Early Childhood Development Specialist – Cross-Sectoral Results Management (P-4), # 00117944, Nutrition – ECD, Program Group – NYHQ (Temporary Appointment for 6months)

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.

Note: Programme Group (PG) is currently undergoing organizational changes, therefore the exact location of the post is still under consideration.  Currently, the post is based in New York but in case the location of the post will change, s/he would be expected to work remotely as the case may be, during the contractual period.    

 

For every child, Development…

You report to the Senior Advisor, ECD team. In close collaboration with other Programme Division (PD) sections, other Divisions in HQ,  Regional Offices (ROs) and Country Offices (COs), the ECD Specialist provides technical leadership to ensure strategic and coherent planning, monitoring, analysis and reporting of ECD results embedded across the Strategic Plan (SP) Goal Areas to accelerate progress towards achieving the SP and SDG targets on ECD. You also provide technical guidance to the ECD measurement agenda, in order to enhance the quality of data on child development.  You will ensure strengthened linkages between programmatic initiatives and measurement, to position UNICEF as a global reference agency for child development in collaboration with other divisions (e.g. DAPM), regional and country teams, and advocate for/promote understanding and utilization of relevant data in countries. You are responsible for the provision of timely and effective advocacy and technical support to ROs/COs for the design, implementation and monitoring of ECD policies, and promoting the rights of younger children as established under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), international treaties/framework and UN intergovernmental bodies.

An emerging priority in ECD is the elevation of ECD in emergencies and humanitarian contexts.  Until the recruitment of a new Specialist in ECD in Emergencies is completed, you are also expected to provide interim support for field engagement and results monitoring for ECD in Emergencies.  This will include collaboration with EMOPS and effective ways of ensuring support for the rollout of ECD programs in alignment with the Core Commitments for Children.

How can you make a difference?

Strategic Planning, Monitoring and Delivery of ECD Programme

• Lead development of the PG ECD programme workplan to translate strategic priorities into activities with clear articulation of results, key deliverables, milestones, resources and accountability
• Monitor the HQ ECD programme to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to concerned parties for timely resolution
• Prepare/assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths/weaknesses in programme management, identify lessons learned and use knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals
• Plan, monitor and manage use of ECD programme resources (financial, human, administrative and other assets) certifying/verifying compliance with organizational rules, regulations and procedures, donor commitments and standards of accountability and integrity. Ensure timely reporting and liquidation of resources

• Provide technical support to elevate ECD programming excellence, including in emerging priority areas such as gender-responsive and disability-inclusive ECD and Parenting, and Family Friendly Policies (FFPs).
• Provide technical support and coordination to ensure that key programming principles such as gender-responsiveness, inclusiveness, and life-course approach, are adequately reflected in all ECD documents, programme guidance and tools 
• Contribute to fundraising proposals and resource mobilization efforts in team as needed

Cross-sectoral ECD Results Management  

• Lead cross-sectoral coordination with PG sections, HQ Divisions, ROs/COs and other concerned groups to facilitate strategic and coherent planning, monitoring, analysis and reporting of ECD results embedded across SP Goal Areas, ensuring the alignment with the SDG target on ECD
• Strengthen partnership with Goal Area/sector lead (e.g. Health, Nutrition, Education, Child Protection and Social Policy) to establish and operationalize clearly defined accountabilities for programme implementation needed to achieve ECD results in each Goal Area/sector
• Provide technical leadership to assure quality of data on UNICEF’s results collected through Strategic Monitoring Questions (SMQs), Results Assessment Module (RAM) reports, and other instruments. 
• Lead analysis of ECD-focused/related results, with a particular emphasis on disaggregated data to advance the equity agenda in ECD programming (including gender responsive and disability-inclusive ECD)
• Analyze programme experiences in countries to identify overall trends, key gaps, and recommendations to inform ECD programmes and advocacy efforts
• Lead on the development of the Global Annual Results Reports (GARR) and other corporate reports/publications to ensure that analytical narratives of ECD are duly incorporated    

ECD Measurement  

• Provide technical inputs/coordination to create/strengthen measurement of child development outcomes and outputs, and linkages with ECD programme effectiveness to catalyze progress towards the SDG ECD target
• Provide technical guidance and support to ROs and COs to facilitate adoption and implementation of population-based measurement for child development outcomes (including the ECDI2030) and other globalinitiatives  
• Initiate and strengthen inter-sectoral collaborations to develop/enhance equity/inclusion-focused (e.g. gender and disability-sensitive) measurement tools for early childhood development
• Contribute to inter-agency groups, including the Nurturing Care Framework (NCF) monitoring and evaluation working group, to facilitate coordinated development and implementation of global ECD measurement frameworks

Advisory Services, Quality Oversight and Technical Support

• Provide technical advice to UNICEF COs/ROs and relevant development partners on policies, strategies, best practices and approaches on ECD issues to support programme development planning, implementation and delivery of results
• Prepare ECD policy papers, briefs and other strategic programme materials for management use, information and consideration in programme development discussion and planning including in support of fundraising
• Provide technical inputs for the Associate Director and team members to represent UNICEF in meetings to interact, negotiate and advocate for programme goals and strategies with high level and senior officials as well as multi-lateral, bilateral agencies and NGOs

• Provide technical support to formulation, design and preparation of Country Programmes to ensure strategic integration of ECD in alignment with UNICEF’s Strategic Plan (SP)
• Undertake field visits to monitor and assess programme implementation and recommend required corrective actions when necessary

Technical contributions to ECD in Emergencies programming  

• Provide technical inputs/coordination in humanitarian working groups to elevate the integration of ECD in sectoral humanitarian responses.
• Provide technical support to ROs and COs to strengthen ECD in Emergencies programming in light of the revised Core Commitments for Children (CCC)
• Enhance the availability and quality of data in humanitarian contexts including through regular participation in the relevant cross-sectional/divisional working groups
• Contribute to the development of programme guidance, briefs, HAC reports and other materials related to ECD and humanitarian responses

To qualify as a champion for every child, the candidate must have…

• An advanced university degree in Early Childhood Development, Human Development, Psychology, Public Health, Education, Social Policy, or other relevant disciplines and/or in relevant field is required.
• A minimum of eight (8) years of progressively responsible professional work experience at national and international levels in social development planning and management in ECD or related areas is required.
• Professional experience in cross-sectoral programming, matrix management, and measurement in ECD or related fields is highly desirable.
• Fluency in English is required.  Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability.

For more information on remuneration and benefits, please visit UNICEF’s Entitlements’ page.  If you would like to find estimates for entitlements, you may use the online Salary Estimate Calculator

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

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, race, sexual orientation, nationality, culture, appearance, socio-economic status, ability, age, religious, and ethnic backgrounds, 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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and 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.

“UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/