Social Policy Specialist P3 - Temporary appointment Antananarivo (364 days)

Antananarivo

Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund
Location: Antananarivo
Grade: Mid level - P-3, International Professional - Internationally recruited position
Occupational Groups:
- Political Affairs
- Social and Economic Policy
Closing Date: Closed

Under the general guidance of the Chief, Social Policy-P4, the incumbent is responsible for managing and providing technical assistance of the social protection programing and related advocacy

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.

PURPOSE OF THE JOB

Under the general guidance of the Chief, Social Policy-P4, the incumbent is responsible for managing and providing technical assistance of the social protection programing and related advocacy. This includes working closely with the ministry in charge of social protection in the country, and strengthening coordination with other national actors, donors and UN agencies, including the national social protection group/cash group. S/he will provide technical assistance and ensure monitoring of national cash transfer program supported by UNICEF. The incumbent will also work closely with all sections to ensure proper coordination at the CO with regards to social protection and advocacy.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks

1. Improving data on child poverty & vulnerability and increased use for policy and programme action

· Supports the collection, analysis and user-friendly presentation of data on multidimensional and monetary child poverty, including strengthening national capacity to collect routinely, report and use data for policy decision-making.

· Provides timely, regular data-driven analysis for effective prioritization, planning, and development; facilitates results-based management for planning, adjusting, and scaling-up specific social protection initiatives to reduce child poverty.

2. Strengthening social protection coverage and impact for children

· Supports the development of social protection policies, legislation and programmes with attention to increasing coverage of and impact on children, with special attention the most marginalized. Identifies, generates and presents evidence to support this goal in collaboration with partners.

· Promotes strengthening of integrated social protection systems, providing technical support to partners to improve the design of cash transfers and child grants and improve linkages with other social protection interventions such as health insurance, public works and social care services as well as complementary services and intervention related to nutrition, health, education, water and sanitation, child protection and HIV.

· Undertakes improved monitoring and research around social protection impact on child outcomes, and use of data and research findings for strengthening programme results.

3. Strengthened advocacy and coordination for child-sensitive social protection

· Supports monitoring and dissemination of the situation of vulnerable children, coverage and impact of social protection programs – in support of the country programme overall.

· Supports UNICEF as co-lead of social protection with Government in managing and coordinating the social protection group and sub-regional groups as per annual workplan.

· Establishes 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 Sustainable Development Goals.

· Identifies other critical partners, promotes awareness and builds capacity of partners, and actively facilitates effective collaboration within the UN family.

4. UNICEF Programme Management

· Manages and coordinates technical support around child poverty and social protection, ensuring it is well planned, monitored, and implemented in a timely fashion so as to adequately support scale-up and delivery. Ensures risk analysis and risk mitigation are embedded into overall management of the support, in close consultation with UNICEF programme sections, Cooperating Partners, and governments.

· Supports and contributes to effective and efficient planning, management, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the country programme. Ensures that the social planning 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 protection sector and provides support to sectoral and decentralized information systems.

IV. Impact of Results

The strategic and effective advocacy, planning and formulation of social policy programs/projects and the achievement of sustainable results, contributes to achievement of goals and objectives to create a protective environment for children and thus ensure their survival, development and well-being in society. Achievements in social policy programs and projects in turn contribute to maintaining/enhancing the credibility and ability of UNICEF to provide program services for mothers and children that promotes greater social equality in the country.

V. Competencies and level of proficiency required

Core Values