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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.

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For every child, the right to a Future

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF Ukraine has an established cash transfer programme, supporting vulnerable and conflict-affected children and families, with particular attention to those living in frontline and other high-risk areas. Since the onset of the full-scale war in 2022, UNICEF Ukraine has provided cash assistance to almost 1.9 million people, including 1.1 million children, for a total of USD 440 million, through a combination of parallel humanitarian delivery mechanisms, mixed approaches and government systems. The programme currently includes four cash interventions: multi-purpose cash assistance, emergency protection cash assistance, winter cash assistance and shock-responsive cash assistance.

The cash transfer programme is an important component of UNICEF Ukraine's humanitarian response and is also increasingly linked to the strengthening of national (shock-responsive) social protection systems. UNICEF is supporting the gradual transition, where appropriate, from parallel humanitarian cash delivery towards greater use of government-led systems, while maintaining appropriate response mechanisms and capacities for residual humanitarian caseloads.

The Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity (MoSPFU) is a key government partner in this transition. UNICEF is supporting the operationalization and use of the Ministry's Humanitarian and Resilience Account as a mechanism for channelling earmarked external resources through government systems for emergency and shock-responsive cash assistance. The transition requires close technical and operational coordination between UNICEF, MoSPFU, the Pension Fund of Ukraine and other government entities, donors, UN agencies and humanitarian partners.

Purpose for the job:

Under the supervision of the Programme Specialist - Cash Transfers (which is the Head of the Cash Transfer Programme), the Social Policy Specialist (Cash Transfers), hereinafter referred to as the Cash Transfer Specialist, will contribute to the planning, design, implementation, monitoring and continuous improvement of UNICEF's four cash transfer interventions, delivered through parallel, mixed and government systems: multi-purpose cash assistance, emergency protection cash assistance, winter cash assistance and shock-responsive cash assistance.

The position will provide technical and operational support across the full programme cycle, including programme design, targeting and registration, community engagement and accountability to affected populations, monitoring and verification, risk identification and mitigation, coordination with implementing partners and government counterparts, analysis of programme performance, documentation of lessons learned and reporting.

The position will also support UNICEF's engagement with the Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity and other government counterparts on the gradual transition of humanitarian cash towards a government-led shock-responsive social protection response, including the continued scale up of the Humanitarian and Resilience Account and its use for emergency cash responses.

The position will contribute to ensuring that cash delivery is timely, accountable, transparent, risk-informed and aligned with humanitarian principles and UNICEF programme standards. The position will work closely with the emergency team, field offices and relevant programme and cross-cutting sections, as well as government counterparts, donors, UN agencies, humanitarian partners and cash coordination mechanisms.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities: 

1. Support implementation and management of the humanitarian cash transfer programme
2. Contribute to Government-led cash delivery and shock-responsive social protection
3. Monitoring, verification, risk management and programme quality
4. Accountability to affected populations (AAP) and community engagement for cash assistance responses
5. Partnerships and coordination
6. Evidence, reporting, learning and resource mobilization

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  JD Social Policy Specialist (Cash Transfers).pdf

To qualify as a/an [champion or advocate] for every child you will have… 

Minimum requirements:
1. Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Economics, Law, Public Policy, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Science, Public Administration, Development Studies or another relevant technical field.
2. Work Experience: At least 5 years of relevant work experience in Cash Transfer Programmming, Social Protection, Humanitarian Programming, Programme Management or a related field.
3. Skills: Strong analytical, coordination, communication and interpersonal skills, with demonstrated ability to work effectively with multiple stakeholders and across technical and operational functions.
4. Language Requirements: Fluency in Ukrainian and English is required. 

Desirables:
1. Experience in the design, implementation and monitoring of cash transfer programmes is considered a strong asset.
2. Experience collaborating with the Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity is considered a strong asset.
3. Experience coordinating with government counterparts, donors, UN agencies, NGOs and humanitarian coordination mechanisms is considered as an asset.
4. Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language.
5. Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

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

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 promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

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 are conditional on the selected candidates willingness to comply with current or future vaccination requirements, should UNICEF mandate it for personnel. Failure to comply with such requirements, where applicable and without a duly approved medical exemption from the relevant UN authority, will result in the cancellation of the selection or may lead to other administrative measures, including separation from service.

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 is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable people with disabilities 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.