Purpose for the job:

The Regional Adviser, Child Protection reports to the Deputy Regional Director for general guidance and direction. The Adviser serves as an authoritative and expert adviser to the Regional Director, Deputy Regional Director, the Regional Management Team, Country Offices and Government institutions/officials on strategies, policies, approaches, best practices and knowledge on child protection and related issues, including corporate priorities related to the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS). S/he has also a coordinating responsibility regarding Child Rights Agenda while being the main focal point on the CRC. S/he leads regional office support to country offices on programme development planning, implementation, management, resource mobilization, capacity building and knowledge management to achieve concrete and sustainable contributions to national and international efforts to create a protective environment for children against all harm and to protect their rights to survival, development and well-being, as established under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, international treaties/frameworks and UN intergovernmental bodies.

Key function and accountabilities

Policy Direction and Strategic Positioning

• Guide UNICEF’s regional strategies as they relate to Child Protection, Mental Health and Psycho-social Support and Prevention of Sexual Abuse and Explanation.
• Coordinate and infuse thinking around Child Rights agenda linked to the CRC in collaboration across ESAR(O)
• Advocate for ESAR (RO and COs) prioritization of the Violence against Children and Women’ agenda while coordinating a wider Child Rights work, from CRC perspective
• Initiate innovative approaches for enhanced support to sector-wide analysis, planning, implementation, and accountability, with a clear focus on feasibility promoting social work with greater equity.
• Assist the global and lead regional efforts to elevate the child protection agenda including PSEA and MHPSS in relevant strategic fora, influencing policy discussions and agenda setting within and beyond traditional child protection networks
• Repositioning and progressively transition UNICEF’s advocacy, knowledge-base and partnerships to addressing the breadth and depth of the violence and harmful practices, including by promoting sustainable and equitable financing for child protection services, civic registration, MHPSS.
• Advise key national government officials, NGO partners, UN system partners and other regional and country office partners on policies, strategies, approaches and best practices on child protection and related issues, including PSEA and MHPSS.
• Provide strategic advice to regional and country management to ensure coordination around the Child Rights agenda and impactful Child Protection efforts.

Support to Regional and Country Offices on Programme Design, Implementation, and Providing Oversight

• Collaborate with Regional Management/Country Office teams throughout all stages of child protection programming to provide technical support to programme preparation, implementation, and monitoring for results.
• Provide policy guidance and technical support to national external partners and internal colleagues to develop national policies/strategies for UNICEF assisted advocacy and programmes including Child Rights agenda and scaling up child protection programmes.
• Contribute to the planning and updating of the situation analysis to ensure that current and comprehensive data on Child Rights and child protection issues is available to guide UNICEF’s strategic policy advocacy, intervention and development efforts on child rights and protection, and to set programme priorities, strategies, design, and implementation plans.
• Provide technical advice to facilitate the preparation of Country Office child protection programme recommendations and related documentation to ensure alignment of programme goals with UNICEF’s overall Strategic Plans and Regional Collaboration for Results.

Partnerships and inter-sectoral alliances

• Build network of academic/research institutions and think tanks in the region to strengthen to the knowledge base while contributing to innovation and capacity building.
• Ensure the child protection teams are contributing to the thought leadership in across the different sectors, with UN at large and as part of community addressing the violence crisis in the region,
• Promote critical thinking and introduce technological and programme innovations, approaches, and good practices in the region for sustainable child protection programme/project initiatives, including related to PSEA and MHPSS, through advocacy and technical advisory services.
• Keep on top of national, regional, and international development priorities on child protection and rights to leverage UNICEF’s position and competencies with donors, national governments, UN, communities, and constituents to advocate and promote child protection interventions, policies, and social change to achieve goals on child’s rights and protection.
• Explore innovative partnerships, leveraging resources for Child Rights, child protection, MHPSS and PSEA which connect with other pertinent issues as climate crisis
• Work with wide range of stakeholders to forward Civic registration: high-impact technology for birth registration
• Create new opportunities for and support regional resource mobilization, increase donors’, private sector partners interest in quality transformative programmes and confidence in UNICEF’s ability to deliver them.
• Strengthen UNICEF’s leadership in delivering Child Protection services and safeguard protective environment standards in humanitarian action, through interagency humanitarian mechanisms

Management and Leadership Responsibilities

• Provide direction and managerial support to the ESA Regional Office Child Protection
• Manage the sustainability of the RO Child Protection team and meet timely budgetary requirements
• Oversee and manage performance of direct report and ensure capacity development of the team to fulfill its roles and responsibilities.
• Ensure inclusive management and well-being of the Child Protection team
• Participate in the RO leadership team and contribute to CRITAS in the RO as in COs
• Support the wider Regional Child Protection and Child Rights network through capacity building and other support.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in one of the following fields is required: international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law, or another relevant social science field.
• A minimum of ten of relevant professional experience in  social development planning and management in child protection related areas, at the international level, is required.
• Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset.
• Relevant experience in programme development in child protection related areas in a 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.