UNICEF seeks to recruit a child protection specialist (Civil Registration & Vital Statistics), NOC, Lilongwe, Malawi (open for malawian nationals only)

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.

 

For every child, a childhood..

UNICEF Malawi Country Programme (2019-2023) is aligned with the Government of Malawi’s Growth and Development Strategy (MDGS III) and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). The programme supports the Government of Malawi to meet its commitment to respect, protect and fulfil children’s rights in line with international conventions and standards. The country programme is guided by the principles of children’s rights, equity, gender equality, inclusion and resilience, and supports evidence-based, integrative and innovative programming. The vision is that ‘all girls and boys in Malawi, especially the most disadvantaged and deprived, realize their rights’.  The programme focuses on: early childhood (parenting, high-impact social services, early stimulation and learning), middle childhood and adolescence (learning, multi-sectoral services, active citizenship), communities (decentralized services and systems, community ownership, social norms), programme effectiveness (monitoring, evaluation, HACT, Innovation, Social Protection and Social Policy and External Communication.  The programme is based on ‘leaving no child behind’, realizing ‘rights for all children in Malawi’.

 

How can you make a difference?

Reporting to the Health Specialist (Health Systems Strengthening), the incumbent will operate in a matrix management model, where s/he will support different programme pillars and report to different supervisors depending on the pillar s/he supports. Irrespective of the pillar s/he supports, s/he will always maintain a technical reporting line to the Child Protection Specialist (Systems). Those who supervise the incumbent and are not the principal supervisor will be considered as the secondary supervisor. The principal supervisor will lead the performance review process. S/he will engage with the incumbent’s secondary supervisor(s) for feedback. Ultimately, the principal supervisor will determine the final performance rating.

The Child Protection Specialist (CRVS) supports the development and preparation of Child Protection programme interventions within the Early Childhood Pillar of the Malawi Country Programme and is responsible for the management, implementation, monitoring, reporting, and evaluation of these interventions.

Specifically, the incumbent is responsible for interventions to :

• Take birth registration in health facilities to scale and support the strengthening of Malawi’s civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) system including through piloting and taking to scale innovations in CRVS/health systems ;
• Incorporate information and skills development for parents and caregivers on non-violent discipline ;
• Improve the capability of the frontline health and nutrition workforces to recognize and refer cases of child abuse and neglect.

The Child Protection Specialist provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes. S/he facilitates the administration and achievement of concrete and sustainable contributions to national and international efforts to create a protective environment for children against all harm, and to protect their rights to survival, development and wellbeing as established under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, international treaties/frameworks and UN intergovernmental bodies. The Specialist contributes to the achievement of results according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM), and UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance and accountability framework.

 

Summary of key functions/accountabilities :

1. Support to programme/project development and planning :

• Support the preparation, design and updating of the situation analysis for child protection programmes/projects in early childhood to ensure that current, comprehensive and evidence based data on child protection issues is available to guide UNICEF’s strategic policy advocacy, intervention and development efforts on child rights and protection, and to set programme priorities, strategies, and design and implementation plans. Keep abreast of development trends to enhance programme management, efficiency and delivery ;
• Participate in strategic programme discussions on the planning of child protection programmes/projects targeting early childhood with a focus on birth registration and strengthening of Malawi’s CRVS system, as well as interventions to improve the capability of the health sector to recognize and refer cases of child abuse and neglect and for parents and carers to adopt positive and non-violent discipline as part of the care group model. Efforts to link sectoral responses through standardized referral pathways or protocols for health should be undertaken in close collaboration with child protection colleagues in Pillar 3 of the country programme. Where feasible and appropriate, the Specialist should enhance multi-sectoral responses within the One Stop Centers, under the leadership of the Ministry of Health ;
• Formulate, design and prepare programme/project proposals for child protection in early childhood, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s overall Strategic Plans and the Country Programme, as well as coherence and integration with the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), regional strategies and national priorities, plans and competencies ;
• Establish specific goals, objectives, strategies, and implementation plans for the child protection in early childhood using results-based planning terminology and methodology (RBM). Prepare required documentations for programme review and approval ;
• Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues and partners in both the health and child protection sectors to discuss strategies and methodologies, and to determine national priorities and competencies to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable results ;
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes to ensure integration, coherence and harmonization of programmes/projects with other UNICEF sectors and achievement of results as planned and allocated.

2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results

• Plan and collaborate with colleagues and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators, other UNICEF/UN system indicators and measurements, to assess and strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results for child protection programmes in early childhood with a particular focus on taking birth registration in health facilities to scale and strengthening Malawi’s CRVS system including leveraging opportunities for innovation ;
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual reviews with the government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required actions and interventions to achieve results ;
• Prepare and assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths and/or weaknesses in programme management. Identify lessons learned and use knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals ;
• Actively monitor programmes/projects through field visits, surveys and exchange of information with partners to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems. Take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution ;
• Monitor and verify the optimum and appropriate use of sectoral and Pillar programme resources (financial, administrative and other assets) confirming compliance with organizational rules, regulations, procedures, donor commitments, as well as standards of accountability and integrity. Ensure timely reporting and liquidation of resources ;
• Prepare regular and mandated programme/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.

3. Technical and operational support to programme implementation

• Provide technical guidance and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners and donors on the interpretation, application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes, best practices, and approaches on child protection in early childhood-related issues to support programme management, implementation and delivery of results ;
• Arrange and coordinate availability of technical experts with Regional Office/HQ to ensure timely and appropriate support throughout the programming process ;
• Participate in Health and Child Protection programme meetings, including programme development and contingency planning discussions on emergency preparedness in the country or other locations designated, to provide technical and operational information, advice and support ;
• Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic programme materials for management use, information and/or consideration.

4. Networking and partnership building

• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with relevant government counterparts, national stakeholders, global partners, allies, donors, and academia – through active networking, advocacy and effective communication – to build capacity, exchange knowledge and expertise, and to reinforce cooperation to achieve sustainable and broad results in child protection in early childhood ;
• Prepare communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships/alliances and to support fund raising for the sector and pillar and emergency interventions ;
• Participate and/or represent UNICEF in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) discussions and planning on child protection in early childhood-related issues to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNDAF planning and preparation of programmes/projects. Ensure organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the UNDAF process for development planning and agenda setting.

5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Apply and introduce innovative approaches and good practices to build the capacity of partners and stakeholders, and to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results ;
• Keep abreast, research, benchmark, and implement best practices in child protection management and information systems. Assess, institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned ;
• Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programmes and projects ;
• Organize and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients and stakeholders to promote sustainable results in child protection and related programmes/projects.

 

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

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required : Law, Public Health, International Development, Human Rights, Psychology, Sociology, or another relevant social science field ;
• A minimum of five years of professional experience in social development planning and management in child protection related areas is required ;
• Demonstrated technical excellence in civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) and the health sector response to violence against children and gender-based violence is required ;
• Demonstrated technical competence and experience delivering positive parenting interventions including non-violent discipline is an asset ;
• Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset ;
• Relevant experience in programme development in child protection related areas in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset ;
• Experience in both development and humanitarian contexts is considered as an added advantage ;
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as an asset.

  

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The functional competencies required for this post are :

• Leading and Supervising (I) ;
• Formulating strategies and concepts (II) ;
• Analyzing (III) ;
• Applying technical expertise (III) ;
• Relating and networking (II) ;
• Deciding and Initiating action (II).

View our competency framework at : http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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 sexual exploitation and abuse, and on any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.”

 

Remarks :

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