Senior Child Protection Specialist- Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies (P-5), FT, PG Child Protection, Outposted in Nairobi – Kenya

The Senior Child Protection (CP) Specialist-GBViE leads the organisation’s work on GBV in humanitarian situations, setting strategy and vision in alignment with the agency’s corporate documents whilst managing support to the field and global policy and research work.

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. 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 personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

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

For every child, … a better life,

Related to this mission, UNICEF is directly involved in addressing gender-based violence (GBV) in some of the world’s most intense and complex conflicts and disasters. GBV in its various forms constitutes a global crisis which undermines social and economic progress and human rights.   Preventing and responding to gender-based violence in emergencies (GBViE) is a life-saving measure and an essential component of humanitarian action.

As a lead agency in addressing GBViE, UNICEF has expanded its on-the-ground programming in recent years and made prevention of and response to GBViE one its targeted priorities in its Strategic and Gender Action Plans (GAP) 2022-2025. The GAP is integrally linked to UNICEF’s Strategic Plan (SP) and provides a clear programmatic focus on the gender-equitable results that UNICEF aims to achieve across all areas of its SP. UNICEF is also a leading agency in the development of programming and tools related to GBViE, including supporting the development of the Call to Action Roadmap,  rollout of the revised IASC GBV Guidelines (2015), implementation of the interagency GBV case management capacity building initiative, management of the GBV AoR help desk, as well as additional technical resources for the GBViE field within the COVID-19 pandemic.

How can you make a difference?

The Senior Child Protection (CP) Specialist-GBViE leads the organisation’s work on GBV in humanitarian situations, setting strategy and vision in alignment with the agency’s corporate documents whilst managing support to the field and global policy and research work. The Senior CP Specialist-GBViE ensures the accomplishment of programme goals and objectives linked to UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, Gender Action Plan, Child Protection Strategy, GBViE Operational Guide and Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action. The Senior CP Specialist-GBViE leads the implementation and management of UNICEF’s GBViE programming providing technical support with programming formulation, design, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation at both headquarters and field levels. This position will also supervise staff and consultants. The Senior CP Specialist-GBViE works in close collaboration with other UNICEF team members across Programme Group, colleagues in other HQ Divisions, and colleagues based in regional offices and country offices. In addition, the post involves significant interagency representation and collaboration with implementing partners, other UN agencies, international and local NGOs, subject matter experts, and funding partners.

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

Strategic Leadership

• Establish clear vision and strategy for UNICEF’s GBV in Emergencies programmes globally including perspectives for scale, building frameworks for the work in emerging areas of innovative programme delivery, and positioning for future growth.
• Integrate GBViE into UNICEF’s corporate documents and systems including its Strategic Plan, ensure programmes align with international standards and mechanisms as well as UN wide interventions and initiatives.
• Advance the sustainability of GBV prevention, risk mitigation and response by strategically anchoring key elements of the work in UNICEF’s institutional systems, structures and processes, as well as at interagency level. 
• Coordinate and direct organizational contribution to the GBV Area of Responsibility (AoR), the Call to Action on Protection from GBViE, UNACTION, the Child Protection AoR and/or Protection Cluster to ensure effective response to emergencies. Lead and guide UNICEF’s engagement on GBViE with stakeholders working in emergencies and fragile states.

Technical leadership including support to the field

• Provide technical assistance and coordination in GBViE programming and strategy development in all humanitarian situations, including L3/L2/L1 in line with CEAP. In coordination with Regional Offices, support Country Offices’ management and programme teams to fulfill the related CCCs with technical assistance, tools, and training. Support assessment and planning to address GBV in humanitarian needs assessments and response plans, including HAC and HRP.
• Coordinate and develop the availability of technical experts (with Regional and Country Offices) to ensure timely support
• Lead the development of global policies and procedures and introduce innovation and best practices to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programmes and projects.
• Provide technical leadership in the Strategic Plan planning, implementation and monitoring, including the results framework and Corporate Standard Indicators reporting, related to GBViE.
• Provide technical advice related to the strategic shift on Violence against Girls, Boys and Women to ensure GBV minimum standards are applied throughout.

Managerial leadership

• Establish and deliver the CHPA’s annual work plan results related to GBViE; set priorities/targets and performance measurements. Monitor work progress and ensure results are achieved according to schedule and performance standards.
• Provide guidance, supervision, and support to the GBViE sub-unit, and contribute to a workplace in line with UNICEF CRITAS values. Clearly communicate and seek feedback on the team’s direction, goals, and timelines, enabling a high performing team and professional growth and satisfaction. Support and guide team members to set work plans and goals, provide them with timely performance feedback, and set performance improvement plans as needed.
• Mobilise resources and ensure their effective management and utilization in line with UNICEF regulations and donor agreements, in pursuit of the Strategic Plan and the unit work plans, including support to country offices as possible in line with their response plans and accountabilities.

Advocacy, Networking and partnership building

• Proactively build and strengthen strategic partnerships through networking and advocacy with governments, the OSRSG-Sexual Violence in Conflict, UN system agency partners, donors, internationally recognized institutions, NGOs, funding organizations, research institutes and the private sector to leverage these partnerships to achieve greater results for children.
• Ensure UNICEF representation in the GBV Information Management System (GBVIMS+) Steering Committee and the effective delivery of its objectives, and participation in the Primero Coordination Committee.

Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Strengthen capacity at country and regional levels by rolling out inter-agency standard-setting guidance and tools to support work to prevent and respond to GBV in Emergencies.
• Advance research and identify research gaps with key partners, which would lead to the formulation of policy and good practice around the GBViE agenda. 
• Identify innovative areas of work and growth, including around technology, integrated programming and others to keep the GBV in Emergencies portfolio cutting and edge and UNICEF as a thought leader in this area of work.

The following minimum requirements:

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: Economics, Public Policy, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Science, or another relevant technical field.    
• A minimum of ten years of professional experience in Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Emergencies with a specific requirement for frontline crisis experience in GBV interventions is required.
• Experience managing interagency processes and discussions at the highest level required
• Experience designing and implementing large scale mixed methods studies required.
• Experience doing this on GBV risk mitigation an asset.
• Background and/or familiarity with GBV emergency preparedness and anticipatory action is considered a strong asset.
• Experience working for UNICEF outside of headquarters an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of another UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) 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

 The 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 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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 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. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children.

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.

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:

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

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.

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.

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.

This post is subject to PBR approval

Detailed JD will be provided the candidates who will be called for interviews