Social Policy Specialist - L3 FT #93134 OoR Florence - Italy

Do you want to help boost our work in social protection in developing countries? Do you have skills in impact evaluation and experience in fieldwork and data collection? If so we welcome your application

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a Future

Do you want to help boost our work in social protection in developing countries? https://www.unicef-irc.org/research/social-protection-cash-transfers/ Do you have skills in impact evaluation and experience in fieldwork and data collection? If so we welcome your application

http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/0b24b92e-5254-4d06-a317-84ccd6babe23/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953617300308

How can you make a difference?

You will serve as a key researcher and core member of the Social and Economic Policies (SEP) Unit team, carrying out specific analytical, statistical and advocacy tasks as included within the framework of the SEP work plan in areas such as child poverty, adolescent well-being and human capital development, and the social and developmental impacts of programs and policies.

Major duties and responsibilities:

Perform research on the impacts of social protection, particularly cash transfer programmes, on the welfare and development of children and young people. Support field work and data collection for quantitative and qualitative impact evaluations of large scale social protection and other programmes designed to address children’s poverty and social exclusion. Provide general oversight and coordination between UNICEF country office and researchers; contribute to study design, study tool development; participate in data collection trainings, fieldwork oversight; contribute to analysis and dissemination of findings.

Make major analytical contributions to OoR reports and publications on social and economic policies, especially social protection interventions, and their impacts on children. Contribute to other projects and studies as requested.

Contribute to other ongoing work in the Office; initiate new analysis and research that could strengthen OoR’s research profile, including developing Innocenti Working and Discussion Papers. Provide technical advice to country offices in the design of research around social protection and social inclusion policies and interventions

Support the communication of research findings including through presentations and lectures, policy briefs, blogs and other social media outlets. Provide advice to Supervisors on suitable contacts and other relevant information to further the work of the project, including its dissemination.

Carry out other tasks as requested within the overall SEP work programme

To qualify as a/an [champion or advocate] for every child you will have…

• Advanced university degree in economics, public policy or related discipline. PhD with research experience desirable.   
• At least five years of experience at national and international levels, with research experience as well as the management of research. You will have a good publications record including in peer reviewed outlets. Experience in data collection preferred.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

The technical competencies required for this post are:

Strong research and analytical skills

Strong writing and verbal communication skills  for report preparation and reaching the widest possible audience for the research carried out.

Ability to work well as part of a team.

Knowledge of computers, including the statistical software package used at OoR (STATA)

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.