Social Policy Officer, (NO-2), FT, #136384, Damascus, Syria, MENA

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to Sustenance

How can you make a difference?

Under the general guidance of the Chief of Social Policy, you will be responsible for providing technical support and assistance in the implementation of cash programming and related advocacy, from strategic planning and programme formulation through to the delivery of concrete and sustainable results.

In this role, you will work closely with relevant sections at the country office and field office levels, as well as with partners and government stakeholders, to support the rollout of programmes that include cash components.

1. Improving data on child poverty & vulnerability for increased use for policy andprogram action
   - Supports the collection, analysis and user-friendly presentation of data onmultidimensional and monetary child poverty, including strengthening national capacity tocollect routinely, report and use data for policy decision-making.
   - Provides timely, regular data-driven analysis for effective prioritization, planning, anddevelopment; facilitates results-based management for planning, adjusting, and scaling-upspecific social policy initiatives to reduce child poverty.
   - Analyzes the macroeconomic context and its impact on social development, emergingissues and social policy concerns, as well as implications for children, and proposes andpromotes appropriate responses in respect of such issues and concerns, includinggovernment resource allocation policies and the effect of social welfare policies on therights of children.
2. Strengthening social protection coverage and impact for children
   - Supports the development of social protection policies, legislation and programs with
   attention to increasing coverage of and impact on children, with special attention the most
   marginalized. Identifies, generates and presents evidence to support this goal in
   collaboration with partners.
   - Supports strengthening of integrated social protection systems, providing technical
   support to partners to improve the design of cash transfers and child grants and improve
   linkages with other social protection interventions such as health insurance, public works
   and social care services as well as complementary services and intervention related to
   nutrition, health, education, water and sanitation, child protection and HIV.
   - Supports improved monitoring and research around social protection impact on child
   outcomes, and use of data and research findings for strengthening program results.
3. Strengthening capacity of local governments to plan, budget, consult on and monitor
   child-focused social services
   - Where national decentralization processes are taking place, collaborates with central and
   local authorities to improve policies, planning, budgeting, consultation and accountability
   processes so that decisions and child-focused service delivery more closely respond to the
   needs of local communities.
   - Collaborates with the central and local authorities to strengthen capacity on quality data
   collection, analysis for policy development, planning, implementation, coordination,
   monitoring of essential social services, with emphasis on community participation and
   accountability.
4. Strengthening capacity of local governments to plan, budget, consult on and monitor
   child-focused social services
   - Where national decentralization processes are taking place, collaborates with central and
   local authorities to improve policies, planning, budgeting, consultation and accountability
   processes so that decisions and child-focused service delivery more closely respond to the
   needs of local communities.
   - Collaborates with the central and local authorities to strengthen capacity on quality data
   collection, analysis for policy development, planning, implementation, coordination,
   monitoring of essential social services, with emphasis on community participation and
   accountability.
5. Programme Management
   - Helps manage and provide technical support on programmes with cash components to
   ensure adequate support scale-up and delivery. Ensures risk analysis and risk mitigation
   are embedded into overall management of the support, in close consultation with UNICEF
   programme sections, implementing partners, and government agencies.
   - Provides guidance on cash-based transfer program design, delivery and assurance, in
   line with the Country Program Document, Annual Working Plan and other corporate
   guidelines.
   - Coordinates with operations to facilitate timely processing and reconciliation of cash
   interventions.
   - Provides day-to-day oversight and support to cash operations including facilitating the
   implementation and monitoring of cash-based programs at the Field Office-level.
   - Contributes to Country Office and national emergency preparedness and contingency
   planning to respond to humanitarian crises and needs.
   - Prepares the necessary budgets/ budget amendments in consultation with sections for
   the implementation of the proposed cash projects.
   - Ensures the cash interventions integrate gender, child protection and disability
   considerations in line with UNICEF policy commitments and guidance.
   - Supports field offices in rolling out and effectively implementing programs with direct
   cash payment components.
   - Provides support for cash feasibility assessments including the design of assessments to
   analysis of the data and write-up of the report.
   - Supports documentation of lessons learned on cash programming.
   - Supports the information and knowledge management of cash operations in Syria.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  Social Policy Officer, (NO-2).pdf

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

Minimum requirements

• Education: Bachelor or equivalent (First Level University Degree) in Economics,Social Science,Political Science, Public Policy, International Relations. and any other related fields.
• Work Experience: A minimum of two years of relevant professional experience is required. Experience in designing and implementing cash transfer programmes at scale is required.
• Skills: Programme Management, Data-Driven, Policy Development, Risk Mitigation, Strategic Planning, Knowledge Management. .
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English and Arabic is required

Desirables

• Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language
• Emergency, UN Agencies, Partnerships, Social Protection, Child Outcomes is an asset.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts. 

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…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either a role with direct contact with children, a role that works directly with identifiable children's data, a safeguarding response role, or an assessed risk role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) apply.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable female applicants are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

Visa residence requirements: i.e. UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.