quality of social services and benefits for vulnerable people in Uzbekistan.

Under Subcomponent 1.2 “Enhancing the Capacity of the Social Protection System to Adapt and Respond to Shocks”, the project supports development and implementation of key building blocks for Adaptive Social Protection (ASP) and a new climate risk and ASP training program.

Output 3 focuses on building awareness of key concepts and principles of adaptive social protection and climate adaptation among social protection officers and relevant stakeholders through a structured training programme, Training-of-Trainers (ToT), and cascading roll-out trainings delivered in person using interactive methods.

Scope of Work:

A. Training programme design and quality assurance (Activity 3.1)

• Lead the design and structuring of a 3-day ASP training programme, including expected learning outcomes, session plans, learning facilitation guidance, training and distribution materials.
• Ensure coverage of the following modules at the training programme: (i) Concept and elements of ASP - What makes social protection system/programme adaptive?; (ii) How to make social protection in Uzbekistan adaptive?; (iii) Climate change–exacerbated risks in Uzbekistan; (iv) Main strategies for vulnerable individuals and families in reducing climate change exacerbated risks; (v) The national emergency response framework – how its interventions are activated and how they support and help vulnerable individuals and families.
• Ensure realization of the implied learning outcomes through effective delivery of the training materials using relevant participatory learning techniques and interactive methods (case studies, group exercises, simulations) suitable for non-technical audiences.
• Ensure that the training materials throughout all modules draw from international best practices and concepts, provide gender and disability inclusion and contain relevant information on various vulnerable groups, for example but not limited to children and families in poverty, children and adults with disabilities, young people and women.
• Provide smooth integration of the inputs from national consultant(s) and stakeholders on the existing system of social protection in Uzbekistan, local climate change–exacerbated risks, characteristics of local families and households, existing national emergency response framework and activation mechanisms as well as any other local, contextualized information relevant to the training programme.
• Ensure that the training materials contain pre- and post-training evaluations enabling assessment of participants’ learning outcomes. The training materials should also enable collection of the feedback from the participants on the training’s effectiveness.
• Provide technical review of all training materials (slides, facilitator guide, participant handbook, exercises, evaluation tools) in English and coordinate support review of Uzbek versions with the national expert(s).
• Present draft training materials to the ToT participants in Tashkent city and incorporate the feedback.
• Present draft training materials to the technical group established under Output 1 and incorporate
  the feedback.

B. Delivery of ToT and roll-out trainings (Activity 3.2)

• Co-facilitate the ToT for 14 master trainers (Tashkent), including a dedicated module on interactive teaching and presentation methods.
• Support national trainers to deliver roll-out trainings to (i) 600 participants from 208 INSON centres across the country (3 full days), in 5 locations including Tashkent; and (ii) 250 NASP and line ministry/agency participants who attend only first two modules of the training programme: module “Concept and Elements of ASP - What makes social protection system/programme adaptive?” and module “How to make social protection in Uzbekistan adaptive?”
• Provide coaching and real-time quality assurance to master trainers and national trainers during delivery to ensure consistency across locations.
• Undertake trainings for the UNICEF-contracted national consultants on the training modules and materials to ensure their complete familiarity and full awareness of the training materials and ability apply the required interactive learning methods at the ToT and roll-out training sessions.

C. Reporting and knowledge capture

• Prepare short technical notes summarizing ToT outcomes, training delivery quality, and recommendations for institutionalization of ASP training into regular programmes.
• Contribute to the consolidated training completion report, including lessons learned and improvement actions.

Work Assignments Overview - Deliverables/Outputs - Timeline

1. Design of ASP training programme and modules - Develop draft training programme (3-day agenda, session plans) and full training package (slides, facilitator guide, distribution materials, participant handbook, exercises, evaluation tools) - Weeks 1–4
2. Technical review and finalization of materials - Final, quality-assured training materials (English) and review notes for Uzbek versions -Weeks 3–5
3. Delivery of ToT for master trainers - ToT delivered; ToT report with recommendations and trainer coaching plan - Week 5
4. Co-delivery / QA support for roll-out trainings - QA checklists and mission notes from selected training locations; consolidated learning results summary - Weeks 6–12
5. Final reporting - Final technical report (training delivery summary, outcomes, lessons learned, recommendations) - Within 2 weeks after last assigned training

Travel is applicable.

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in social policy, public policy, economics, climate adaptation/DRR, or related fields.
• Work Experience:
  • At least 10 years of relevant experience in social protection policy/programming, with demonstrated expertise in adaptive/shock-responsive social protection.
  • Proven experience designing and delivering national-level capacity building programmes and Training-of-Trainers (ToT).
  • Strong facilitation skills using participatory methods and ability to tailor complex concepts for non-technical audiences.
  • Experience working with governments and development partners in similar contexts is an asset.

• Language Requirements: Fluency in English required; working knowledge of Russian 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

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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 a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation 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.

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

Remarks:  

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. 

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

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.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.