Corporate Alliances Specialist (Child Rights and Business), P-3, ESARO, Nairobi, #100981

Under the leadership of the Regional Manager, Private Sector, supports the implementation of the Strategic Framework on Corporate Social Responsibility in the ESA and WCA regions; supports input and participation of African companies and Country Offices (COs) in Child Rights and Business (CRB) initiatives; supports COs in their CRB strategic planning and initiatives, as well as leads capacity building in the region; and advises on holistic partnerships that have a non-financial private sector engagement element.

UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child. UNICEF has spent 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. Defending children's rights throughout their lives requires a global presence, aiming to produce results and understand their effects. UNICEF believes all children have a right to survive, thrive and fulfill their potential – to the benefit of a better world.

For every child, a fair chance

Under the leadership of the Regional Manager, Private Sector, to support the implementation of the Strategic Framework on Corporate Social Responsibility in the ESA and WCA regions; to support input and participation of African companies and Country Offices (COs) in Child Rights and Business (CRB) initiatives; to support COs in their CRB strategic planning and initiatives, as well as lead capacity building in the region; and to advise on holistic partnerships that have a non-financial private sector engagement element. 

How can you make a difference?

Within the delegated authority and under the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be assigned the primary, shared, or contributory accountabilities for all or part of the following areas of major duties and key end-results:

• Capacity building and Technical Support - Support the implementation of UNICEF strategic guidance on CRB and advocacy, including technical guidance to COs and the regional offices on how to promote the implementation of the Child Rights and Business Principles (CRBP).  This includes training, use of CRB tools, and documentation of best practices on CRB, and working closely with programme sections to support their engagement with business in implementing their programmatic activities. This also requires planning, implementation, and monitoring of CSR/CRB regional strategies and action plans as a main tool towards achieving programmatic results.
• CRB initiatives and advocacy – advise on CRB initiatives and advocacy at the country and regional levels with industry bodies, business industry associations, multi-stakeholder platforms, and regional/national think tanks on CSR/CRB, and Government.  This will include guidance and technical support, in collaboration with CO colleagues, to government and civil society organisations in interacting with the business sector to ensure that children’s rights are protected, in line with the CRC General Comment 16 on State obligations regarding the impact of the business sector on children's rights and the recommendations and Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child in its concluding observations to states.
• Business due diligence policies and practices – provide technical guidance, in collaboration with CO colleagues, to businesses on the integration of child rights considerations in their policies, practices and operations.This includes use of UNICEF’s CRB tools and reports.
• Strategic planning - Provide technical support to COs in integrating CRB into the analysis and research that informs the Country Programme Document (CPD) including Situation Analyses, as well as the monitoring of reporting indicators for non-financial engagement. Provide support to COs on how to best position CRB within planning processes including Strategic Moments of Reflection (SMR), CPD reviews, etc.
• Partnerships – provide advice to COs in the identification, development, and finalization of non-financial partnerships or in holistic partnerships which include CRB, advocacy or other non-financial elements. This includes due diligence, pitch development, and negotiation. In addition, as required for multi-country partnerships or as requested by COs, interact directly with prospective partners in the regions to develop strong non-financial results within partnerships in the regions. For regional level non-financial partnerships, provide professional account management support to steward and grow the partnership.
• Provide support in other related tasks and larger partnership team objectives to ensure an integrated approach.  

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

• An advanced university degree (Master's or higher) in Social Sciences, Development, Business, Corporate Social Responsibility, Public Administration or related field. 
• At least five years of professional experience in sustainability, human rights or children’s rights, with some direct experience in establishing and stewarding partnerships with the private sector.  Experience in Africa a plus.
• Fluency in English required; fluency in French an asset.  

For every child, you demonstrate…

Our core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

Functional Competencies (required)

• Leading and Supervising [II]
• Formulating Strategies and Concepts [II]
• Analyzing [II]
• Relating and Networking [II]
• Entrepreneurial thinking [II]
• Persuading and Influencing [III]

This position is classified as “rotational” which means the incumbent is expected to rotate to another duty station upon completion of their tour of duty,

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply.