Summary
Date Posted: Wednesday, November 30, 2022 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:

The purpose of this position is to strengthen UNICEF ESARO’s work to scale up PSEA efforts across the region and provide technical support and guidance to UNICEF country offices (CO) to accelerate PSEA implementation, with a particular focus on humanitarian contexts and the L3 in the Horn of Africa. The Child Protection Specialist (PSEA) will work directly within the UNICEF ESARO Child Protection team and engage collaboratively with UNICEF sections at the regional level, particularly the HACT Specialist responsible for oversight of UNICEF’s implementing partners at CO level, and in COs to enhance efforts to address PSEA including prevention, reporting, response and monitoring of SEA. Under the direct supervision of ESARO CP Specialist for Emergencies, working in close cooperation with the Child Protection Specialist (Gender Based Violence in Emergencies (GBViE)), the Child Protection Specialist (PSEA) will provide technical assistance to strengthen CO capacities to develop access to safe and child sensitive reporting channels, including within community-based complaint mechanisms; scale up survivor assistance; and to support cases investigation, as relevant. The Child Protection Specialist (PSEA) will work directly with PSEA Specialists and focal points and engage with AAP Focal Points in the RO and COs.

Major Duties and Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Child Protection Specialist (Emergencies), the incumbent will:
• Provide strategic and technical support to UNICEF ESARO and COs to scale up efforts to address PSEA
• Contribute to the implementation and roll out of global and regional guidance and strategies to improve efforts to address SEA including survivor assistance, SEA investigations, SEA risk assessments and engagement with government and other partners.
• Contribute to the Roll-Out of the UN Victim Assistance Protocol in ESA and support capacity building across COs and at the inter-agency level.
• Provide technical support to COs for implementation of survivor assistance to ensure survivors have access to appropriate services i.e. medical, psychosocial, legal and material support, in accordance with the UN Victim Assistance protocol.
• Strengthen COs capacities to develop and improve access to safe, gender and age sensitive reporting channels including community-based complaint mechanisms (CBCM).
• Promote adherence to global procedures for SEA reporting and strengthen understanding among UNICEF staff and partners on UNICEF PSEA policies and reporting procedures.
• Provide technical support to ESARO Senior Management, and quality assurance to COs for receiving, handling, and referring SEA allegations including submitting Significant Incident Reporting (SIR) in line with UNICEF instruction for reporting allegations of SEA and Concerns of Abuse.
• Provide technical support to ESARO Senior Management, and quality assurance for the inclusion of PSEA into programmes (WASH, Health, Nutrition, Education, Emergencies, Social Behaviour Change, etc.).
• Lead initiatives for COs to build capacity of partners for SEA investigations including documentation of reported SEA allegations and taking appropriate measures to ensure safety and confidentiality of survivors, complainants and witnesses.

Strengthen knowledge management and policy development on PSEA for ESARO and COs
• Contribute to the development of new global and regional guidance and strategies of specific relevance including the global government cooperation framework on PSEA.
• Keep abreast of developments with PSEA and child safeguarding and make appropriate recommendations for UNICEF ESARO on enhancing prevention and response strategies.
• Support documentation of good practices, learning exchanges and forums on PSEA interventions and regularly update the SharePoint sites for ESAR staff to access policy and guidance materials studies n PSEA, and child safeguarding.
• Actively monitor financial and human resource capacity to ensure sufficient resources are in place to effectively achieve UNICEF PSEA commitments particularly in emergency settings.
• Promote the inclusion of PSEA into resource mobilization efforts, reports, proposals, ToRs, humanitarian appeal processes, advocacy materials and other relevant documents, as required.
• Monitor progress of PSEA implementation in the region and provide regular updates including briefing notes, programme reports and other documents to inform ESARO senior management.

Work closely with the Programme Specialist for HACT to operationalize the UNICEF Procedure for PSEA Assessments of CSO Implementing Partnerships.
• Support the HACT Specialist in the regional office to monitor quality standards of PSEA Assessments conducted by Cos, advise COs on actions based on partner assessment, and provide technical support to the development of IP Action Plans as needed.
• Strengthen capacity for country offices to conduct partner assessments, including transitioning to the UN common system for assessments, strengthen field monitoring and partner capacity for both CSOs and government, building CO capacity through PSEA Toolkit and Action Plan.

Improve coordination of UNICEF PSEA interventions internally and at the inter-agency level.
• Support UNICEF CO PSEA Focal Points (FPs) and Specialists by organizing regular meetings, providing trainings, enhancing communication and information sharing among COs on PSEA.
• Strengthen implementation of COs PSEA inter-agency initiatives/networks, including the setting-up of in-country PSEA Networks.
• Represent UNICEF on the inter-agency PSEA regional working group and on UNICEF HQ coordination groups and maintain close relationship with PSEA focal points in other regions.
• Regularly support COs capacity building efforts including co-facilitating PSEA training modules for UNICEF and IPs staff as appropriate on international standards on PSEA, roles and responsibilities, and how to submit and receive complaints and strengthening GBV services for survivor assistance.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have
• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in one of the following fields: international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law, or another relevant social science field.
• A minimum of eight of relevant professional experience in design, implementation and management of child protection or GBV programming, PSEA and child safeguarding, preferably with the UN and/or international NGO in humanitarian contexts.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Experience in and knowledge of UN and IASC policies and guidance related but not limited to PSEA, AAP, GBV and Centrality of Protection. Familiarity with the latest development in PSEA, interagency PSEA responses and humanitarian cluster systems. IASC PSEA Training for Coordinators will be considered an advantage.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to liaise with people successfully and effectively in a wide range of functions in a multi-cultural environment.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships, both within and outside the organization.
• Proven ability to work independently under difficult conditions.
• Excellent facilitation, training, networking and advocacy skills.
• Strong understanding of GBV and Child Protection case management systems and survivor assistance.
• Experience in community engagement and development of community-based complaints and feedback mechanisms.
• Availability to travel frequently in the region.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French or Portuguese an asset.

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 84

Level of Education: Associate Degree

Job application procedure

Interested and qualified? Go to UNICEF on jobs.unicef.org to apply

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