Child Protection Officer, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania UNICEF

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, [Protection]

Key functions/accountabilities:

Support to programme development and planning

• Conduct and update the situation analysis for the development, design and management of birth registration and related programmes/projects. Research and report on development trends on birth registration, and CRVS and data for use in programme development, management, monitoring, evaluation and delivery of results.
• Contribute to the development and establishment of sectoral programme goals, objectives, strategies, and results-based planning through research, analysis and reporting of birth and other related information for development planning and priority and goal setting.
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes by executing and administering a variety of technical, programme, operational, and administrative transactions, preparing related materials and documentations, and complying with organizational processes and management systems, to support programme planning, results based planning (RBM) and monitoring and evaluating of results.
• Prepare required programme documentations, materials and data to facilitate the programme review and approval process.

Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results

• Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues and partners to discuss implementation issues, provide solutions, recommendations and/or to alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level interventions and/or decisions. Keep records of reports and assessments for easy reference and/or to capture and institutionalize lessons learned.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sectoral reviews with government and other counterparts to assess programmes/projects, and to report on required action/interventions at the higher level of programme management.
• Monitor and report on the use of sectoral programme resources (financial, administrative and other assets), verifying compliance with approved allocations, organizational rules, regulations, procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity. Report on critical issues and findings to ensure timely resolution by management and stakeholders. Follow up on unresolved issues to ensure resolution.
• Prepare regular and mandated sectoral programme/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.

Technical and Operational support to programme implementation

• Conduct regular programme field visits and exchange information with partners/stakeholders (the Registration Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA), the Ministry of Health, and the Local Government Authorities(LGAs)) to assess progress on birth and certification and provide technical support to keep the system up and running. Take appropriate actions to resolve issues relating to supplies, upkeep and maintenance of mobile phones and uploading of data, data validation and/or refer to relevant officials for resolutions. Report on critical issues, bottlenecks and potential problems for timely action at the council, regional and national levels to achieve results.
• Provide technical and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on the application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices in birth registration and CRVS, to support programme implementation.

Networking and partnership building

• Build and sustain close working partnerships with government counterparts and national stakeholders through active sharing of information and knowledge to facilitate programme implementation and build capacity of stakeholders to achieve and sustain results on birth registration.

• Participate in inter-agency meetings/events on programming to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNDAF operational planning and preparation of birth registration programmes/projects, and to integrate and harmonize UNICEF’s position and strategies with UNDAF development and planning processes.
• Research information on potential donors and prepare resource mobilization materials and briefs for fund raising and partnership development purposes.

• Draft communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support fund raising for birth registration programmes.

Innovation ,knowledge management and capacity building

• Identify, capture, synthesize, and share lessons learned for knowledge development and to build the capacity of stakeholders.
• Apply innovative approaches and promote good practices to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results.

• Research and report on best and cutting-edge practices for development planning of knowledge products and systems.
• Participate as a resource person in capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients and stakeholders.

Impact of Results

The efficiency and efficacy of support provided by the Child Protection Officer (Birth Registration) to programme preparation, planning and implementation, contributes to rolling out the simplified birth registration system and setting up a well-functioning CRVS system. This will help create a protective environment for children against harm and all forms of social, economic and physical violence, and ensures their survival, development and well-being in society. Success in birth registration contributes to maintaining and enhancing the credibility and ability of UNICEF to provide programme services for children that promotes greater social equality in the country.

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

• A University degree in one of the following fields is required: law, statistics, demography ,public health ,international development ,human rights , or another relevant field.
• A minimum of [two years ] of relevant professional experience in social development planning and management in law, applied statistics ,demography ,public health , international development ,human rights or another relevant field is required.
• Experience of working in the area of birth registration and CRVS is considered as an asset.
• Relevant experience in programme development in child protection related areas in UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
• Experience in both development and humanitarian contexts is an added advantage.
• Fluency in English is required .Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is 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 competencies required for this post are;

• Formulating strategies and concepts (I)
• Analyzing (II)
• Applying technical expertise (II)
• Learning and researching (II)
• Planning and organizing (II)

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 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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

Remarks:

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

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