United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (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.
We are recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Child Protection Area of Responsibility (AoR) Coordinator
Job no: 564984
Location: Maiduguri, Borno (for non-Nigerian nationals only)
Level: P-4
Categories: Child Protection
Contract type: Fixed Term Appointment
Job Description
How can you make a difference?
- Establish and maintain an appropriate humanitarian coordination mechanisms
- Ensure all Child Protection (CP) relevant actors are engaged as Sector members and adhere to the Principles of Partnership;
- Produce sectoral reports and analysis;
- Regular updating of Mapping of child protection actors in north-east Nigeria and related sectors of interventions/capacities (5Ws and local partners including Community Based Child Protection Networks and Community Based Organizations);
- Maintain a coordination mechanism that facilitates the effective achievement of the Sector/AoR functions and the requirements of the Humanitarian Project Cycle (Humanitarian Need Overview, Humanitarian Response Plan and Cluster Coordination Performance Monitoring) and which builds on pre-existing coordination structures where appropriate and further the development of current or future national and subnational capacities;
- Build complementarity of partner actions within the Sector, proactively negotiating with partners to avoid and resolve duplication and gaps and harmonize actions and accountability;
- Ensure adequate resources are mobilized and are equitably allocated for the effective functioning of the Sector and its response;
- Effective and comprehensive integration of relevant cross-cutting issues, including age, gender, environment and HIV/AIDs;
- Maintain flexibility within the Sector to respond to changes in the operating environment, evolving requirements, capacities and participation;
- Effectively use and transfer information to, from and between Sector participants and other stakeholders.
Interact with other Sectors (including through inter-Sector coordination fora), humanitarian actors, government counterparts, and relevant authorities for operational planning, engagement and active contribution of operational partners:
- Participate in Protection, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Mine Action and other relevant AoRs meetings;
- Design a mainstreaming Child Protection matrix and advocate with other Sectors for Child Protection issues mainstreaming. Build partnerships with all relevant sector stakeholders including government counterparts and national authorities, local, national and international organizations, affected populations and other AoRs/Sectors especially UNICEF led (WASH, Nutrition and Education) and Health and Food Security and Livelihood.
- Ensure with Protection Sector that Child Protection issues are included in multi-sectoral assessments and initiatives
- Where there is both a national and a sub-national Sector, the post holder will ensure that there is effective communication, reporting, engagement and coordination between the two levels.
Supporting service delivery:
- Provide platforms to ensure that service delivery is driven by the agreed strategic priorities;
- Supervise and manage the Sector/AoR coordination team (i.e., Sector/AoR Co-coordinator, Yobe and Adamawa State Focal Points, CP Information Management Officer, Strategic Advisory Group, ect.); and
- Develop mechanisms to eliminate duplication of service delivery. Monitor performance of the core Sector/AoR functions.
Informing strategic decision-making of the HC/HCT for the humanitarian response:
- Develop and regularly update a CP AoR strategy including objectives and indicators for CP response that are aligned with and support realization of the strategic priorities set out by the Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator for the overarching humanitarian response, the Child Protection Minimum Standards, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child;
- Analyse needs assessment data and work collaboratively with the Sector/AoR partners to create analytical products (reports, PowerPoints, briefs, etc.), based on evidence generated.
- Synthesize evidence and provide near real-time information to stakeholders to strengthen planning and implementation; and
- Analysis to identify and address (emerging) gaps, obstacles, duplication, and cross-cutting issues.
Planning and strategy development:
- Develop sectoral plans, objectives and indicators directly support realization of the HC/HCT strategic priorities;
- Draw lessons learned and adapt strategies and action plans on a regular basis in response to the evolving situation; and
- Application and adherence to existing standards and guidelines Clarify funding requirements, prioritization, and cluster contributions to HC’s overall humanitarian funding considerations (Flash Appeal, CAP, ERF/CHF, CERF) Monitoring and reporting the implementation of the Sector strategy and results, recommending corrective action where necessary.
Advocacy:
- Identify advocacy concerns to contribute to HC / HCT messaging and action;
- Undertaking advocacy activities on behalf of Sector/AoR participants and the affected population;
- Develop advocacy approaches/strategies for issues related to child protection that require sensitization of local authorities or donors and contribute to the development of key messages for broader humanitarian advocacy/messaging initiatives of the Protection Sector or the office of the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator.
Contingency planning/preparedness for recurrent disasters whenever feasible and relevant:
- Lead early warning, contingency planning, and emergency preparedness efforts for the Sector/AoR. Support development and updating of Child Protection interagency Sector Contingency Plans;
- Promote interagency/inter-sectoral Child Protection (CP) needs assessments, lead and participate in inter agency child protection assessments to identify priority child protection issues and advocate for delivery of appropriate response; and
- Identify response gaps and promote members’ response (including activation of provider of last resort).
Accountability to affected populations:
- Be accountable to the affected population through effective and inclusive consultative and feedback mechanisms; and
- Lead the annual cluster coordination performance monitoring (CCPM) exercise and annual review and contribute to other sectoral and humanitarian evaluations as appropriate.
Requirements
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have:
- An Advanced University Degree in one of the following fields is required: International Development, Human Rights, Psychology, Sociology, International Law, or another relevant social science field.
- A minimum of eight years of professional experience in social development planning and management in child protection related areas, at the international level, is required.
- Relevant experience in programme development in child protection related areas in a UN system agency or organization.
- Prior experience in a similar role with a minimum of two years of experience of CP Cluster/AoR coordination is needed.
- Experience working in developing countries in emergency/humanitarian contexts away from country of residence is essential.
- Experience of demonstrating analytical and persuasive writing and reporting skills, editing skills, and the ability to convey complex information in a clear manner to a diverse audience is required.
- Ability to multi-task and deliver against workplan and tight deadlines.
- Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered an asset.
For every Child, you demonstrate:
- UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values
UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
- Builds and maintains partnerships
- Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
- Drive to achieve results for impact
- Innovates and embraces change
- Manages ambiguity and complexity
- Thinks and acts strategically
- Works collaboratively with others.
- [Add the 8th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for supervisory role]
- During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.
Application Closing Date
28th August, 2023 (West Central Africa Standard Time).
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
