Program Manager, P4- FT, Muscat- Oman, Post 127449 (For International Only)

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For every child, vision

UNICEF has been operating in the Sultanate of Oman for over 50 years. While initial programming focused more on a more traditional child survival and development agenda, with the graduation of the country to ‘high income’ status in 2007, UNICEF has adjusted its approach to undertake targeted, upstream interventions that address the country’s “unfinished business”. This includes issues related to the quality and financing of services; institutional capacity; and behavioural and social norms.  Hence, the overarching goal of the 2022-25 Country Programme is “to support the Government to empower all children in Oman to realize their rights and participate equitably in building a knowledge-based society and competitive economy”, by

Outcome 1: Strengthening evidence-based policies for children, so that by 2025 improved public finance analysis, data and evidence are used to inform social policies and programmes for children, adolescents and young people, and progress towards the realization of the SDGs. 

Outcome 2: Enhancing systems and services for children, adolescents and young people, so that all children, adolescents and young people in Oman, including those with disabilities, benefit from improved social service systems and services.

At this level, the incumbent is likely to manage a small unit of professional and support staff.

How can you make a difference? 

Under the guidance of the Representative, the Programme Manager will be accountable for overall programme, planning, design, implementation, and administration of all programme priorities within the Country Programme Document and Country Programme Management Plan.

The Programme Manager will be expected to perform key functions, and accountabilities as described below:

1. Improving data and research on data related to children for increased use for policy and programme action.:

a. Oversees the collection, analysis, and user-friendly presentation of data related to children, including strengthening national capacity to collect routinely, report and use data for policy decision-making.

b. Provides timely, regular data-driven analysis for effective prioritization, planning, and development; facilitates results-based management for planning, adjusting, and scaling up specific initiatives to promote child rights.

c. Contributes to the preparation of the Situation Analysis for programme development.

d. Administers a consistent and transparent monitoring system, providing accurate analysis of country-level socio-political-economic trends and their implications for ongoing programmes and projects.

2. Strengthening social protection coverage and impact for children:

a. Develops social protection policies, legislation and programmes with attention to increasing coverage of, and impact on children, with special attention the most marginalized.

b. Identifies, generates, and presents evidence to support this goal in collaboration with partners.

c. Promotes strengthening of integrated social protection systems, providing technical support to partners to improve the design of cash transfer and child grants and improve linkages with other social sector interventions.

d. Undertakes improved monitoring and research around social protection impact on child outcomes, and use of data and research findings for strengthening programme results.

e. Provides timely, regular data-driven analysis for effective prioritization, planning, and development.

f. Facilitates results-based management for planning, adjusting, and scaling up specific social policy initiatives to reduce child poverty.

3. UNICEF Programme Management:

a. Manages and coordinates technical support around child protection, social protection, public finance, education, health, and climate change, ensuring it is well planned, monitored, and implemented in a timely fashion, so as to adequately support scale-up delivery.

b. Ensures risk analysis and risk mitigation are embedded into overall management of the support, in close consultation with UINCEF programme sections, Cooperating Partners, and governments.

c. Supports and contributes to effective and efficient planning, management, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the country programme.

d. Ensures that the social planning project enhances policy dialogue, planning, supervision, technical advice, management, training, research and support; and that the monitoring and evaluation component strengthens monitoring and evaluation of the social sectors and provides support to sectoral and decentralized information systems.

e. 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. Strengthened advocacy and partnerships:

a. Supports correct and compelling use of data and evidence on the situation of children coverage and impact of child-focused services – in support of the country programme overall.

b. Establishes effective partnerships with the Government, bilateral and multilateral donors, NGOs, civil society and local leaders, the private sector, and other UN agencies to support sustained and proactive commitment to the Convention of the Rights of the Child and to achieve global UN agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals.

c. Identifies other critical partners, promotes awareness and build capacity of partners, and actively facilitates effective collaboration within the UN family.

5. Improving use of public financial resources for children:

a. Undertakes sector diagnosis, fiscal space analysis, budget analysis, and costing to inform UNICEF’s advocacy and technical assistance to Ministry of Finance and Social sector Ministries to improve equitable allocation for essential services for children.

b. Works with sector colleagues to build capacity to undertake costing and cost-effectiveness analysis on priority interventions to help inform policy decisions on child-focused investments.

c. Undertakes and builds capacity of partners for improved monitoring and tracking of public expenditure to support transparency, accountability, and effective financial flows for essential service delivery, including through support to district-level planning, budgeting, and public financial management, as well as facilitating community participation.

d. 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 services delivery more closely respond to the needs of local communities.

The Programme Manager will be expected produce the following key end-results:

1. The strategic and effective advocacy, planning, and formulation of programmes/projects and the achievement of sustainable results, contributes to achievement of goals and objectives to create a protective environment for children and thus, ensure their survival, development and well-being in society.

2. Achievement in programmes and projects in turn contribute to maintaining/enhancing the credibility and ability of UNICEF to provide programme services for mothers and children that promotes greater social equality in the country.

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

The following minimum requirements:

Education:  

An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required; Economics, Political Science, Public Policy/Administration, Social Sciences, International Relations, or other relevant technical field.

Work Experience:

A minimum of eight years of relevant professional work experience in planning and implementing programmes is required;

a. Experience working in multiple countries is considered as a strong asset.

b. Background and/or familiarity with UNICEF, or the UN system is considered as a strong asset.  

c. Demonstrated experience of advocacy for policy influencing is an asset.

Language Requirements:

1. Fluency in English is required.

2. Proficiency in spoken Arabic is required, while reading and writing in Arabic is a strong asset.

The following desirables:

Candidates with previous experience in social policy are encouraged to apply.

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

The 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 

[add the 8^th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for a supervisory role]. 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable male candidates from industrial countries are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required[LK6]  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.

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.

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

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.