Policy Specialist – Disability (P-4), Social Policy Section, PD – NYHQ (Temporary Appointment)

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.

Disability and social protection contribute to Goal Area 5 of UNICEF’s strategic plan. UNICEF is working in many countries in expanding and strengthening disability inclusive and sensitive social protection in line with the joint statement on inclusive social protection that UNICEF is signatory to. UNICEF’s work is further strengthened by the joint project with ILO and IDA, financed by UNPRPD, that focuses on the collaborative development of capacity across countries, development agencies and academia to support development and reform of inclusive and CRPD compliant social protection systems that foster inclusion and empowerment in line with related ILO standards (GLO/18/40/UND).

For every child, Social Protection….

Under the general supervision of the Chief of Child Poverty and Social Protection and in close coordination with the disability section and other relevant sections, you will be responsible for setting UNICEF’s building blocks and positioning on inclusive social protection, with a specific focus on disability.  This will include strategic planning and formulation of programming; accelerating disability inclusion in the social protection programmatic area; providing technical support to Regional offices and country offices in the implementation, monitoring, evaluation and knowledge management of all stages of social protection programing for persons with disabilities; and communication and advocacy. 

How can you make a difference?

Strengthening disability inclusive social protection programming

• Support and development of UNICEF’s strategy around social protection for persons with disabilities, drawing from ongoing work in UNICEF as well as external expertise.
• Support countries in strengthening the integration of disability-focused strategies and interventions in social protection systems and providing technical support to partners to improve the design of critical components of social protection programming. This may include cash transfers and child grants as well as linkages with other social protection interventions and complementary services such as nutrition, health, education, water and sanitation, child protection and HIV.
• Assist country teams on system’s capacity for local delivery to extend/increase the coverage of social protection to persons living with disabilities and their caretakers.
• In close collaboration with Supply Division and the Disability Section, explore the capacity of Social Protection programmes and mechanisms (including Cash Plus) to provide assistive devices for children and adults with disabilities in UNICEF Programme countries.

Capacity building, support development of tools, guidance and advocacy material on disability inclusive social protection

• Develop global guidance and develop tools on mainstreaming disability in UNICEF social protection programming, including in fragile and humanitarian contexts. Ensure connection and harmonization with products of the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD), Social Protection Interagency Coordination Board (SPIAC-B), Interagency Social Protection Assessment tools (ISPA) and Global disability working groups.
• Lead in preparation and delivery of training/orientation on disability inclusive social protection for Regional offices and Country offices.
• Identify and develop strategies to fill knowledge gaps on disability inclusive social protection and facilitate knowledge sharing, develop tools and mechanisms to collect, synthesize and disseminate knowledge and best practices to inform country programmes and policies on disability inclusive social protection.
• Document best practices related to disability inclusive social protection, including policies and programme design including adequacy, linkages with other social protection benefits, referral services (including disability related support) as well as costing and financing.
• Coordinate and review of thematic issue papers, background papers and position papers, aimed at developing UNICEF’s global positioning on disability inclusive social protection.
• Supports disability inclusive social protection research and analysis to generate knowledge and inform social protection programming. Facilitate dissemination of policy briefs, research reports and lessons learnt.

Strengthened advocacy and partnerships for disability inclusive social protection

• Connect to, and where necessary establish, policy and practice networks for learning and lesson sharing on disability inclusive social protection and leverage partnerships for improved advocacy.
• Support development of mechanisms to collaborate with partners (ILO, World Bank, IDA and other bilateral partners) in advancing UNICEF agenda on disability inclusive social protection.
• Support correct and compelling use of data and evidence on the situation of children living with disabilities and coverage and impact of child focused disability services for advocacy and partnership development, as well as country support.
• Establish effective partnerships with bilateral and multilateral donors, NGOs, civil society and local leaders, the private sector, and other UN agencies to support sustained and proactive commitment to the Convention of the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and global UN agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Identify other critical partners, promotes awareness and builds capacity of partners, and actively facilitates effective collaboration within the UN family.

UNICEF Programme Management and reporting

• Manage and coordinate technical support around child poverty, disability and social protection ensuring it is well planned, monitored, and implemented in a timely fashion so as to adequately support scale-up and delivery. Ensure risk analysis and risk mitigation are embedded into overall management in close consultation with UNICEF programme sections, Cooperating Partners, and governments.
• Support efficient planning, management, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of strategic plan goals, targets and indicators on social protection. Ensure annual reports are submitted in a timely manner, and that SMQs, RAM analysis capture the true sense of UNICEF’s engagement on social protection. Support reporting on UNICEF social protection programmes, including on thematic funds pertaining to disability and social protection.

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

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Economics, Public Policy, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Science and/or in relevant field is required.
• A minimum of 8 (eight) years of experience in in the area of disability, social protection, programme design and implementation is required. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a demonstrated ability to work as part of a team in a multicultural environment is also required.  
• Prior experience working at the national level either as part of or directly with governments on social protection and disability programming is an asset.
• Working at the international level, including with development partners is desirable.
• Experience in emergency settings is beneficial, but not required.
• Strong analytical and communication skills are essential.
• Fluency in English (written and verbal) 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, Respective, 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.