Child Protection Specialist (Civil Registration and Vital Statistics and Legal Identity), P4, Fixed-Term, WCARO, Dakar Senegal#96481

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, hope.

The Child Protection Specialist works in the Regional Child Protection team led by the Regional Child Protection Advisor at L5 level. The s/m reports directly to the Regional Child Protection Advisor.

The Child Protection Specialist is responsible for managing and overseeing the development, implementation and monitoring of UNICEF’s Regional Programme on birth registration (BR) within the broader civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) and Legal Identity framework, as one of the priority areas in UNICEF Global Child Protection Strategy (2021-2030) and as part of global child protection (CP) priorities, expressed within the Strategic Plan (2022-2025). This includes technical support, quality oversight and leadership in key focus areas to support national CRVS system development with the focus on accelerating results for birth registration, advancing children’s right to legal identity. The programme finds its rationale in the implementation of the recommendations of the Africa Programme on Accelerated Improvement of the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (APAI –CRVS), the UN Legal Identity Agenda (UNLIA) and as it advances achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 16.9.

As Child Protection Specialist for CRVS and Legal Identity, the s/m will define and promote linkages with other sections, particularly Health, Immunization, Education, ICT4D and Social Protection with a focus on integrated system development to achieve accelerated results at scale. The s/m will also ensure that WCAR priorities in terms of birth registration are reflected at the regional and global level through evidence-based advocacy and strategic partnerships with members of the Regional CRVS Core Group, the UNLIA Task Force, International Financial Institutions (IFIs), including the World Bank, and donors.

How can you make a difference?

1. Managerial leadership
2. Program development and planning

• Lead on design of UNICEF’s regional/country office programmes on birth and civil registration with the link to related systems and in line with the wider CRVS framework and its guiding principles, including UNLIA.
•  Coordinate and support inter-sectoral CRVS inputs to Annual Work Plans, Annual Reports, CPD/CPMP and MTR and UNSDCF documents as well as to other planning documents
• Operationalize guidelines for CRVS, Legal Identity and prevention of statelessness in countries facing humanitarian situations, as part of APAI-CRVS and UNLIA and other inter-agency frameworks and commitments

3. Program management, monitoring and quality control of results
4. Advisory services and technical support
5. Advocacy, networking and partnership building
6. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Promote critical thinking and innovative approaches for birth registration through advocacy and technical advisory services in liaison with UNICEF’s Global and regional innovation/ICT4D entities, including Digital Center of Excellence (DCOE)
• Keep abreast, research, introduce and implement best and cutting edge practices on CRVS systems development, with focus on interoperability, digitalization and decentralization. Institutionalize and disseminate evidence and research.
• Organize/plan/implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders to promote sustainable results on birth registration and related programs/projects.

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

• An Advanced University Degree in international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law, statistics/public health, or other social science field is required.
• A minimum of 8 years of professional experience in social development planning and management in child protection, CRVS or other related areas at the international level some of which preferably were served in a developing country is required.
• Relevant experience in child protection, CRVS or related areas, program/project development and management in a UN system agency or organization is an asset.
• Experience in both development and humanitarian contexts is an added advantage.
• Fluency in English and/or French is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is 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…

(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.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
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 is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. 

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female are encouraged to apply.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also 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 cancelled.

All selected candidates will 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.

Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government 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.

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

Special Notice on UNICEF office relocation:

UNICEF and other UN Agencies will be moving soon to the new United Nations House in Diamniadio, 30 kilometers from downtown Dakar. The name of the duty station for this position will remain Dakar, Senegal.