Snr Child Protection Officer

Before submitting an application, UNHCR staff members intending to apply to this Job Opening are requested to consult the Recruitment and Assignments Policy (RAP, UNHCR/HCP/2017/2 and the Recruitment and Assignments Administrative Instruction (RAAI), UNHCR/AI/2017/7 OF 15 August 2017.

Senior Child Protection Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
UNHCR is committed to the effective protection to children of concern, with children representing more than half of the persons falling under its mandate. UNHCR adopts a rights and community-based approach to address the protection needs of children, with a strong emphasis on inclusion within national child protection, child friendly procedures and working with other sectors to protect children including education. Child protection is recognized as global organizational priority for UNHCR. Dedicated child protection positions provide technical support to improve UNHCR¿s operational capacity to deliver effective protection to children of concern.
The Senior Child Protection Officer is a member of the protection team in a Country/ Multi-Country Office/Regional Bureau. S/he may report to a Senior Protection Officer or to the Assistant Representative for Protection.  The incumbent leads the Operation¿s or region¿s plans and undertakes quality, timely and effective child protection prevention and response in line with UNHCR child protection standards, in an age, gender and diversity inclusive manner.  The incumbent is responsible for designing and overseeing UNHCR's child protection strategy within the broader Protection and Solution.  S/he collaborates closely with the UNHCR management and with the head of the Protection team in the country and other units with UNHCR, including working with Programme to oversee UNHCR child protection partnerships and working with other sectors to mainstream child protection.  S/he is responsible for representing UNHCR in interagency coordination on child protection and relations with other agencies involved in child protection prevention and response.   S/he is responsible for assessing, monitoring and responding on child protection trends and ensuring the participation of children, families and communities in UNHCR child protection response, in collaboration with community-based protection colleagues. 
The Senior Child Protection Officer will maintain a close working relationship with the Bureau and the Division of International Protection for system-wide coherence.  S/he provides functional child protection oversight to child protection, general protection and information management staff in their child protection duties.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR¿s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
Needs Identification, Strategy and Advocacy
- Oversee timely assessment, monitoring, reporting of child protection issues including through multi-sectoral and protection specific assessments and monitoring including the meaningful participation of children, adolescents and youth and lead the analysis of child protection related findings.
- Develop and monitor implementation of UNHCR¿s Child Protection strategy within the overall Protection and Solutions strategy.
- Ensure compliance with UNHCR¿s child protection policy, priorities and commitments, as well as other aligned policies on age, gender, diversity (AGD) and accountability to affected populations (AAP), SGBV, gender equality, disability and youth empowerment.
- In collaboration with partners, assess the capacity of national child protection system and services, work towards the inclusion of children of concern into national child protection laws, policies and services and build the capacity of the national child protection system to provide quality support to children of concern in collaboration with partners.
- Oversee child protection data and evidence collection, analysis and dissemination within UNHCR and partners.
- Support the participation of children, adolescents and youth of concern to inform protection and assistance programming, support their engagement in protection solutions and ensure that UNHCR meets its commitments to accountability to children, adolescents and youth of concern.
- Conduct evidence-based advocacy with UNHCR senior management, authorities and other actors on child protection.

Programme planning and implementation
- Design and monitor the implementation of UNHCR¿s child protection programme, including multi-sectoral activities to address the protection needs of children of concern.
- Establish/enhance and oversee Best Interests Procedures for children at risk including referral systems, follow-up and monitoring in line with UNHCR Best Interests Procedures Guidelines.
- Establish/update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for child protection services in collaboration with partners.
- Ensure UNHCR and partners¿ child protection information management systems are functioning in accordance with UNHCR's Policy and procedures as well as interagency data sharing protocols and standards.
- Strengthen community-based child protection programmes and approaches in collaboration with communities and community-based protection colleagues.
- Ensure that UNHCR procedures, including registration, refugee status determination, solutions and accountability mechanisms are child-friendly and are in line with AGD approach.
- Provide technical support to UNHCR colleagues to effectively mainstream child protection in UNHCR¿s overall response.
- Monitor and refine Child Protection programs implemented by UNHCR and partners.
- Support the integration of child protection in the Operation¿s planning, reporting, communication and fund raising.
- Liaise with UNHCR colleagues to ensure that the necessary human and financial resources are allocated to protect children of concern.
- Provide functional guidance to UNHCR and partner staff involved in child protection activities.

Partnership and coordination
- Establish and/or strengthen partnerships for Child Protection with community-based, local, national, and international organizations, with a focus on ensuring continuity and sustainability.
- In consultation with the Senior Protection Officer or Head of Office and child protection partners, establish/strengthen and lead the Refugee Child Protection Coordination mechanism within the Refugee Protection Working Group and represent the refugee child protection response within the cluster system.
- Represent UNHCR¿s position and priorities in relation to child protection in inter-agency fora including the child protection sub-cluster where relevant.
- Contribute to interagency monitoring and reporting on child protection issues and programmes.

Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
- Coordinate the learning needs assessment on child protection for UNHCR teams, partners and government counterparts.
- Develop and implement child protection capacity development plan and activities for UNHCR staff and partners, support relevant interagency capacity building and integrates child protection within broader UNHCR capacity building plans and initiatives.
- Provide child protection technical guidance to UNHCR and partner staff in protection, education, health and other relevant sectors.
- Introduce innovative approaches, document and disseminate lessons learnt and good practices in child protection and apply relevant knowledge on effective child protection programming to the operation/region
- Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P4 - 9 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 8 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 7 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
International Law,     Human Rights, International Development,
International Relations,     Anthropology, Social Work,
Political or Social Science or other relevant field.
(Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
- At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in the field of protection of children, broader protection or social work involving children and youth, with knowledge of issues relating to child protection, education, gender, humanitarian and development issues, and SGBV prevention and response.
- Applied experience in child protection prevention and response. Demonstrated knowledge of and implementation of multi-sectorial child protection prevention and response programming.
- Knowledge of protection in forced displacement settings, knowledge and demonstrated use of UNHCR and Interagency child protection tools and guidance.
- Strong experience in interacting with and building partnerships and synergies with UN agencies, NGOs and civil society organizations.
- Skills and experience in interviewing and working with children and families and supervising staff on case management of at risk children

Desirable
- Knowledge of the international legal and policy framework governing refugees, asylum seekers and returnees and IDPs
- Demonstrated knowledge of community communication and engagement approaches including community-based child protection.
- Extensive experience in working with children, adolescents and youth and participatory child friendly approaches.
- Demonstrated coordination and consensus building skills to manage multiple stakeholder consultation processes.
- Experience managing child protection case management programmes, including implementation of best interests procedures.
-       Demonstrated understanding of critical issues around child protection data and knowledge of safe and ethical data collection and analysis, and conducting assessments.
- Experience using proGres, CPIMS or other protection data management systems.
- Completion of UNHCR learning programmes or specific training relevant to functions of position and/or interagency child protection learning programme.
- Demonstrated knowledge of engagement with child protection Interagency humanitarian architecture, experience in interagency coordination and strong skills in working with partners

Functional Skills
*PR-Child Protection Prevention and Response
PR-Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS)
PR-Experience in Best Interest Determination for children
CO-Cross-cultural communication
CL-Multi-stakeholder Communications with Partners, Government & Community
PG-Experience with coordinating with Implementing Partners (Government/INGO/NGO/Corporate)
PR-Interviewing and counselling refugees/asylum seekers and in individual case management
PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD)
TR-Training/Coaching/Facilitation
IT-Computer Literacy
DM-Data Management
MS-Drafting, Documentation, Data Presentation
EX-Field experience
ER-Inter-Agency Coordination Mechanisms
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates. C001L3 - Accountability Level 3
C002L3 - Teamwork & Collaboration Level 3
C003L3 - Communication Level 3
C004L3 - Commitment to Continuous Learning Level 3
C005L3 - Client & Result Orientation Level 3
C006L3 - Organizational Awareness Level 3
M001L3 - Empowering and Building Trust Level 3
M002L3 - Managing Performance Level 3
M006L3 - Managing Resources Level 3
M005L3 - Leadership Level 3
M003L3 - Judgement and Decision Making Level 3
M004L3 - Strategic Planning and Vision Level 3
X007L3 - Political Awareness Level 3
X001L3 - Analytical Thinking Level 3
X008L3 - Stakeholder Management Level 3

The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.

Please note that UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, travelling, processing, training or any other fees).

Please note that the closing date for vacancies in this addendum is Thursday 29 October 2020 (midnight Geneva time).