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.

Click here to experience our country through the perspective of our colleagues by clicking on this Link

For every child, Protection!

Overall objective

The overall objective of the post is to ensure quality assurance and promote the creation of a protective environment for children including prevention of child recruitment and use by armed groups, and other grave violations against children and women. The incumbent will also provide technical guidance and leadership in strengthening of a community-based reintegration of children and women exiting armed groups as well as those being released from the military administrative custody. The role will also contribute in strengthening the partnership between the military and the UN system in the implementation of the HOP that will assist in handling of children encountered by the military in the course of their engagement with the armed groups. This will include extensive mass awareness sessions that will empower the community in developing safety measures and improve their ability to monitor, document and report on grave child rights violations as well as in promoting prevention of these violations especially on recruitment and use of children and forced marriage of girls by the armed groups.

How can you make a difference? 

Major tasks and responsibilities to be accomplished: Under the direct supervision of the Child Protection Program Manager and under the overall guidance of the Chief Child Protection, the Child Protection Specialist will be responsible for the provision of quality oversight on the following.

1. Provide support to the implementation of a community-based reintegration programme

• Support the Child Protection Manager in drafting donor proposals and concept notes to raise funds for child Protection Section.
• Provide capacity building, awareness raising and advocacy on prevention and promotion of protection of children through creation of a protective environment in the community.
• Technical support to the government and partners in including quality assurance on the implementation of the skill training program for children enrolled in vocational training centers in the three BAY States.
• Conduct regular monitoring to tracks the progress of community recovery plans, assesses the impact of multi-sectoral interventions in the community, and inform ongoing release of children from armed groups and administrative custody, their reunification and reintegration back into the community.
• Ensuring children in humanitarian situations have timely and sustained access to quality preventive and responsive child protection services at the community level such as rehabilitation, reunification and reintegration including those released or escaped from armed groups as a preventive measure to being victims of grave child rights violations.
• Provide technical guidance and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners on strengthening community-based structures that support vocational and skills training for children released from armed groups as a way of equipping them with skills training that would help them rebuild their lives as a way of keeping them from joining armed groups.
• Participate in child protection program meetings including program development and contingency planning discussions on emergency preparedness in Northeast region to provide technical and operational information, advice and support as appropriate.
• Capacity building to the community on their role in identifying and addressing the needs relating to their children and how best they can foster peace and unity within their community especially with those who have been reintegrated back into the community from armed groups.
• Supporting the coordination and implementation of an inter-sectoral social norms change strategy to end violence against children including child marriage, FGM/C and other harmful traditional practices in the community and promote creating of protective environment for children against these harmful practices.

2. Strengthen coordination and Networking.

• Strengthen collaboration with other Programs to ensure synergies and linkages between reintegration activities and other sectors including education, health etc.
• Participate in strategic program discussion on the planning of child protection programs/projects including provision of quality inputs in the formulation of project activities and workplans.
• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with relevant government counterparts, State level stakeholders through active networking, advocacy, and effective communication to build capacity, exchange knowledge/expertise and to reinforce cooperation to achieve sustainable and broad results in child protection.
• Ensure exchange of information, experience, identify new strategies and course of action to accelerate/improve relevant data collection, reporting and analysis.
• Conduct field visits to monitor programs and collect information as appropriate.
• Conduct periodic program reviews with the Military, Government counterparts and other partners.
• Provide technical guidance and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and country office partners/donors on the interpretation, application and understanding of UNICEF various guidelines on children affected by armed conflict.
• Collaborate in the preparation of communication and information materials to support efforts to prevent grave child right violations against children.

3. Provide oversight of the handover protocol and other instruments for the release of children formerly associated with armed groups and those in detention.

• Provide technical support in stakeholder consultation session with relevant military, government and child protection stakeholders to orient them on the HOP implementation activities.
• Strengthening legislative and institutional frameworks to protect vulnerable children exposed to violence, abuse and exploitation including children under the administrative custody of the military and advocate for their rehabilitation, reunification and reintegration.
• Strengthening capacities of the military, government and key stakeholders, including social welfare and justice services that prevent and respond to violence against children especially affected by the armed conflict including those in administrative custody of the military.
• Conduct regular engagement with the key government entities including the military and Ministry of Women Affairs to ensure children released from military administrative custody receive relevant support in timely manner for a smooth transition into being successfully reintegrated back into the community.
• Provide regular analysis assessing trends and measure outcomes relating to the achievement of project targets to help in address identified gaps in the HOP implementation.
• Ensure overall planning and management of the child release and reintegration programme, including prevention of child recruitment and implementation of Action Plans with armed groups; ▪ Support the handover of children and women associated with non-state armed groups to state entities and to ensure their safe, supported safe return and reintegration and recovery from their experiences.
• In collaboration with the military, identify and conduct training of trainers (TOT) to the master trainers who will be providing the training in various military institutions including the military academy in Maiduguri on the operationalization and implementation of the HOP and other child protection related topics.

4. Strengthening of the MEAL framework for programme monitoring and accountability.

• Provide regular monitoring and analysis assessing trends and measure outcomes relating to achievement of project targets to help in address identified gaps in the trend analysis.
• Support the section in responding to periodic reporting requirements from CO, RO and HQ as needed.
• Collaborate with MEAL team of UNICEF and the CP team in Maiduguri and CO to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators and measurement to assess/strengthen performance accountability, coherence, and delivery of concrete and sustainable results for the assigned sector in child protection programs.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, program reviews and annual reviews with government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required action/interventions to achieve results.
• Conduct regular field monitoring visits, surveys and/or exchange of information with partners/stakeholders to monitor implementation of the HOP activities to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.
• In collaboration with the Information Management Officer, produce quarterly info graphs capturing numbers (disaggregated by sex) of children and women released from administrative custody who are benefiting from rehabilitation and reintegration support.
• The incumbent will have a contractual obligation to ensure the confidentiality of all the data and contributes to the achievement of results according to plans, allocation, results-based management approaches and methodology (RBM), and UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance and accountability framework.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: [ Final TOR_P3_TA_CP Specialist_Maiduguri.docx.pdf]

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

Minimum requirements:

Education: An advanced university degree in conflict management, international law/human rights law, protection is preferred or a university degree in Social Work, development studies or any other related field (with at least two additional years of work experience)

Work Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years’ experience with the UN and/or NGOs, with a significant portion in child protection is required; specific experience in working with the military (preferable) or in a conflict environment is preferred.
• Knowledge of national and international Child Rights legislation, frameworks and standards relating to Nigeria.
• Work experience within the context of conflict or emergency setting will be an added advantage.
• Good technical understanding and familiarity with children and armed conflict.
• Demonstrable training and capacity building skills for a range of stakeholders. 

Language Requirements:

• Strong communication skills - both oral and written in English.
• Working knowledge of the local languages is an asset.

Desirables:

• 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 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 female 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.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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.