Programme Officer

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Description

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the guidance of the supervisor, and in close collaboration with the different sections, the incumbent will provide professional technical assistance and support for programme design, planning and implementation, management and evaluation of programme/project activities, data analysis and progress reporting, in support of programme goals and objectives. Specifically, the Officer will support UNICEF engagement on environment and climate for and with children across Early Childhood Development, education, child protection, adolescent development, social policy programme components.

Major Responsibilities:

Knowledge Management for Programmes

• Contribute to country programmes by supporting knowledge management through providing professional assistance in data collection and analysis, complete and accurate reporting as well as participation in the Programme Knowledge Network system of “lessons learned” and other corporate-level databases.
• Participate in information exchange with partners as well as in the development of training and orientation material by providing professional technical assistance. Participate in the preparation of, and making professional contribution to, the preparation of programme reports required for the management.

Programme Development and Management

• Provide professional technical assistance in the preparation of the Situation Analysis for programme development and management by collecting and analyzing data and monitoring implementation progress. Contribute to the identification of critical intervention points and measures by administering a consistent and transparent monitoring system; analyse country level socio-political-economic trends and their implications for ongoing programmes and projects. Draft or prepare programme work plans as required. Propose adjustments/changes in work plans. Propose program recommendations for inclusion in formal programme documentation, and new approaches, methods and practices for supervisor.

Optimum Use of Program Funds

• Monitors programme implementation progress and compliance.  Monitors the allocation and disbursement of programme funds, making sure that funds are properly coordinated, monitored and liquidated. Takes appropriate recommendations or actions to optimize use of programme funds. 

Programme Monitoring and Evaluations

• Undertakes field visits to monitor and assess programme implementation and decides on required corrective action.
• Collaborate with partners to carry out a rigorous and transparent approach to evaluation and participate in the major programme evaluation exercises in consultation with the Representative, the Operations Officer, the Evaluation Officer and others to improve efficiency and quality of programme delivery. Participate in annual sector review meetings with government counterparts.  Collaborate and prepare annual program status reports in a timely manner, as required.
• Rights-Based and Results-Based Programme Management Approach
• Support a rights-based programmes approach in the formulation of programme goals and objectives and development of strategies and implementation frameworks. Collaborate with partners and assist in the strengthening of quality child rights-based programmes through consistent and effective planning, design, implementation, monitoring and/or evaluation of programmes and projects. Contribute to coherence, synergy and added value to the programming planning and design processes using a results-based management approach to programme planning and design.
• Provide professional technical assistance in preparing viable recommendations on project implementation, alternative approaches, new initiatives and optimal utilization of resources that contribute effectively to the fulfilment of the rights of children and women.
• Evidence generation, situation analysis and technical guidance to staff and programme partners on climate change and environmental risks facing children.
• Map and maintain overall knowledge on the policies and regulatory frameworks, institutions, programme activities and partnerships, including at subnational level, relevant to child rights realization from the perspective of environment and climate.
• Identify objectives, actions and best practices for protecting children from climate change and environmental risk globally and locally and provide necessary technical assistance and capacity development to staff and partners for their adoption.
• Coordinate identification and addressing of gaps in the evidence base around the impact of climate change on child rights in Thailand across ECD, education, child protection, adolescent development, social policy and social protection programmes in the country.
• National and Local Capacity Building/Sustainability
• Provide government authorities with technical assistance and support in planning and organizing training programmes for the purpose of capacity building and programme sustainability.
• Promote and maintain the building and reinforcing of the commitment and institutional capacities of the national and local partners by identifying these partners and partnerships and providing continuous support, coordination and collaboration for sustainability.

Rights Perspective and Advocacy at the National, Community and Family Levels

• Analyze programme related issues and policies from a children’s and women’s rights perspective and  advocacy at the community and family levels for elevating credibility in national policy debates. Promote the organization goals of UNICEF through active advocacy and communication.
• Advocacy, Partnership, Coordination and Collaboration.
• Facilitate partnership and collaboration with internal and external counterparts, including those of the UN and national partners, in order to improve the ability to collect and disseminate development data and information, exchange information on programme/project status and implementation and movement/distribution of supplies. Establish and maintain linkage to the Regional Programme Knowledge Network to ensure the availability of current and accurate programme data.
• Collaborate with the Operations Section to establish and maintain sound internal controls supportive of programming endeavours and to coordinate financial and supply management requirements and accountability.  Approve allocation and disbursement of funds ensuring they are properly coordinated, monitored and liquidated in accordance with the programme budget allotments (PBA).
• Maintain close collaboration with Regional Advisers and HQ Officers for overall coordination.
• Provide professional support in provision of technical advice, negotiation, advocacy and promotion of area/country level goals, leading to agreement on practicable and priority actions to be supported by the UNICEF programme and advancing UNICEF’s environment and climate action portfolio.
• Support communication, dissemination of evidence, and awareness raising regarding climate change, environmental degradation and child rights in Thailand and provide grounded inputs into key national climate and environment policy dialogues.
• Identify partners and entry points for strategic engagement and policy advocacy regarding climate change impact on children for engagement including sun-national level. Establish close collaboration with national and subnational authorities, NGOs community groups, other partners and children themselves to keep abreast with climate-related initiatives and efforts, collect information, identify problems and constrains, and advocate for tangible solutions for children.
• Support the development of platforms and opportunities that empower children as agents of changes with an active role in addressing climate-related risks by exercising their views, opinions and concerns, identifying and working on solutions and promoting environmentally sustainable lifestyles.
• Identify funding opportunities and support UNICEF programmes in accessing climate-related funding from existing and emerging sources, including public private partnerships, innovative climate finance and leveraging of non-financial contributions for climate aims. Develop concept notes for fundraising for climate change adaptation and mitigation proposal as well as inputs to proposals from all programmes as needed.

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

Education:

• A university degree in one of the following fields is required: climate change, environment, sustainable development.

Experience:

• A minimum of two years of relevant professional work experience is required.
• Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset.
• Background/familiarity with emergency is considered as an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and Thai (written and verbal) is required. (A valid TOEIC score of at least 855: Listening and Reading section is required.)
• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

Source: https://jobs.unicef.org/en-us/job/573813/programme-officer-environment-and-climate-action-nob-fixedterm-unicef-thailand-country-office-job-no-573813

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