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Stronger positioning of the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme FGM as a knowledge broker for children is a priority for both institutions - and has been addressed as a challenge of the Joint Programme in its external evaluation. In this context, a Child Protection Officer position was established with a focus on Knowledge Management for the Joint Programme to Eliminate FGM. That position, recruited as a TA, has been posted to New York since February 2024 and now, a new recruitment exercise will bring this position to Nairobi UNICEF HQ, in line with the HQEI which already sees 4 members of the PHP team based in Nairobi including the supervisor of this post.

The Child Protection Officer will be part of the Prevention of Harmful Practices (PHP) Unit. Under the overall guidance of the Associate Director Child Protection Programme Team and direct supervision of the Child Protection Specialist, FGM (position number 19596), and within the context of supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, UNICEF Strategic Plan, UNICEF Gender Action Plan, UNICEF Child Protection Strategy and the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on elimination of FGM, the Child Protection Officer supports the Child Protection Programme Team on the implementation of the Knowledge Management Strategy for the Programme and other initiatives to end FGM.

For every child, an opportunity……

Join UNICEF as a Child Protection Officer and play a vital role in advancing knowledge management strategies for the Joint Programme on FGM and the Global Programme to End Child Marriage. Collaborating closely with UNFPA and other partners, you will drive the implementation, monitoring, and reporting of knowledge management initiatives while ensuring effective alignment across offices. This exciting role involves providing technical guidance and program management support to design impactful initiatives that create a protective environment for children, safeguard their rights, and contribute to sustainable outcomes. If you're passionate about making a global impact and protecting children’s rights, this is your opportunity to help shape a better future.

How can you make a difference?

• The Child Protection Officer will play a critical role in implementing knowledge management strategies for the Joint Programme on FGM, ensuring that all program staff properly understand and apply the established mechanisms. They will drive efforts to identify knowledge gaps in FGM programming and prioritize actions to address these gaps, ensuring that the program remains relevant and impactful.
• The Officer will lead the development of knowledge products, collaborating with various teams to create summaries, fact sheets, and reports based on completed program evaluations and research. They will collate quantitative and qualitative data on FGM, regularly updating stakeholders on the status of children affected by these harmful practices. Additionally, the Officer will contribute to documenting lessons learned and best practices and assist in drafting annual and donor reports.
• To organize and share knowledge effectively, the Officer will establish a consolidated system for managing data on FGM, ensuring easy access to country-specific and thematic profiles. Working with teams from the Global Programme to End Child Marriage, the Officer will create platforms for sharing knowledge products and amplify success stories from Country Offices. They will also organize learning series and Communities of Practice on FGM and collaborate with knowledge institutions to disseminate the latest research and strengthen knowledge generation capacities within the Joint Programme.
• The Child Protection Officer will support communications and advocacy efforts for the Joint Programme on FGM by managing social media handles and posting regular content across various channels. They will work closely with UNICEF’s Global Communications and Advocacy team to amplify the program’s impact, and coordinate with country and regional offices for international advocacy days, creating key messages and advocacy materials. The Officer will also assist in organizing high-level side events during key global events such as the UN General Assembly, 16 Days of Activism, and International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, as well as supporting field visits, donor meetings, and conferences.

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

Minimum requirements:

Education

A Master's degree or higher in international development, public health, social work, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law, communications, social sciences, or a related field is required.

Work Experience

• A minimum of two years of professional experience in knowledge management within child protection or related thematic areas is required.

Desirables/Assets:

• Experience in child protection, program/project development, and work within a UN system agency or organization is considered a valuable asset.

Language Requirements

• 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 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:

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.