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, hope.

Child Protection Programme in UNICEF Serbia works towards ensuring that all children can live in a safe, non-violent and caring environment and are protected from all forms of violence, exploitation, abuse and harmful practices. It builds on strategic partnerships and results achieved in the previous period, addressing the remaining gaps and challenges in the areas of prevention of child-family separation, improvement of alternative formal care options, protection of children from violence, ending harmful child marriage practice and strengthening justice for children. Its work is aligned with key national policies.

Given its cross-sectoral nature, the programme closely cooperates with the social welfare and justice line ministries, as well as with relevant nongovernment and international partners to further contribute to strengthening the enabling environment, building capacity for quality service delivery and empowering children and their families to claim their rights. It also works to ensure synergies across sectors in advancing child protection of Serbia, including addressing education inclusion, early childhood development, prevention of violence, adolescent empowerment, protection of children affected by migration and child rights monitoring.

Key components of the UNICEF Serbia Child Protection Programme are:

• Social service workforce strengthening to provide quality, inclusive family strengthening services and alternative care,
• System strengthening so caregivers and children to have the knowledge and means to seek support relating to VAC and professionals have the capacity to provide inclusive, cross-sectoral support and rehabilitation,
• Support to strengthening social and justice sectors to divert children in conflict with the law, to implement early implementation programmes and ensure all court proceedings are child sensitive.

How can you make a difference?

The Child Protection Specialist supports the development and preparation of the Child Protection programme(s) and is responsible for the management, implementation, monitoring, reporting, and evaluation of the child protection programmes/projects within the country programme. The Specialist provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes. He/she facilitates the administration and achievement of concrete and sustainable contributions to national and international efforts to create a protective environment for children against all harm, and to protect their rights to survival, development and wellbeing as established under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, international treaties/frameworks and UN intergovernmental bodies. The Specialist 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.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

• Support to programme/project development and planning
• Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results
• Technical and operational support to programme implementation
• Networking and partnership building
• Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

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

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: international development, human rights, psychology, social work, sociology, international law, or another relevant social science 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.
• A minimum of five years of relevant professional experience in social development planning and management in child protection related areas is required.
• Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset.
• Relevant experience in programme development in child protection related areas in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
• Experience in both development and humanitarian contexts is considered as an added advantage.
• Advanced level of English is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

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: UNICEF Values

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 (8) Nurtures, leads and manages people

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

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 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.

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Appointments are also 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 cancelled.

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.

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 medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.