Early Childhood Development Officer, NOB, Temporary Appointment, Brasilia, Brazil # 123778

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 is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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.

Early Childhood Development Officer, NOB, Temporary Appointment, Brasilia, Brazil # 123778

 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, care

In 2019 UNICEF committed to strengthen its role and strategic positioning on ECD in Brazil, building on its past engagement in support of the ECD agenda[1], to bring its thought leadership, technical expertise and municipal engagement to advance quality, integrated ECD interventions for the most vulnerable families and communities. Following the Strategic Moment of Reflection, UNICEF developed a draft programme framework and agreed to concentrate its value add on strengthening the role and capacities of families to provide responsive and nurturing caregiving to their children, prevent violence and promote stimulation and care.

How can you make a difference?

 The ECD Officer will provide strategic direction, technical expertise and partnership development to advance UNICEF’s policy and programming on ECD in Brazil, with the focus on integrated approaches to strengthen the role of families in responsive and nurturing caregiving. Working under the supervision of the Deputy Representative Programme, the staff member will be accountable for the design, implementation and monitoring of activities under Programme Output 2.4, providing technical guidance, strategic and quality assurance to UNICEF programme and non-programme teams in the area of ECD. 

Result 1: A coherent 2023-24 ECD Workplan is developed and implemented with contributions from programme teams and field offices

Coordinate and implement a coherent 2023-24 Workplan for the ECD Output (2.4), providing technical assistance and quality assurance to UNICEF programme teams and field offices as follow:

1. Work closely to Health, Education and Child Protection teams, fostering intersectorality for UNICEF’s policy and programme engagement, assuring programmatic integration involving ECD initiatives and strengthening linkages between maternal and child health, parenting, violence prevention and early childhood education.
2. Coordinate the ECD Working Group with UNICEF programme teams in Brasilia and field offices to identify ECD priorities, ensuring technical expertise, timely planning, reporting, following up funds and annual budget reporting of 2023-24 ECD Workplan.
3. Provide inputs on ECD results and strategies in the context of UNICEF’s Country Programme planning process for 2023-27, in collaboration with the different Goal Areas.
4. ECD measurement: work closely with the Social Policy/Monitoring and Evaluation (SP/M&E) team and national partners to draft an implementation strategy of tools to measure child development outcomes (SDG 4.2.1 and SDG 4.2.3) at subnational level and/or in complementarity with existing ECD measurement tools.
5. Evidence-based advocacy: working closely with SP/M&E and Communication teams to advocate and disseminate studies and evidence around ECD, as well as supporting the Social Policy team on adapting and testing the methodology of identifying early childhood expenditure on public finance at subnational level.

 Result 2: ECD flagship strategies and interventions coordinated and implemented at municipal level  

1. Leverage ECD multi-sectoral services delivery and actions through ECD Working Group to assure quality implementation and quality partnership management within the team.
2. Provide technical support to Selo’s municipalities for the Systemic Result #1 focused on the elaboration and implementation of Municipal Plans for Early Childhood (PMPI), including by developing engagement strategies, trainings and solutions.
3. Design and review the methodology of UAPI’s (Unidade Amiga da Primeira Infância) new edition, fostering the intersectoriality of health, education and social assistance in the municipalities, and developing capacity building actions, activities and materials.
4. Provide inputs to the implementation of Agenda Cidade UNICEF (ACU), ensuring ECD results, tools and strategies.
5. Develop a SBCC campaign on the prevention of racism on early childhood, focusing on promoting antiracist practices in public services and within family contexts, as well as addressing the impacts of racism and racial-ethnical relations in early childhood.

Result 3: Public and private partnerships are secured to advance ECD, including strengthening partnerships with key ECD stakeholders 

1. Based on the existing ECD agenda portfolio, design and implement a resource mobilization strategy, working in close collaboration with PFP team with a diverse set of partners.
2. Identify new partnership opportunities and lead proposal development and co-creation with the private sector to advance UNICEF policy and programming as well as business engagement on ECD.
3. Nurture relationships with key ECD networks and stakeholders, including government, business, academia and foundations.
4. Ensure UNICEF is strategically positioned and actively engaged in national and regional ECD policy forums and networks.

To qualify as a/an [champion or advocate] for every child you will have... 

• University degree in Management, Education, Psychology, Sociology or other social science field is required.
• A minimum of 2 years of professional work experience at national or international levels in the field of ECD is required. Experience in UN system agency or organization is an asset.
• Knowledge of ECD policies, stakeholders and initiatives in Brazil.
• Knowledge on children’s rights issues, including the Convention of Rights of the Child and the Statute of the Child and the Adolescent.
• Experience in policy analysis and programme management.
• Experience in neuroscience focused on child development is highly desirable.
• Team work skills and capacity to work with tight deadlines.
• Knowledge in the use of digital media tools and social networks.
• Experience in the production of materials for learning programs or content for social mobilization initiatives.
• Fluency in English and Portuguese required. Knowledge of Spanish will be considered as an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate... 

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS)underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: https://www.unicef.org/careers/get-prepared#Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are...(1) Builds and maintains partnerships(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness(3)Drive to achieve results for impact(4)Innovates and embraces change(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity(6)Thinks and acts strategically(7)Works collaboratively with others.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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 is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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.

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.

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

The VA is open to all (internal and external candidates).