Early Childhood Development Specialist – P3

Unicef Panama Country Office is looking for a seasoned ECD Specialist to supports the coordinated development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of ECD programmes/projects within the Country Programme. UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, whether you identify as a person of color, a woman, an individual with disabilities, or any other underrepresented groups, we encourage you to apply for our open positions.
 

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 champion

Guided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UNICEF Strategic Plan, 2018?2021, the programme addresses barriers to the full realization of children’s rights, with a focus on the most vulnerable, particularly indigenous and Afrodescendent peoples, migrants and rural populations. 

The general objective of the UNICEF programme 2021-2025 is to support the Government so that, from early childhood to adolescence, opportunities are created in an equitable manner and without violence, allowing children and adolescents to grow and develop fully, with no left one behind. 

The UNICEF programme for Panama will prioritize: (a) Early childhood development; (b) Adolescent development and participation; (c) Protection of children and adolescents. 

 

Purpose for the Job:

The ECD Specialist reports to the Deputy Representative for guidance and general supervision. The Specialist supports the coordinated development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of ECD programmes/projects within the Country Programme. The Specialist provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes to facilitate the administration and achievement of results on ECD related programmes/projects.

The Specialist contributes to the achievement of concrete and sustainable results on ECD related programmes/projects according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM) and UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance and accountability framework.

How can you make a difference?

 Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Support to ECD programme/project development and planning

• Support the preparation, design and updating of the situation analysis and assessments on ECD related issues to establish evidence-based data to support holistic policy and programme development, as well as coordinated planning, implementation, and monitoring of early childhood development programmes/projects within the country programme.

   

• Keep abreast of national, regional and international development priorities to identify opportunities where ECD can enhance inter-sector partnership, integration and linkages
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• Participate in CO programme discussion to determine areas for ECD integration/intervention. Contribute to the formulation, design and preparation of the Country Programme to ensure integration of ECD in a holistic manner across programme areas and to ensure alignment of ECD programmes with MSTP, UNICEF’s Strategic Plans and coherence/integration with UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDF), regional strategies and national priorities, plans and competencies.

   

• Establish specific goals, objectives and strategies and implementation plans for the ECD programmes/projects using results-based planning terminology and methodology (RBM). Prepare required ECD documentations for programme review and approval.

   

• Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues and partners to discuss strategies and methodologies and to determine national priorities/competencies to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable results.

   

• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes to ensure ECD integration, coherence and harmonization with other UNICEF programme sectors and achievement of results as planned and allocated.

2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results on ECD programmes

• Plan and/or collaborate with internal and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators to assess/strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results on ECD programmes.

   

• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual reviews with government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required action/interventions to achieve results.

   

• Prepare/assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths/weaknesses in programme management, identify lessons learned and use knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals.

   

• Actively monitor ECD programmes/projects through field visits, surveys and/or exchange of information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.

   

• Monitor and verify the optimum/appropriate use of ECD programme resources (financial, administrative and other assets) confirming compliance with organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity and ensuring timely reporting and liquidation of resources.

   

• Prepare ECD regular/mandated programme/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.

3. Technical and operational support to programme implementation

• Provide technical guidance and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and country office partners/donors on interpretation, application and understanding of policies, strategies, processes and best practices and approaches on ECD to support programme management, implementation and delivery of results.
• Participate in programme meetings including programme development and contingency planning to provide technical and operational information, advice and support.

   

• Draft ECD policy papers, briefs and other strategic programme materials for management use, information and/or consideration.

4. Networking and partnership building

• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with relevant government counterparts, national stakeholders and global partners/allies/donors/academia through active networking, advocacy and effective communication to build capacity, exchange knowledge/expertise and to reinforce cooperation to achieve sustainable and broad results on ECD programmes.

   

• Prepare communication and information materials for ECD programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and promote increased investments in ECD programmes and projects.
• Participate and/or represent UNICEF in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) discussions and planning on ECD related issues to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNDAF planning and preparation of programmes/projects ensuring organizational position’s, interests and priorities on ECD are fully considered and integrated in the UNDAF process in development planning and agenda setting including emergency preparedness.

5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Apply/introduce innovative approaches and good practices to build the capacity of partners and stakeholders and to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results on ECD.
• Keep abreast, research, benchmark and implement best practices on early childhood development. Assess, institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable ECD programmes and projects.
• Organize and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders to promote sustainable results on ECD related programmes/projects.

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

Education:   An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: education, public administration, public health, nutrition, economics, psychology, sociology, human development, child development, family studies or another relevant technical field.

Experience: A minimum of five years of professional experience in social development planning and management in early childhood development related areas is required.

Language Requirements: Fluency in Spanish and working knowledge of English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian) or a local language 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…

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness
• Works Collaboratively with others
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships
• Innovates and Embraces Change
• Thinks and Acts Strategically
• Drive to achieve impactful results
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Nurtures, leads and manages people

During the recruitment process, we test 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. 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 to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, whether you identify as a person of color, a woman, an individual with disabilities, or any other underrepresented groups, we encourage you to apply for our open positions.

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

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 are also 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.

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.

 

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