Social Policy Specialist, NO3, Fixed Term, Cotabato City, 126754

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world’s leading children’s rights organization would like to hear from you. UNICEF Philippines is looking for a Social Policy Specialist who would provide professional technical, operational, and administrative assistance in the programming process for UNICECF’s Mindanao Field Office (MFO) in Cotabato City.

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.

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

For every child, a fair chance

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have worked in the Philippines continuously since 1948.

UNICEF’s vision for every child in the Philippines is intimately linked to the realization of several Sustainable Development Goals and the promise to leave no one behind.  By 2030, we want to see that no child in the Philippines suffers from hunger; that every child has access to good health services, quality education opportunities, clean water and toilets; and children grow up protected and develop in an inclusive, just and peaceful society.

Since its establishment, UNICEF has been helping the Philippine government to strengthen national policies, programmes and services to ensure that all Filipino children enjoy their rights. UNICEF supports the Government to extend the coverage and implementation of policies and legislation that benefit children and the most disadvantaged; to support the implementation of positive budget reforms and leverage the considerable fiscal space; to innovate and adapt national programmes to support inclusivity and relevance in diverse remote rural areas, impoverished urban areas, hazard and conflict-prone areas; and to strengthen national capacity to monitor change for children.

As an impartial partner, we are mandated to work with both state and non-state actors to protect the rights and promote the wellbeing of every child. We have successfully worked through many Government reforms in the Philippines, and we continue to work with the national government, its different agencies, and departments, and with local government units and authorities, including the Bangsamoro Transition Authority in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

UNICEF’s capacity, technical skills and structure allow us to work effectively with policy and decision-makers and be among the first responders to humanitarian crisis. It allows us to assess and respond quickly to the priorities and needs of communities in the most remote and underserved areas of the country. 

Visit this link for more information on UNICEF in the Philippines https://www.unicef.org/philippines/

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the Chief, Mindanao Field Office with technical guidance and direction from the Chief, Social Policy in Manila, the Social Policy Specialist is accountable for providing technical support and assistance in all stages of social policy programming and related advocacy in UNICEF priority areas of programming in BARMM, 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 for children and their caregivers, including shock-responsive social protection; (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.

The Social Policy Specialist will have the following Tasks and Responsibilities:

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

2. Strengthening social protection coverage and impact for children, including shock-responsive social protection.

3. Improving use of public financial resources for children.

4. Strengthening capacity of local governments to plan, budget, consult on and monitor child-focused social services.

5. Strengthening evidence informed advocacy and partnerships for child-sensitive social policy.

6. UNICEF Programme Management

*A complete Job description may be found in this  Social_Policy_Specialist_Level_3_(1).pdf outlining the specific tasks aligned to the responsibilities.

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

The following minimum requirements:

• Education:

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: Economics, Public Policy, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Science, or another relevant technical field.

*A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.

• Work Experience:

• A minimum of five (5) years of professional experience in Social Policy Programmes
• Experience working in local governance and public finance management system building
• Familiarity on local planning and budgeting processes

• Language Requirements: Fluency in English and Pilipino (oral and written) is required.

The following desirables:

• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.

How to apply

Qualified candidates are requested to complete an online candidate profile in http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/ by 22 April 2024. Only applications sent through the e-recruitment portal under job no.  570968 will be considered.

By applying through our Talent Management System (TMS) you agree to our privacy statement which is in line with the Philippines’ Data Privacy Act. You are strongly advised to read carefully through the privacy statement before submitting your application.

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 [add the 8^th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for a supervisory role]. 

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.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable Male candidates 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. 

CO/ HQ specific: 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.

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.