Social Policy Officer, (NO-B), Quito, Ecuador

Accountable for effective engagement in social policy dialogue with the Government for programme development, advocating for increased public resource allocation and budgeting towards the social sector and sustainable decentralization of social services and local capacity building in support of the goal of universal coverage of essential social services and the creation of a protective environment for children. Conducts data collection and analysis to fill information gaps and to strengthen capacity for advocacy for children's rights, and to support the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the World Fit for Children (WFFC) agenda.

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Purpose of the Position

Accountable for effective engagement in social policy dialogue with the Government for programme development, advocating for increased public resource allocation and budgeting towards the social sector and sustainable decentralization of social services and local capacity building in support of the goal of universal coverage of essential social services and the creation of a protective environment for children. Conducts data collection and analysis to fill information gaps and to strengthen capacity for advocacy for children's rights, and to support the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the World Fit for Children (WFFC) agenda.

Key Expected Results

• Constructive dialogue and partnerships are established between international and local social policy stakeholders, to provide effective protective environment for the most vulnerable children, including progressive compliance of principal policy documents and legislation regarding all aspects of child rights.
• Current information on state budget and spending patterns and decentralization status of social services are monitored and updated on an on-going basis to support advocacy for decentralization and universal coverage of essential services.
• Decentralization of social services is made sustainable through adequate local support, keeping decentralized services both accessible and effective. Programme plans of action are developed for children at provincial and district/municipality levels; coordination between sectors are increased and links between different levels of government structures for policy implementation are strengthened.
• Data-driven analysis is provided for effective prioritization, planning, development, and results-based management for planning, adjusting, and scaling-up specific social policy initiatives.  Gender/sex aggregated data and inputs provided, relevant to the Social Policy programme.
• Advocacy efforts are effectively made to raise awareness on children's rights with both the general public and with policy makers, and to ensure local buy-in and continued relevance of UNICEF programming. 
• Effective partnerships with the Government and other agencies established to enable sustained and proactive commitment to the Convention of the Rights of the Child and the Millennium Development Goals for continuing worldwide progress of the UNICEF mission.
• UNICEF social policy programme effectively planned, implemented and administered in support of the country programme.

Key Accountabilities and Duties & Tasks

Social policy dialogue and programme development

• Provides professional assistance in UNICEF's engagement in social policy dialogue and development with the Government, maintains constructive dialogue and partnerships between international and local stakeholders to support the development of social policies and programmes contributing to the progressive realization of children's rights and strengthening of implementation and monitoring mechanisms at all levels of society, and ensures that the services reach out in innovative, effective ways to those most vulnerable pockets of children and families that have been previously left out.
• Promotes the advocacy for juvenile justice reform, supports child rights-based reviews of national, provincial and local legislation, in close consultation with community-level structures and supports the health and education sectors and the social welfare system for children.

Monitoring state budget resources

• Monitors and updates current information on state budgeting and spending patterns for social programmes and decentralization status of social services on an on-going basis to support advocacy for greater public resources and budget allocation for social development, the prioritization of resource allocation for children, and universal coverage of essential services for children, to ensure that they reflect the best interest of children.

Sustainable decentralization and capacity building

• Where the national decentralization process is taking place, collaborates with the central and local authorities to assist in planning, policy discussion and service delivery closely responding to the needs of local communities.
• Provides on-going support in making decentralization sustainable through adequate local support while keeping decentralized services both accessible and effective.
• Collaborates with the central and local authorities to strengthen community-based capacity on quality data collection, analysis for policy development, planning, implementation, coordination, monitoring of social policy and programmes.
• Provides professional assistance in the development programme plans of action for children at provincial and district/municipality levels; supports to strengthen coordination between sectors and between different levels of government structures for policy implementation.

Data collection, analysis and results-based approach

• Collects systematically qualitative data for the sound and up-to-date assessment of the situation of children and women to provide the base-lines for result-based decisions on interventions and evaluations.  Provides technical support for the development of information systems for monitoring child rights indicators, with emphasis on community and child participation.
• Provides timely, regular data-driven analysis for effective prioritization, planning, and development; facilitates results-based management for planning, adjusting, and scaling-up specific social policy initiatives.  Support maintenance of information system for monitoring gender/sex disaggregated data.
• Contributes to the analysis of the macroeconomic context of social policy programmes and its impact on social development, emerging issues and social policy concerns, as well as implications for children, and proposes and promotes appropriate responses in respect of such issues and concerns, including government resource allocation policies and the effect of social welfare policies on the rights of children.

Advocacy and communication

• Promotes and raises awareness on children's rights with both the general public and with policy makers, effective information dissemination, mass media campaign, special events, and other means, to ensure local buy-in, commitment, and continued relevance of UNICEF programming. 

Partnerships

• Contributes to the establishment and enhancement of effective partnerships with the Government, bilateral and multilateral donors, NGOs, civil society and local leaders, the private sector, and other UN agencies to support sustained and proactive commitment to the Convention of the Rights of the Child and to achieve global UN agendas such as the Millennium Development Goals and the World Fit for Children (WFFC) agenda. 
• Identifies other critical partners, promotes awareness and builds capacity of partners, and actively facilitates effective collaboration within the UN family.

UNICEF Programme Management

• Supports and contributes to effective and efficient planning, management, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the country programme.
• Ensures that the social planning project enhances policy dialogue, planning, supervision, technical advice, management, training, research and support; and that the monitoring and evaluation component strengthens monitoring and evaluation of the social sectors and provides support to sectoral and decentralized information systems.

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

• University degree, preferably advanced university degree or equivalent background, in Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Science, International Finance, public relations, media, communication, or other relevant disciplines.
• Two years of relevant professional work experience.
• Field work experience
• Background/familiarity with Emergency.
• Fluency in English and Spanish.

Competencies of Successful Candidate

Core Values

• Commitment
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Integrity

Core competencies

• Communication 
• Working with People 
• Drive for Results 

Functional Competencies

• Formulating Strategies and Concepts 
• Analyzing 
• Applying Technical Expertise 
• Learning and Researching 
• Planning and Organizing 

Technical Knowledge 

Specific Technical Knowledge Required

• Knowledge of donor country's economic and political situation.
• Expertise to leverage UNICEF's competitive advantage.
• Expertise to deploy networking and mass media for fundraising and special events.

Common Technical Knowledge Required

• Understanding of UNICEF programmatic goals, visions, positions, policies and strategies (MDGs, UNDAF, HIV/AIDS, WFFC, MTSP, etc.) 
• Understanding of Rights-based and Results-based approach and programming.
• Understanding of UN mission and system; and International Code of Conduct.
• Gender equality and diversity awareness

Technical Knowledge to be Acquired/Enhanced 

• Knowledge of UNICEF's financial regulations and rules, fundraising manual and fundraising strategy.
• Understanding of government policies, guidelines, legislation, and strategies related to fundraising.
• Understanding of UNICEF programme policies, goals, strategies, guidelines and approaches related to programme funding activities.
• UNICEF policies, strategies promoting and supporting gender equality and diversity.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.