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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.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to Inclusive Development

UNICEF Lebanon operates in a highly complex and protracted crisis context marked by economic collapse, fiscal constraints, political instability, and growing social vulnerabilities. The Country Office’s main focus is aimed at mitigating the impact of the crisis on children and vulnerable populations through strengthening social protection systems, improving access to essential services, and supporting evidence-based, child-sensitive social policies. A key priority is supporting inclusive recovery efforts by strengthening public finance systems, improving budget transparency and accountability, and promoting equitable investments in children across sectors.

The Social Policy Section plays a central role in advancing these objectives by generating and translating evidence on child poverty, promoting child-sensitive social protection and public finance reforms, and supporting policy dialogue and institutional capacity-building for inclusive development.

Under the general guidance of the supervisor, the Social Policy Officer is accountable for providing technical support and assistance in all stages of social policy programming and related advocacy from strategic planning and formulation to delivery of concrete and sustainable results. This includes programmes aimed at:
(a) improving public finance for children and policy making for inclusive recovery,
(b) raising awareness and evidence on child poverty and vulnerability,
(c) strengthening the national social protection system.

The overall objective of the position is to contribute towards the realization of child rights priorities in line with the CRC. This encompasses both direct programme and policy work with government and civil society partners as well as linkages and analytical support to teams working on education, nutrition, health, child protection, and water and sanitation.

How can you make a difference? 

Key Responsibilities & Duties
The Social Policy Officer would provide technical support in all stages of social policy programmes, to strengthen evidence-based policymaking, child-sensitive public finance, and social protection systems. The role supports policy analysis, technical dialogue, and coordination with Government of Lebanon counterparts, civil society organizations, and development partners, in the areas outlined below:

1. Public Finance for Children
• Undertake and support budget and public expenditure analysis to inform UNICEF advocacy and programme priorities, and to strengthen evidence-based policy decisions on child-focused investments.
• Provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Finance and relevant social sector ministries to strengthen core public finance and planning functions, and to improve the adequacy, equity, and efficiency of budget allocations for essential services affecting children.
• Work closely with the Institute of Finance to strengthen transparency and accountability in public finance, including support to public expenditure analysis and capacity-building of civil society, and youth on the national budget process and participation.

2. Child Poverty
• Support the generation and dissemination of evidence on child wellbeing, including the preparation of clear, user-friendly data products and analytical outputs (such as papers and briefs) to inform policy dialogue, programme design, and decision-making.
• Leverage evidence and strategic communication to support children’s rights and child-focused reforms, engaging policymakers, civil society, media, and the general public to strengthen public understanding and inform policy debate.

3. Social Protection
• Support the development and implementation of the National Social Protection Strategy Action Plan (2026–2028), including contributing to coordination and consultation processes, providing technical review of consultants’ deliverables, and supporting the team as required.
• Support research and analysis related to social protection, and promote the use of data and evidence to strengthen programme design, implementation, and results.
• Support the strengthening and development of the national social assistance system, including contributing to policy and programme design, engagement with government and partners, and integration of shock-responsive social protection approaches.

4. Policy Analysis & Advocacy
• Support the strategic use of data and evidence on the situation of children to inform social policy programming, advocacy, and the overall country programme.
• Monitor and analyze social, political, and economic developments affecting children and vulnerable groups, and contribute to internal knowledge-sharing, including the preparation and delivery of socio-economic update sessions in coordination with contracted local think tanks.
• Support evidence-based policy dialogue and advocacy by convening state and non-state actors to foster debate and consensus around child poverty and child-sensitive policy reforms in Lebanon, in coordination with contracted local think tanks.

5. Local Governance
• Support the Local Governance Specialist, as required, in advancing child-sentive local budgeting processes to ensure that planning and service delivery better respond to the needs of children and local communities.
• Support the Local Governance Specialist, as required, in the preparation and implementation of engagement activities, including roadshows, with local authorities and stakeholders.

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Advanced university degree (Master’s level or equivalent) in Economics, Public Policy, Social Policy, Development Studies, Public Administration, Political Science, or a closely related field. Formal training or academic specialization in public finance, social protection systems, poverty, or social policy, or applied policy analysis, is a strong asset.
• Work Experience:
  • Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in social policy, public finance, or social protection, with strong grounding in Lebanon’s socio-economic and institutional context is required.
  • Proven experience engaging with Government of Lebanon institutions to support policy dialogue, reform, and coordination is required.
  • Practical experience supporting the design, implementation, and reform of social protection and social assistance programmes in Lebanon, including system strengthening and national strategies and action plans.
  • Strong analytical, drafting, and communication skills in Arabic and English are required.
  • Prior experience with UN agencies, international financial institutions, academic institutions, or NGOs in Lebanon is considered a strong asset.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in Arabic and English is required. Knowledge of French or any other UN language is considered 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 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 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.

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.

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.