Administrative Associate (Accountability), GS6, Temporary Appointment 364 days, # 127544, Damascus – Syria, MENA

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, opportunity

UNICEF Syria was established in 1970 and has been working with partners to help empower children to fully claim and enjoy their rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

UNICEF works with partners across Syria to deliver supplies, services, and expertise in areas of Child Protection, Education, Health, Nutrition, Water, Hygiene and Sanitation for every child. UNICEF also provides humanitarian assistance when needed.

Syria continues to face one of the most complex emergencies in the world. Unprecedented humanitarian needs are compounded by displacement inside the country and across its borders, extensive destruction of civilian and social services infrastructure, devastating impacts on the economy, and most importantly, the breakdown of the social fabric that stitched the country together for decades.

Today, 90% of people in Syria live in poverty, most are unable to make ends meet or bring food to the table. Families have had their resources depleted, with limited employment opportunities, skyrocketing prices, and shortage of basic supplies. For most people, the current socio-economic challenges represent some of the harshest and most challenging circumstances they have faced since the beginning of the crisis 11 years ago.

In 2022, 14.6 million people need humanitarian assistance. This is the highest number of people in need ever recorded in Syria since 2011. The number of children in need – more than 6.5 million – has increased by seven per cent in the past year alone. This is largely due the ongoing conflict, continued displacements, the unprecedented economic crisis, deepening poverty, and unemployment. The COVID-19 pandemic, the hike in price of commodities triggered by the overall global economic situation and the impact of sanctions are further compounding the dire situation.

How can you make a difference?

Under the general guidance and supervision of the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, you will contribute to enhancing SCO’s accountability to affected populations by supporting the smooth operation of the Service Line, ensuring calls are received and logged as per the expected quality; providing information where available; supporting the resolution of more complex cases through the engagement of Programme Officers; documenting the process in line with UNICEF data privacy policies; supervising the monitoring assistants; leading the office AAP working group; representing the office in the regional and inter-agency working groups; and engaging with communities and collecting feedback.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Administrative Coordination of the Service Line.

• Receiving, responding to, and logging feedback, suggestions, information requests and/or complaints received as per the Service Line standard operating procedure (SOP).
• Facilitating the day-to-day supervision of the Monitoring Assistants.
• Following up regularly with Programme Officers for the resolution of cases, as required.
• Ensuring the quality of cases entered into the Service Line database, in line with UNICEF data privacy and protection policies.
• Supporting the expansion of the Service Line through the coordination of the printing and delivery of awareness materials as well as sending bulk SMS.
• Supporting other office-wide AAP efforts including, but not limited to, training UNICEF and partner staff on suggestion/complaint boxes and providing administrative support for the improvement of referral pathways.

2. Office Planning & Project Management

• Develop and review AAP related work plans and SoPs, both on organizational and inter-agency level.
• Ensures the availability and quality of tools to ensure timely progress on the organizational and inter-agency work plans/projects.
• Undertakes community feedback surveys and focus group discussions and performs analysis of project/programme related data.
• Monitors AAP project implementation against established milestones and makes recommendations to improve performance.
• Helps ensure timely compliance with agreed deadlines.

3. Communications & Workflow

• Lead the office AAP working group and propose solutions to improve AAP mechanisms across the programmes.
• Manages the AAP system by engaging with programmes and ensuring responding to all received cases.
• Highlighting serious red flags to concerned parties’ attention (like PSEA)

To qualify as a champion for every child you will have the below requirement:

Education:

Completion of secondary education is required, preferably supplemented by technical or university courses related to the field of work.  For this position, a bachelor’s degree from a recognized academic institution in a relevant field may replace three years of related work experience. A master’s degree may replace additional two years.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of six (6) years of relevant administrative or clerical work experience is required.
• Experience in humanitarian organization is desirable.
• Experience in accountability to affected populations field is desirable. 
• Experience in providing trainings and supervision is desirable.
• Experience in field work and interaction with people is desirable.

Language Proficiency:

Fluency in English and Arabic is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

Desired Skills

• Proven ability to work well with people.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills.
• Basic knowledge of humanitarian principles.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter Here

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

1. Builds and maintains partnerships. (1)
2. Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness. (1)
3. Drive to achieve results for impact. (1)
4. Innovates and embraces change. (1)
5. Manages ambiguity and complexity. (1)
6. Thinks and acts strategically. (1)
7. Works collaboratively with others. (1)

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: Here

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. A diverse and inclusive workforce is part of UNICEF’s DNA

tendersglobal.net UNICEF Careers, irrespective of their raceethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a Compensation, benefits and wellbeing tendersglobal.net UNICEF Careers including parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation for job candidates and personnel with disabilities tendersglobal.net UNICEF Careers, UNCIEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

“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 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.”.

Remarks:

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

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

“The VA is open to all (internal and external candidates)”

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government 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.