Child Protection Specialist (Emergency), P3, LACRO, Panama, #103243

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, protection

UNICEF’s Regional Office Management Plan 2018-2021 is structured along 8 key outcomes, designed to advance the cause of children in a complex, unequal and violent region.

As part of the new Regional Office Management Plan 2018-2021, and given the increase in the number and complexity of emergencies in the region, it was decided to establish a CPiE position to strengthen regional capacity to protect children in emergencies (both natural and man-made) by having a dedicated person to provide technical assistance to COs as part of emergency preparedness, as well as to assist COs on the ground once emergencies occur.

The position will also contribute to the achievement of Outcome 3 (Girls, boys and adolescents in LAC benefit from laws, policies, programmes and interventions that protect them from violence and exploitation), which is aligned with UNICEF’s global Strategic Programme Goal Area 3.

The Child Protection Specialist works in the Regional Child Protection team led by the Regional Child Protection Adviser at P5 level and reports directly to him/her.

The Child Protection Specialist is responsible for managing and overseeing the development, implementation and monitoring of emergency preparedness and responses in the Country Offices, in fulfillment of UNICEF global commitments for Child Protection within the Core Commitments for Children (CCCs) and as one of the priority areas of UNICEF’s Child Protection priorities, expressed within the Strategic Plan (2018 – 2021). This includes technical support, quality oversight and leadership in key focus areas to support LACRO countries to plan and implement child protection responses in emergencies, with particular focus on strengthening the child protection capacities of UNICEF and partners and supporting the preparation of contingency plans. The Child Protection in Emergency Specialist will define and promote linkages within the Child Protection Section and with other sections, particularly Emergencies, Health, Communication and Education. The post holder will also ensure that LACRO priorities are reflected at the regional and global levels, through advocacy and strategic partnerships – including with donors.

The CPiE Specialist will be accountable to provide support to COs both in terms of better equipping CP staff to eventually respond to emergencies in line with the CCCs and the Minimum Standards of Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, as well as providing on the ground and remote support to COs in case emergencies actually happen, always in coordination with the respective CO and LACRO management teams.

How can you make a difference?

1. Technical support for both emergency preparedness and response to all countries in the region, in line with UNICEF’s CCCs for child protection 

• Provide technical support, advice and adequate quality assurance country offices affected by emergencies or for preparedness. This includes the overall child protection emergency programme response, tracing and family reunification, gender-based violence, migration mental health and psychosocial support, mine risk education, cluster coordination and early recovery and transition programming (systems building in emergency settings).
• Represent CPIE at the Regional Emergency Technical Team meetings, including the review of SitReps, donor proposals, advocacy strategies etc.
• Provide support to ongoing emergency response in the region.
• Support CP sections in LAC before and during SMR and MTR and input in CO (Strategic Notes, AWP, CPD, UNDAF) in the region, with a particular focus on CP emergency preparedness and response.
• Support the establishment of the Section’s annual work plan for CPiE, including contributing to set regional priorities and targets and performance measurement frameworks. Monitor work progress and ensure results are achieved according to schedule and performance standards.
• Provide relevant surge capacity support at early stage of the crisis.
• Support resource mobilization for CPIE in the region with key donors. 

2. Emergency preparedness, contingency and response plans

• Strengthen and assure the quality of child protection emergency preparedness, contingency and response plans (natural disasters, public health emergencies and election preparedness). This should include the humanitarian planification and the information management for data collection, process and analysis.
• Support the coordination mechanism at country level.
• In close collaboration with the Emergency team, support country offices in developing the child protection component of their contingency plans for operational and programmatic response.

3. Strengthen CPiE systems

• In coordination with Global level / CPAoR and in liaison with COs and Governments, ensure, support and facilitate national capacity building and planning for building CP systems in favor of CPIE coordination preparedness, responses and transition.
• In collaboration with the Systems specialist, support the integration of CPiE preparedness into National policies & Ministry plans.
• Support identification and access to bursaries for UNICEF local staff and partners (local, governmental) in order to strengthen CPIE capacities at local and national levels in countries.

4. Knowledge management and capacity building

• Ensure country offices have appropriate expertise and capacity in relation to child protection in emergencies as defined in the CCCs and UNICEF’s strategic priorities.
• Organize/plan/implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies to promote sustainable results on CPIE and related programs/projects.
• Keep abreast, research, introduce and implement best and cutting-edge practices on CPiE and sub regional responses. Institutionalize and disseminate best practices and knowledge learned.

5. Advocacy, networking and partnership building

• Support UNICEF role in strengthening and improving strategic partnerships on key issues related to child protection in emergency situations.
• Represent UNICEF in key regional advocacy and policy forums of pertinence.

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

• Advanced University Degree, preferably in international development or relations, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law or other social science field is required.
• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in child protection and/other related areas at the international level with progressively greater advisory responsibilities in emergency programmes at national and international levels.  
• Direct field experience in planning, managing, monitoring and evaluating child protection in emergencies programmes in a UN system agency or NGO is an asset. Experiences in coordinating protection clusters and monitoring of grave child rights violations are a distinct advantage.
• Fluency in Spanish and English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language 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 functional competencies required for this post are Leading and supervising, Formulating strategies/concepts, Analyzing, Relating and networking, Deciding and initiating action and Applying Technical Expertise.

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.

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.

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.