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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 for as long as we are needed. 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 professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

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For every child, the right to play!

The role of the Social Policy Specialist (Development) is to support UNICEF field office to have an analytical and evidence-based understanding of the political, social, cultural, political economy and overall development context in in the province which affect the programming environment, to help UNICEF to position itself to advance the rights of children. Under the general guidance of the Chief Field Office and technical guidance of the Chief Social Policy, the incumbent is responsible for providing technical support to the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of all stages of social policy programme and related advocacy from strategic planning and formulation to delivery of concrete and sustainable results. This includes programmes aimed at improving (a) public policies to reduce child poverty; (b) social protection coverage and impact on children; (c) the transparency, adequacy, equity and efficiency of child-focused public investments and financial management; and 

(d) governance, decentralization and accountability measures to increase public participation and the quality, equity and coverage of social services. This encompasses both direct programme work with government and civil society partners as well as linkages and support to teams working on education, health, child protection, water and sanitation, and Nutrition. He/ she will also lead on cross-cutting issues such as gender and youth and adolescent development and support the Chief Field Office and other programme sections with advocacy and influencing of public policy making and public budgetary allocations.

How can you make a difference? 

UNICEF Pakistan will collaborate with provincial departments, particularly Planning and Finance, along with public sector stakeholders, standing committees, and the CRC parliamentary group. The objective is to advocate for evidence-based practices in child-centered spending, budget planning, and the execution of public sector programs and schemes. UNICEF Pakistan is seeking a Social Policy and Development Specialist to provide technical support and assistance, aiding the Social Policy Section in conducting high-level policy advocacy, capacity building, evidence generation, and partnership building to advance the PF4C and Social Protection agenda at the national and provincial levels.

Duties & Responsibilities: 

1. Analysis of the development context and emerging development issues in the province to position UNICEF in the advancement of children’s rights.

• Undertake robust analysis of emerging development contexts including the macroeconomic, social, political, cultural and political economy issues and dynamics, structures, norms and power relations and how they affect the development, implementation and financing of social sector policies, laws, and to optimize impacts on children especially the most vulnerable.

2. Advocate for increased and efficient use of public financial resources for children.

• Facilitate and undertake budget analysis to inform UNICEF’s advocacy and technical assistance to the departments responsible for Finance, planning and budget, and social sector ministries / departments to improve equitable allocations for essential services for children.

• Monitor and update current information on provincial budgeting and spending patterns for social programs and decentralization status of social service on an ongoing basis to support advocacy for greater public resource and budget allocations for social development, the prioritization of resource allocation for children and universal coverage of essential services for children, to ensure that they reflect best interest of children.

• Undertake and build capacity of partners for improved monitoring and tracking of public expenditure to support transparency, accountability, and effective financial flows for essential service delivery, including through support to district level planning, budgeting and public financial management as well as facilitating community participation.

3. Strengthening social protection coverage and impact for children and identify intersectoral linkages

• Support the development of social protection policies, legislation and programmes with attention to increasing coverage of and impact on children, with special attention the most marginalized. Identify, generate and present evidence to support this goal in collaboration with partners.

• Promote strengthening of integrated social protection systems, providing technical support to partners to improve the design of cash transfers and child grants and improve linkages with other social protection interventions such as health insurance, public works and social care services as well as complementary services and intervention related to nutrition, health, education, water and sanitation, child protection and HIV.

• Undertake improved monitoring and research around social protection impact on child outcomes and use of data and research findings for strengthening programme results.

4. Improving data on child poverty & vulnerability for increased use for policy and programme action

• Support the collection, analysis and user-friendly presentation of data on multidimensional and monetary child poverty, including strengthening national capacity to collect routinely, report and use data for policy decision-making.

• Provide timely, regular data-driven analysis for effective prioritization, planning, and development; facilitate results-based management for planning, adjusting, and scaling-up specific social policy initiatives to reduce child poverty.

5. Strengthened advocacy and partnerships for child-sensitive social policy

• Support correct and compelling use of data and evidence on the situation of children and coverage and impact of child focused services – in support of the social policy programme and the country programme overall.

• Establish effective partnerships with the Government, bilateral and multilateral donors, NGOs, civil society and local leaders, the private sector, and other UN agencies to support sustained and proactive commitment to the Convention of the Rights of the Child and to achieve global UN agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals.

• Identify other critical partners, promote awareness and builds capacity of partners, and actively facilitate effective collaboration within the UN family.

6. UNICEF Programme Management

• Manage and coordinate technical support around child poverty, social protection, public finance and governance ensuring it is well planned, monitored, and implemented in a timely fashion so as to adequately support scale-up and delivery. Ensure risk analysis and risk mitigation are embedded into overall management of the support, in close consultation with UNICEF programme sections, Cooperating Partners, and governments.
• Support and contribute to effective and efficient planning, management, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of thematic, cross sectoral and the evaluation of the country programme with focus on provincial priorities. Ensure that the social planning project enhances policy dialogue, planning, supervision, technical advice, management, training, research and support; and that the monitoring and evaluation component strengthens monitoring and evaluation of the social sectors and provides support to sectoral and decentralized information systems.
• Support CFO and provincial sections in maximizing results for children through convergence and integration of programme actions.
• Leveraging external resources through promoting non-transactional partnerships and collaboration with other stakeholders

7. Support to the Evaluation and Research function at Field office and PCO

• Support programme sections to identify strategic public sector initiatives and projects for in- depth research and impact evaluations, lessons learned, and knowledge building.

• Provide technical and coordination support to the social policy section in the evaluation activities including close coordination with the government and implementing partners during data collection.

• Coordinate and provide technical support for any studies planned by the social policy section.

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

Minimum requirements:

Education:

• An advance university degree (Master’s or above) in one of the following fields is required: Economics, MBA, Public Policy, Social Sciences, or another relevant technical field. (Development Studies, Economics, Public Policy, Social policy, Anthropology, Political science, International Relations.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of 05 years of relevant professional experience in the field of finance, economics, public policies, evidence generation, data and research in development or government sector.
• Demonstrated experience on producing analysis on political economy, Public Financial Management and other social risk issues.
• Demonstrated experience in working with multiple stakeholders across partners and governments.

Skills:

• Demonstrated skills on Public Financial Management policy analysis and advisory expertise to advance UNICEF agenda with government counterparts who lead the planning, financing and governance for essential social services for children.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required. 

Desirables:

• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.
• Experience of working with UN agencies is an asset.
• Knowledge of 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…

(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 committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

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 females, persons with disabilities and suitable candidates from underrepresented groups 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.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

Visa residence requirements: i.e.: 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.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.