Advisory services and technical support

• Result: Regional and Country Offices expand, lead and deliver high quality standard programmes in the area of social protection due to strong technical leadership, oversight and guidance that leads to concrete change for children
• Provide technical leadership for the scaling up of UNICEF’s social protection work in the region in line with the strategic direction of the regional Social Policy programme (which this post shapes). Provide specific technical support, quality assurance and oversight to assure high quality in all aspects of social protection work conducted by Country Offices and the Regional Office in Eastern and Southern Africa.
• Lead the region’s technical agenda – such as through analysis, publication, and overall knowledge use – on social protection that results in improved programming and expanded coverage of social protection.

Knowledge generation and management

• Result: Up-to-date technical expertise is developed, expanded, and disseminated throughout the Organization, and shared with regional/national institutions/partners, in order to contribute to strategic advocacy for change.
• Serve as regional focal point of technical expertise in the area of social protection. Monitor developments in the technical area, as well as political and social developments, at the national and regional levels. Contribute to the regional Social Policy knowledge management by analyzing, interpreting and disseminating available data, information, and trends to inform the strengthening and expansion of social protection in the region.  Expertise needed relates to the full spectrum of social protection work, from the political to the operational.
• Build and maintain regional analysis based on priorities as well as a database with key indicators as necessary, related to social protection.

Capacity Building

• Result: Country Offices, Regional Office staff and national partners lead social protecton programme development, implementation and management processes due to continual, effective capacity building.
• Provide technical inputs for capacity development efforts of UNICEF staff in country offices and, upon Country Offices’ request, of their partners, in social protection. Provide technical guidance on the design, content and delivery of staff training courses or workshop in the area of social protection. Leverage knowledge and advocacy opportunities to build awareness, interest and commitment to social protection.

Communication, Networking and Partnership

• Result: Effective communication, partnerships, representation and networking are forged to develop harmonized programme interventions and expand programmes and networks
• Enhance UNICEF’s regional technical leadership role by forging internal and external partnerships in the development of harmonized programme interventions, through representation in regional fora with partners and stakeholders.
• Develop innovative strategies for advocacy across the region for greater and more effective investments in social protection.
• Build strategic alliances with various international and regional partners, civil society, and academic partners, active in the area of social protection. Bring Africa voices into UNICEF advocacy plans and localize technical support. Leverage donor interests and influence.
• Share, promote, and create learning on social protection across the region, with other regions, HQ and externally to showcase genuine, sustained impact for children at scale.

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Advanced university degree in Economics, Public Administration, Social Policy, or Social Protection is preferred, though all other social and economic policy areas are considered.
• Work Experience: Minimum of eight years of progressive, professional work experience in social protection in the applied, national and international development settings.
• Hands-on experience and proven results in using social protection evidence to concretely generate change at the national level is required.
• Experience in operational programme design, policy drafting, system strengthening, financing analysis, policy advocacy, links to other sectors, and capacity-building are all an asset.