Programme Specialist (Child Friendly Cities Initiative), NO-C, Beijing, China

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.

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

China has experienced unparalleled levels of urbanization and nearly half its children live in urban areas with numbers steadily increasing. The 2018 Mid-Term Review of the country programme therefore prompted increased focus on children in urban settings. The Child Friendly City Initiative (CFCI) will be used as an entry point for programming for children in urban areas. Under the supervision of the Chief Child Protection, the Programme Specialist will be accountable for the programme planning, design, implementation and administration of the Child Friendly Cities Initiative in China.

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How can you make a difference?

We are looking for a dynamic and innovative Programme Specialist with a cross-sectoral background to help shape the Child Friendly Cities Initiative and achieve its goals:

• Knowledge Management - Facilitate research, data collection and analysis, documentation of lessons learned and good practices, and information exchange to support development of the strategic direction and parameters as well as the implementation of the CFCI framework in China, based on international experience and contextualized to China.
  
  
• Situation Analysis - Contribute to a Child Rights-Based Situation Analysis of selected cities for CFCI programme development to identify critical programme intervention points, prepare programme work plans, and make recommendations, for example, in relation to programme design and approaches.
  
  
• Programme Development & Management - Develop indicators for programme outcome and output measurement and administer a consistent and transparent monitoring system, support preparation of programme work plans working across teams, help manage allocation and disbursement of programme funds ensuring efficiency and delivery through a transparent approach.
  
  
• Technical Support -  Provide technical support to national partners and to cities in the implementation of the Child Friendly City Initiative while also commissioning and managing specialist national and international expertise. Communicate with UNICEF Headquarters and Regional Office to keep up to date on latest developments as well as for experience sharing and technical advice.
  
  
• Monitoring & Evaluation - Undertake field visits to monitor and assess programme implementation and decide on required corrective action. Participate in evaluation exercises, annual sector review meetings with government counterparts and ensure timely preparation of annual programme status reports.
  
  
• Advocacy & Partnerships - Represent UNICEF China at events related to CFCI and contribute to mapping and identification of national partners to lead and be involved in the CFCI certification process. Maintain and develop partnerships with cities. Promote organizational goals of UNICEF through advocacy and policy dialogue. Build networks with relevant internal and external partners to advance the CFCI agenda in China.

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

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields: Social Sciences, International Relations, Government, Public Administration, Public Policy, Social Policy, Social Development, Community Development, Urban Planning or other relevant disciplines.
  
  
• Minimum of five years of relevant professional experience in programme management, including monitoring and evaluation, child rights-based programming and child participation.
  
  
• Experience with implementing projects / programmes in urban areas is an asset. Experience in a UN organization is an asset.
  
  
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
  
  
• Fluency in English and Chinese is required.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

• Respect for and adherence to UNICEF's core values of Commitment, Diversity and Inclusion, Integrity and proven understanding and sensitivity to cultural nuances
• Interpersonal skills, capacity to work with different personalities to deliver on shared results
• Drive for results, setting high standards for the quality of work
• Capacity to think outside of the box and drive innovation
• Strong communication skills, fluently and confidently gathering and expressing and writing opinions and information
• Ability to analyze various sources of information and make rational judgements
• Leadership and empathy is providing sound supervision to the team
• Ability to build effective relationships with a wide range of partners both internal and external and establish networks
• Ability to work strategically to realize UNICEF's goals

Ability to effectively promote ideas and recommendations on behalf of self as well as others/team

View our competency framework at

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

We value diversity and aspire to reflect this in our workforce. In our effort to achieve a gender balance in our current workforce, we particularly encourage applications from qualified male candidates.

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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.