ECD Officer (NO-2), Panama City, Panama Post# 00120174 [Temp Appointment]

Unicef Panama is looking for a ECD Officer. The Officer provides professional technical, operational and administrative assistance throughout the programming process for ECD programmes/projects within the Country Programme from development planning to delivery of results, preparing, executing, managing and implementing a variety of technical and administrative program tasks.

UNICEF is a leading humanitarian and development agency working globally for the rights of every child. Child rights begin with safe shelter, nutrition, protection from disaster and conflict and traverse the life cycle: pre-natal care for healthy births, clean water and sanitation, health care and education. UNICEF has spent nearly 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. Working with and for children through adolescence and into adulthood requires a global presence whose goal is to produce results and monitor their effects. UNICEF also lobbies and partners with leaders, thinkers and policy makers to help all children realize their rights—especially the most disadvantaged.

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 champion

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Purpose for the Job:

The ECD Officer reports to the Chief of Section or Specialist for supervision. The Officer provides professional technical, operational and administrative assistance throughout the programming process for ECD programmes/projects within the Country Programme from development planning to delivery of results, preparing, executing, managing and implementing a variety of technical and administrative program tasks.

How can you make a difference?

 Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

• Support to ECD programme development and planning

• Conduct and update the situation analysis and carry out assessments on early childhood development related issues to establish evidence-based data to support holistic policy and programme development, as well as coordinated planning, implementation, and monitoring of ECD related programmes/projects.
• Contribute to the development and establishment of ECD programme goals, objectives, strategies, and results-based planning through research, collection, analysis and reporting of ECD related information and data for development planning and goal setting.
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes by executing/administering a variety of technical, programme, operational and administrative transactions, preparing related materials/documentations and complying with organizational processes and management systems, to support programme planning, results based planning (RBM) and monitoring and evaluating results.
• Prepare required programme documentations/materials/data to facilitate the program review and approval process.

• Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results

• Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues and partners to discuss ECD operational and implementation issues, provide solutions, recommendations and/or alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level intervention and/or decisions. Keep record of reports and assessments for easy reference and/or to capture and institutionalize lessons learned.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual reviews with governments and other counterparts to assess ECD programmes/projects and to report on required action/interventions at the higher level of programme management.
• Monitor and report on the use of ECD programme resources (financial, administrative and other assets), verify compliance with approved allocation/goals, organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity. Report on critical issues/findings to ensure timely resolution by management/stakeholders. Follow up on unresolved issues to ensure resolution.
• Prepare regular/mandated ECD programme/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.

• Technical and operational support to programme implementation
  • Conduct regular programme field visits and surveys and/or exchange information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress and provide technical support, take appropriate action to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for resolution. Report on critical issues, bottlenecks and potential problems for timely action to achieve results.
  • Provide technical and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on the application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices on ECD related issues to support programme implementation, operations and delivery of results.

• Networking and partnership building
  • Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with government counterparts and national stakeholders across relevant sectors through active sharing of information and knowledge to facilitate programme implementation and build capacity of stakeholders to achieve and sustain results on ECD programmes.
  • Draft communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support resource mobilization for ECD programmes.
  • Participate in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) meetings/events on programming to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNDAF operational planning and preparation of ECD programmes/projects and to integrate and harmonize UNICEF’s position and strategies with the UNDAF development and planning process.
  • Research information on potential donors and prepare resource mobilization materials and briefs for fund raising and partnership development purposes.
    
    
• Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
  • Identify, capture, synthesize and share lessons learned for knowledge development and to build the capacity of stakeholders.
  • Apply innovative approaches and promote good practice to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results.
  • Research and report on best and cutting edge practices for development planning of knowledge products and systems.
  • Participate as resource person in capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders.

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

• A university degree in one of the following fields is required: education, public administration, public health, nutrition, economics, psychology, sociology, human development, child development, family studies or another relevant technical field.

• A minimum of two years of professional experience in social development planning and management in early childhood development related areas is required.

• Fluency in English and Spanish is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian) or other language is an asset.

• Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset.

• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are:

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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.