CHARITY JOBS IN AFRICA

Organization: UN Children's Fund
Country: Sierra Leone
Closing date: 23 Sep 2014

Purpose of the Position

Social Policy Officer is accountable for effective engagement in Social Policy dialogue with the Government for programme development, advocating for increased public resource allocation, budgeting towards the social sector and sustainable decentralization of social services, local capacity building in support of the goal of universal coverage of essential social services and the creation of a protective environment for children. Conducts data collection and analysis to fill information gaps and to strengthen capacity for advocacy for children's rights, and to support the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the World Fit for Children (WFFC) agenda.

Key Expected Results

1. Constructive dialogue and partnerships are established between international and local social policy stakeholders, to provide effective protective environment for the most vulnerable children, including progressive compliance of principal policy documents and legislation regarding all aspects of child rights.
2. Current information on state budget, spending patterns and decentralization status of social services are monitored and updated on an on-going basis to support advocacy for decentralization and universal coverage of essential services.
3. Decentralization of social services is made sustainable through adequate local support, keeping decentralized services both accessible and effective. Programme plans of action are developed for children at provincial and district/municipality levels; coordination between sectors are increased and links between different levels of government structures for policy implementation are strengthened.
4. Data-driven analysis is provided for effective prioritization, planning, development, and results-based management for planning, adjusting, and scaling-up specific social policy initiatives. Gender/Sex aggregated data and inputs provided, relevant to the Social Policy programme.
5. Advocacy efforts are effectively made to raise awareness on children's rights with both the general public and with policy makers, and to ensure local buy-in and continued relevance of UNICEF programming.
6. Effective partnerships with the Government and other agencies established to enable sustained and proactive commitment to the Convention of the Rights of the Child and the Millennium Development Goals for continuing worldwide progress of the UNICEF mission.
7. UNICEF social policy programme effectively planned, implemented and administered in support of the country programme.

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

Education

Advanced university degree in Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Science, International Finance, Public Relations, Media, Communication, or other relevant disciplines.

Work Experience

• Two years of relevant professional work experience
• Developing country work experience or field work experience
• Background/familiarity with Emergency

Language Proficiency

Fluency in English and another UN language required

Competencies of Successful Candidate

• Communicates effectively to varied audiences, including during formal public speaking;
• Able to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment; demonstrates awareness of own strengths and limitations and how these may impact on own work;
• Sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals;
• Analyzes and integrates potentially conflicting numerical, verbal and other data from a number of sources; makes rational judgments from the available information;
• Translates strategic direction into plans and objectives;
• Plans activities and projects well in advance and takes account of possible changing circumstances;
• Rapidly learns new tasks and commits information to memory quickly; gathers comprehensive information to support decision making;
• Demonstrates and shares detailed technical knowledge and expertise;

Remarks

The New and Emerging Talent Initiative (NETI) is an entry point for dynamic professionals interested in an international career with UNICEF. Aside from the qualifications indicated in the job description for this post, all NETI programme applicants must also meet the following minimum requirements:

1. Completion of an advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) at the time of application;
2. Proficiency in English and another official language of the United Nations;
3. Readiness to be assigned to any UNICEF office worldwide, including hardship duty stations;
4. At least 2 years of relevant work experience for functions at the P-2 level, and at least 5 years of relevant work experience for functions at the P-3 level. Relevant experience should include work in developing countries and in multicultural environments.
   All applicants will be required to complete a technical test questionnaire at the time of application. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified and will therefore advance to the next stage of the competitive selection process, which involves various additional assessments including a language proficiency test.
   For more information on the NETI Programme, please visit the UNICEF website: www.unicef.org/neti

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization.

How to apply:

Click here and submit your application through UNICEF's e-recruitment system.