Zone Coordinator, NO-2, Multiple Locations - Romania, (Temporary Appointment, 364 days) - 6 posts

The local response requires the full-time presence of a dedicated UNICEF team that will include in the first instance a Zone Coordinator and a Driver/administrator. Under the general guidance of the supervisor, the Zone Coordinator is responsible for the overall management and implementation of UNICEF’s response in the respective geographical area and facilitates the relationship with authorities and key stakeholders at local level.

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.

The war in Ukraine has triggered the fastest growing refugee crisis since World War II. By 23 April 2022, more than 774,000 refugees from Ukraine had arrived in Romania. The overwhelming majority of refugees are women and children, often separated from husbands and fathers who remained in Ukraine; older people; and significant numbers of unaccompanied children, including those from state care facilities.

Local and national authorities have established reception and transit facilities at border crossing points to receive new arrivals and provide life-saving assistance, including accommodation, food, and other basic needs, as well as onward transport for those moving to urban centers. In the reception and transit centers, legal aid and information on the asylum process and temporary protection are also provided, and awareness on the risks of trafficking is raised. Access to basic rights and services, such as health, nutrition, WASH has been facilitated. At the same time, steps have already been taken at national and sub-national level to foster protection and inclusion into national systems, such as for health, education and social protection. Referral services are being scaled up, focusing especially on case management and protection of unaccompanied children and those evacuated from boarding schools, institutions and other alternative care arrangements, survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), victims of trafficking, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.

UNICEF Romania Country Office is involved in the emergency response by supporting the national government and local partners in delivering assistance and protection services.

How can you make a difference?

The local response requires the full-time presence of a dedicated UNICEF team that will include in the first instance a Zone Coordinator and a Driver/administrator.

Under the general guidance of the supervisor, the Zone Coordinator is responsible for the overall management and implementation of UNICEF’s response in the respective geographical area and facilitates the relationship with authorities and key stakeholders at local level.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

Implements and monitors the UNICEF refugee response in geographical areas of responsibility

• Leads on situation analysis and identification of programmatic gaps;
• With support from programme specialists and Refugee Response Coordinator, supports 1) development of partnerships with local authorities (in particular with DGASPC) and Memoranda of understanding, followed by planning of activities organized in the Blue Dot or other services for children from Ukraine (ie. identification and pre-case management using Primero) and 2) partners to develop and submit programme proposals in line with UNICEF’s refugee response, including implementation of the overall neutral label of the Blue Dot – Children and Family Support Hubs concept;
• Ensures quality implementation of UNICEF’s refugee response in the geographical area of responsibility (including administrative and operational tasks)
• Serves as liaison person to receive requests (including supplies) from partners on the ground and serves as entry point for any support that is sent to local level from national/international level;
• Supports cross-sectoral periodic monitoring visits and reviews in order to assess progress, identify risks (if any) and capture lessons learned;
• Ensures mainstreaming of cross-cutting issues such as accountability for affected population, protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) etc. in the refugee response in geographical area of responsibility;
• Supports and coordinates any internal and external visits in geographical area of responsibility.

Leads the establishment, scale up and monitoring of Blue Dot(s) in geographical area of responsibility.

• Maps already available services and appropriate agencies for the key transit points against identified minimum set of services and identify needs and establish information management systems to ensure effectiveness of services as well as to avoid duplication;
• Agrees on a minimum set of services available in the Blue Dots. While some of the services will be provided in the very space of the Blue Dots, other would have a mobile dimension to reach out to the population on the move;
• Conducts on-going assessments and safety audits and other efforts to prevent and mitigate risks associated with GBV in line with the IASC GBV Guidelines (2015);
• Contacts CP and SGBV service providers and identify relevant actors who can provide coordinated care and support services in the identified safe spaces;
• Establishes information exchange channels between the different Blue Dots – Children and Family Support Hubs sites in-country and between countries.

Coordinates with local partners and represents UNICEF in relevant fora and meetings at local level.

• Builds and maintains effective working relationships with local authorities, key stakeholders (NGOs, CSOs, private sector) and communities;
• Ensures strong and cordial relations are built with local authorities for all sectors of intervention using specific structures existing in geographical area of responsibility;
• Takes a lead role in further developing a coordinated approach towards effective coordination with all relevant partners in the sector/ thematic areas of operation for a coherent approach in all response-related interventions;
• Works in close collaboration with other UNICEF team members, sharing information and designing and implementing response-related and programme activities;
• Supports the communication and fund-raising activities that are required at local level to ensure the visibility, consistency and brand of the UNICEF interventions.

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

• A university degree in one of the following fields is required: Economics, Public Policy, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Science, Law or another relevant technical field.
• A minimum of two years of relevant professional experience is required.
• Experience working in field of social programme, including interaction with various range of stakeholders involved in these areas.
• Experience working in a developing country is considered as a strong asset.
• Background and/or familiarity with emergency is considered as a strong asset.
• Fluency in English and Romanian is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

Core Competencies

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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 be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Posts Locations:

• Iasi
• Galati/Tulcea
• Constanta
• Bucharest/Bravov

Eligible UNICEF National Officer (NO) and General Service (GS) Staff Members on fixed-term, continuing or permanent contracts applying to this TA, which is dedicated to L3 Response, may be able to retain a lien on their existing post for the duration of this TA.

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

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.