Child Protection Specialist – Social and Behavioral Change (Violence against Children), P-4, FT # 00117349, PG Child Protection, New York HQ

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.

UNICEF Program Group is currently undergoing organizational changes; therefore, the exact location of the post has yet to be determined. Selected candidates may be required to commence duties remotely until the location is confirmed. If reassigned or relocated to New York, candidates may be expected to relocate to a new location again during the initial contract or assignment period. When working remotely, candidate will be expecting to fulfill their functions during NYHQ core working hours (10AM-4PM) unless agreed otherwise by Hiring Office.

The new UNICEF Strategic Plan as well as the new Child Protection Strategy both recognize social and behavior change as a key programming strategy. This focus, as well as a more explicit adoption of a gender-transformative approach, represents a major strategic shift in UNICEF programming to end violence against children. There is an established evidence base on the effectiveness of programmes to change adherence to restrictive and harmful gender and social norms; to the provision of parenting and caregiver support to address family violence; and to prevent intimate partner violence in adolescent peer relationships.  This is set out in the INSPIRE Seven Strategies to End Violence Against Children.

For every child, a hope….

You will be responsible for the technical support to UNICEF’s social and behavioral change strategies to end violence against children.  This will include

1. overseeing the elaboration global knowledge products related to social and behavioral change to end violence against children and women; and
2. providing technical support and advice to regional and country offices.  This includes through accessing and coordinating existing expertise within the Social and Behavioral Change section.  Given the strong gender component of the programme, technical involvement of the Gender team will also be necessary.

Specifically, the post holder would have responsibility for several innovative programme initiatives including:

• Innovating and building evidence on gender-responsive parenting programmes that change attitudes, practices, and stereotyped gender roles and norms towards family violence.
• Introducing scale and rigorous measurement to the design of programmes that reduce adherence to restrictive and harmful gender norms that are conducive to violence in adolescent peer/intimate partner relationships.

How can you make a difference?

Programme development, planning and management

• Implement and monitor UNICEF’s global efforts to address social and behavioral change strategies to end violence against children and women, part of the overall support for programming to address violence, exploitation, and abuse.
• In collaboration with UNICEF Regional Offices, other sections in Programme Division, other divisions, and partners, provide remote and direct field technical support, expertise, and capacity building around child protection programmes to address social and behavioral change for Country and Regional offices, including advising on the most complex priorities, processes and projects in office work-plans. 
• Provide authoritative advice to senior management on social and behavioral change issues in relation to violence against children
• Lead in the development of policies, methods and tools for programming for social and behavioral change in the context of a systemic approach to child protection, gender based violence and in line with international standards. This includes  – on a regular basis – developing original and innovative means of tackling social and behavioral change challenges or situations that do not follow established patterns
• Provide expert inputs in the design and implementation of situation analyses and guidance and related documentation to ensure that current comprehensive and evidence-based data on violence against children and women, and inform programming, policy making and advocacy. Particular attention will be made to improve programming in the area of social and behavioral change and gender transformation
• Lead in efforts to develop a gender transformative approach to violence against children and women.

 Data collection and analysis and reporting

• Track developments and trends in the data on attitudes, knowledge, behavior and practices related to violence against children and women, with specific attention to the gender dimensions.
• Liaise with the Data and Analytics specialists to strengthen and support the development of methodologies, tools and guidance for outcome and impact monitoring related to social and behavioral indicators and related thematic areas especially for gender equality indicators.
• In collaboration with the UNICEF Office of Research, generate/disseminate evidence-based reports to identify gaps, strengths/weaknesses in gender-related social and behavioral change programmes and management, identify lessons learned and to inform programme  refinement in particular in new areas of programme work.

 Global Advocacy, Strategic Partnerships and Networking

• Contribute to the establishment and strengthening of strategic partnerships at international level for the programmatic follow up to the SDGs and international commitments.
• Network with and build partnerships with a range of actors and related to programming, policymaking, coordination, guidance/standard setting, and advocacy.
• Participate and/or represent UNICEF in international meetings, inter-agency discussions
• and planning on child online protection and related issues to ensure organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered.
• Keep abreast of and apply knowledge of developments taking place in the wider context in which the work is situated to inform programming, advocacy, and policymaking.

Leveraging resources

• Contribute to increasing the financial resources available for prevention and response to violence against children by supporting the development of project proposals, preparing multi-country proposals and donor reports, managing Programme Cooperation Agreements (PCAs) and contracts, and monitoring and reporting on utilization of funds.

Management Support

• Contribute to planning and reporting functions of the both the UNICEF Child Protection Section and the Social and Behavioral Change Section
• (including development and monitoring of annual workplans, drafting funding allocations,
• writing annual and adhoc reports and producing other documentation)
• Provide overall support to the team, including preparation of team and section reports,
• develop project proposals and donor reports, monitor programme implementation, and
• participate in the development and implementation of the Section’s Annual Workplan.
• Contribute to Child Protection Section to achieve planned results and organisational reporting requirements (e.g. EDAR, ARR, PDAR, SMQs, OIC function as appropriate, including timely response to OEDs, quality BNs, Advocacy initiatives, Knowledge Management).

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in social and behavioral science, including sociology, anthropology, communication for development, psychology and/or related field is required.
• A minimum of eight (8) years of relevant progressively responsible professional experience at the national and international levels in developing, implementing, evaluating, and managing social and behavioral change strategies and content is required.
• Recognized authority in the application of social and behavior change theories and analysis, including new and innovative approaches, to all stages of the programmes cycle and support capacity building for social and behavior change.
• Demonstrated expertise in applying a gender analysis to programming efforts to achieve impact.
• Demonstrated experience in the execution of complex priorities, processes and projects in office work-plans.
• Proven ability to manage quantitative, qualitative, and participatory social research, including assessments, tracking and measurement of social change is desirable.
• At least four years country programme experience in with a UN Agency or NGO in a low- or middle-income setting is an asset.
• Experience working with UNICEF at country office level and experience with UNICEF programmes and the human rights-based approach to programming an asset.
• Proven ability to work with internal and external stakeholders at multiple levels, including providing technical support and capacity building and establishing/managing external partnerships
• Excellent analytical, oral presentation and written communication skills demonstrated by public speaking experience, social media engagement and a publication record that demonstrates ability to draft engaging documents for internal and/or external audiences.
• Fluency in English (written and verbal) is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

Desired

• At least one major assignment or substantial work experience implementing gender responsive/ transformative programming to address violence against women and/or violence against children.
• Demonstrated practical knowledge of the public health strategies to address violence against women and children.

 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.
• To view our competency framework, please visit here and 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.
• 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
• “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/”
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
• Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.