External Generic Vacancy for WCAR Emergency roster: Child Protection in Emergencies, P4, Multiple Locations

The regional office of UNICEF in WCAR is looking to create a pool of experienced Child Protection in Emergencies experts for emergency deployments, to increase the preparedness, prevention and response capacities of its country offices and governments.
Suitable candidates will be included in UNICEF WCAR Roster, which is a list of pre-vetted profiles, highly qualified professionals intended for fast-track recruitment as positions become available. After a rigorous selection process, including assessment center, successful candidates will be placed in relevant roster and may be contacted by hiring offices for job opportunities across the region.

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.

In the West and Central Africa Region (WCAR), more than ever, UNICEF is faced with a broad range of emergency crises differing in scale, complexity and international consequences.

Visit our website to learn more about UNICEF WCAR.

For every child, safety!

UNICEF WCAR is currently looking for highly qualified Child Protection professionals to join its regional roster. WCAR Roster aim to ensure timely aid to affected children and communities in West and Central Africa Region by having a group of skilled professionals for swift deployment to support emergency response in the region.

UNICEF WCAR Roster are profiles of pre-vetted, highly qualified professionals intended for fast-track recruitment as positions become available. After a rigorous selection process, including assessment center, successful candidates will be placed in relevant roster and may be contacted by hiring offices for job opportunities across the region.

How can you make a difference? 

Under the overall supervision of the Chief Child Protection, the Child Protection Specialist in emergencies, is accountable for the development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of UNICEF’s emergency response in activities and results related to safeguard and improve protection of the affected population by ensuring overall efficiency, effectiveness and delivery of results in accordance with UNICEF’s Core Commitment for Children in Emergencies (CCCs) and national and international humanitarian standards.

Key functions/accountabilities:

• In consultation with other CP partners, and government if appropriate, provide leadership for the establishment of child protection coordination structures for the response to the emergency.
• Support conduct of a rapid child protection assessment, together with partners using agreed inter-agency assessment tools.
• Ensure that UNICEF Child Protection team is equipped with strategies and mechanisms to scale up the child protection response to the emergency, including addressing as relevant: children affected by armed conflict, family separation, gender-based violence, mental health and psychosocial support of children and their families, deprivation of liberty of children, other child protection in emergencies concerns.
• Contribute to building internal UNICEF child protection staff and partners, including government and NGOs, in scaling up the child protection in emergencies response programmes, in advocacy and communication, through coaching, training and sharing of experiences.
• Identify opportunities to work with other sectors to enhance child protection, particularly in humanitarian action, by integrating protection activities within emergency preparedness, prevention and response programmes.
• Monitor the trends and emerging evidence of child protection in emergency concerns and analyze this information to support advocacy, child protection prevention and response efforts.
• Support UNICEF in ensuring child protection in emergencies and UNICEF prevention and response thereto are reflected in all inter-agency and government planning, prevention, and response processes.
• Identify new and innovative partners to boost the implementation of child protection programmes, especially in areas where access remain challenges due to deterioration of the security situation.
• Raise awareness on child protection concerns and UNICEF’s response thereto through relevant humanitarian, and communication outlets, as appropriate.
• Support the UNICEF Office and partners in the development and facilitation of capacity building training and materials on various topics of child protection in humanitarian action, including children and armed conflict, gender-based violence in emergencies etc.
• Identify capacity needs for UNICEF staff and agencies involved in the Child Protection response and determine appropriate capacity development activities and resources. 
• Provide quality and timely contribution to child protection strategic documents, donor proposals, and other relevant reports and tools including SITREPs, briefing notes, and advocacy notes).

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Advanced university degree in social work, international relations, law, child psychology, or relevant field.
• A minimum of 8 years of experience with UNICEF and/or other relevant actors, including experience with child protection programming in natural disaster and/or armed conflict contexts
• Knowledge of UNICEF’s core commitments to children in humanitarian action as well as the humanitarian cluster approach, particularly the child protection working group (sub-cluster), gender-based violence area of responsibility, and protection cluster
• Experience on emergency response and programme coordination.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency, humanitarian experience.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English language is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset. For some positions, fluency in French or Spanish is required.

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…

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
• Works Collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

Application Process

Application should be submitted through the Talent Management System (TMS)

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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, 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.

UNICEF personnel on Fixed-Term, Temporary appointments, Continuing or Permanent Contracts who are interested to be part of the WCAR roster should apply throught Frontlines.