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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, peace

UNICEF Syria was established in 1970 and has been working with partners to help empower children to fully claim and enjoy their rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

UNICEF works with partners across Syria to deliver supplies, services, and expertise in areas of Child Protection, Education, Health, Nutrition, Water, Hygiene and Sanitation for every child. UNICEF also provides humanitarian assistance when needed.

Syria continues to face one of the most complex emergencies in the world. Unprecedented humanitarian needs are compounded by displacement inside the country and across its borders, extensive destruction of civilian and social services infrastructure, devastating impacts on the economy, and most importantly, the breakdown of the social fabric that stitched the country together for decades.

Today, 90% of people in Syria live in poverty, most are unable to make ends meet or bring food to the table. Families have had their resources depleted, with limited employment opportunities, skyrocketing prices, and shortage of basic supplies. For most people, the current socio-economic challenges represent some of the harshest and most challenging circumstances they have faced since the beginning of the crisis in 2011.

The February 2023 earthquakes in north Syria and Türkiye have added agony to an already catastrophic situation, increasing the strain on services, causing displacement, and inflicting widespread damage. Many families lost their main breadwinner due to death or injury, at a time when the economic situation was already dire, resulting in millions of people unable to meet their basic needs.

In 2024, 16.7 million people need humanitarian assistance[1]. This is the highest number of people in need ever recorded in Syria since 2011. The number of children in need - more than 6.5 million – has increased by seven per cent in the past year alone. This is largely due the ongoing conflict, continued displacements, the unprecedented economic crisis, deepening poverty, and unemployment. The COVID-19 pandemic, the hike in price of commodities triggered by the overall global economic situation and the impact of sanctions are further compounding the dire situation.

For information of the work of our organization, please visit our website: UNICEF Syria  

How can you make a difference? 

Under the overall direction and guidance of the Child Protection Manager Area of Responsibility (AOR), Sector Coordinator (SectorCrd), the Information Management Officer is to lead the development, implementation, and maintenance of robust information management systems within the Child Protection AoR in Syria. This position is responsible for ensuring accurate and timely data collection, analysis, and reporting to inform child protection strategies and interventions. Additionally, the Information Management Officer will operationalize and manage the Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS+)/ Case Management System providing technical support and capacity building to more than 58 sector partners to enhance data-driven decision-making and program effectiveness. The role aims to improve the availability, visibility and use of high-quality data to protect and promote the rights and welfare of children in Syria.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

The post holder is responsible for supporting the information management (IM) function to enable the effective functioning of the Child Protection AoR at national and sub-national level, and the achievement of the core cluster functions, throughout the Humanitarian Programme Cycle (HPC) in order to facilitate a timely and effective Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group response.

The postholder's main tasks and responsibilities will include but not be limited to:

Support the Child Protection AoR in Monitoring Performance and Operations

• Design and develop the CP AoR partners’ services mapping (actual maps) and operational presence on a quarterly basis given the dynamic evolving nature of the response.
• Monitor and regularly update the CP AoR referral pathway both intra-sectoral and inter-sectoral.
• Monitor and analyze the CP AoR financial situation and support financial tracking against the funding appeal and update the CP AoR strategic advisory group and partners on the trends for advocacy and resource mobilization purposes.
• Support and follow up with CP AoR partners to regularly update the financial reporting on the Financial Tracking Service (FTS), GPC, and offline as required.
• Support evidence-based advocacy and resource mobilization by providing accurate, relevant and timely data, information and information products.

Information Management for the Child Protection AoR in the coordination structure

• In close collaboration with UNICEF and CP AoR coordinator, develop and implement standard tools and mechanisms to enhance the all over coordination of CP Humanitarian response in Syria.
• Consolidate all information, periodic or ad-hoc received from different partners and generate comprehensive information products for various decision makers, ensuring the data confidentiality aspect.
• Support HNO, HRP process by developing Secondary Data Review (SDR), Needs severity analysis, PIN and Planned reach calculation etc.
• Analyze needs assessment data to provide required information for the HNO including estimating People in Need (PIN), Targets, and severity.
• Coordinate closely with other IMOs within UNICEF and other clusters to ensure complementarity, harmonization, and compatibility in terms of IM.
• Gather feedback on IM products and use to make improvements from sector partners and Donors.
• On an adhoc invitation, participate in donor strategic planning meetings for their prioritization and provide detailed snapshots on needs/gaps as required to inform country strategies guided by the AoR coordinator.

Management and Operation of the Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS+)- Case management System as applicable.

• Lead the operationalization of the Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS+) in Syria and support to rollout with AoR partners and operate the system.
• Review the quality of data recorded in the system, identify any quality issues and report to the organization and project team members for corrective and follow-up actions working closely with UNICEF and the line Ministry as system administrators.
• Monitor technical problems associated with the system and troubleshoot when necessary.
• Provide induction to new agencies and case management staff rolling out the system and facilitate refreshing training, and on-job support on new features of the system.
• Lead the CPIMS+ Taskforce meetings and participate in the Case Management Working Group (CMWG) and contribute to ongoing reflection and learning to improve the system performance and address issues.
• Alerts the global CPIMS+ development team about recurring problems & communicate updates on issues in a timely manner to ensure productivity.
• Support the AoR coordinator and UNICEF Child Protection Chief by following up with partners on the signing of the global/ UNICEF in country Terms of use for the case management system for all AoR partners to ensure UNICEF Obligations on data confidentiality and inform the sector coordinator on any red flag compliance issues for attention of UNICEF representative or CP chief.

Data Collection, Compilation and Analysis

• Provide technical support to partners in data analysis and reporting and coordinate the collection of child protection data from various sources, ensuring accuracy, reliability, and timeliness.
• Analyze data to identify trends, gaps, and priorities, providing actionable insights for program improvement.
• Support the development and regular revision of the AoR and Inter-Agency Information Management tools related to the child protection AOR.
• Develop, maintain, and update databases to store child protection information securely.
• Build the capacity of IM/ data focal persons of AoR partners on use of various data collection tools, reporting, analysis, and IM tools.
• Contribute to generating Cross Sectoral Assessment Needs, Service Mapping, Rapid Assessments, Sitreps and Situation Analysis.

Data Visualization

• Develop CP AoR compelling visual representations of child protection data using various tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, GIS).
• Produce infographics, charts, and graphs for reports and presentations.
• Respond to data visualization requests from CP Coordinators, including products to support advocacy and resource mobilization efforts.
• Conduct in-depth analyses of child protection data to identify trends, patterns, and insights.
• Translate complex data sets into understandable and actionable information for various stakeholders.

Coordination, Networking, and partnership building

• As a member of the CP AoR coordination team, contribute to the effective roll out and monitoring of the core cluster functions (as outlined by the IASC Reference Module) and to the Humanitarian Programme Cycle (HNO, HRP and CCPM)
• Represent the CP AoR IM function at all levels and coordinate with others within the function to ensure effective communication, reporting and engagement,
• Actively engage with other IMs through relevant IMWGs, Assessment working groups etc including leading or participating in the working groups and representing the CP AoR on the inter-cluster IMWG
• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with other sectors and relevant government counterparts, national stakeholders and NGOs through active networking and effective communication - to build capacity, exchange knowledge and expertise, and to reinforce cooperation to achieve sustainable and broad results in child protection.
• Prepare communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships/alliances and to support fund raising for child protection AoR/ CP programmes and emergency interventions.
• Support sub-national Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group members to contribute timely and quality periodic monitoring reports on Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group and OCHA platforms,
• In the absence of the AoR coordinator step in as OiC and interface with the Protection Coordinator and other AoR coordinators.

Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Apply and introduce innovative approaches and good practices to build the capacity of partners and stakeholders on information management, and to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results.
• Keep abreast, research, benchmark, and implement best practices in child protection management and information systems.
• Assess, institutionalize, and share best practices and knowledge learned.
• Organize and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of partners and stakeholders to promote sustainable results in child protection and related programmes/projects.
• Support or implement actions to strengthen local and national leadership and capacity by encouraging participation of local and national actors in the IM activities of the sub-national Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group and providing support to partners to overcome technical and operational challenges in participating in IM activities,
• Implement an IM capacity assessment and capacity development plan for sub-national Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group partners.

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education:

A university degree in one of the following fields is required: Information Management or Information Systems, GIS Information Technologies, Computer Science, Statistics, Social Sciences or another subject area relevant to Information Management or to the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group.

Formal training in AoR/ Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group Information Management or an advanced university degree are considered an added advantage.

• Work Experience:

A minimum of one year of professional experience in information management, data management, geographical information systems, assessments, situation analysis and/or PM&E with the UN and/or NGO is required.

Experience in child protection will be an added advantage.

• Languages:

Fluency in English and Arabic is required.

Desirables:

• Experience in demonstrating strong information management skills in a professional context is essential for this post.
• Experience in a humanitarian context is required.
• Experience in child protection information management and child protection programing is an added advantage.
• Experience working in the humanitarian coordination system is considered an asset.
• Extensive work experience outside the humanitarian sector which is relevant to this post may be considered in lieu of humanitarian experience.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.

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 

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 measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, 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:

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 female candidates are encouraged to apply.

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.

 UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.]

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.

Staff members with Fixed Term, Continuous or Permanent contracts with UNICEF serving in an E/Non-Family Duty Station must have served a minimum of one year Time in Post (TIP) in their current position at the time of the closing of the vacancy announcement.

For National Officer (NO) positions, only nationals of the country are eligible, except staff members who are already legally permitted to work for UNICEF in the country, who are eligible to apply.

Syria Country Office is a non-family duty station, with an E hardship classification.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.