Information Management Officer (Social Policy), NO-A, TA, # 127782, Damascus, Syria, MENA Region

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.

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 2024, 16.7 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 7.5 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, the impact of sanctions and the devastating earthquakes hit on Feb 6 are further compounding the dire situation.

For information of the work of our organization, please visit our website: UNICEF Syria 

How can you make a difference?

You, as part of the programme section, will play a vital role in supporting the collect, analysis, and dissemination of evidence and information that is important for the Section and the Office to make informed (evidence based) strategic decisions on:

1.           The needs of affected populations

2.           The prioritization of areas according to programme indicators

3.           Where there is a need for humanitarian actors and to what degree

4.           What are the key gaps in activity and need

5.           The quality and strategic direction of humanitarian social protection interventions

Under the overall supervision of the Social Policy Chief, you will work closely with the programme section to enhance the information collection, analysis, and reporting chain of the social policy programme.

To qualify as a/an [champion or advocate] for every child you will have…

 1. Information system development and management:

• Maintain and strengthen Section databases (e.g., track partner activity, coordinate monthly reporting from partners, monitor emergency response etc.).
• Programme-relevant data collection, collation, storage, filtering, analysis, and dissemination to inform needs assessment and decision-making.
• When relevant, work with government and or other agencies and Sections within the office to make updates to the information management system to reflect changes in needs.
• Undertake data analysis based on the updated dataset and generate tables, graphs and other statistical data products for quality reporting, resource mobilization and communication.

2. Produce relevant information resources:

• Collate and maintain reports from Facilitators.
• Provide summaries of Section progress against key indicators as required including program activities and supplies. This will feed the Security Council Reports, Situation Reports, donor reports, and other IM products.

3. Support the understanding and use of the information management system:

• Provide training, support, and information to partners/government staff on the information system, tools and reports including provision for gender and age disaggregation of data and reporting on particularly vulnerable groups.
• Encourage and support partners to report to the Section by providing clear instructions and simple friendly format and feedback on reporting outcomes.
• Support the design and implementation of Post-Distribution Monitoring Surveys to assess the effectiveness, efficiency, and impact of humanitarian social protection interventions.

4. Provide technical support for rolling out of HOPE:

• Provide guidance and oversight for the adequate use of Humanitarian cash Operations and Programme Ecosystem (HOPE) for UNICEF and partners.
• Coordinate with UNICEF Headquarters HOPE team on any required technical support for roll out of HOPE.
• Support with training relevant implementing partner staff in data collection in KoBo using standardized beneficiary registration form for HOPE, standardized post-distribution monitoring form for cash transfer programmes.
• Support with training relevant implementing partner staff in the use of HOPE’s features, including deduplication, data changes, and recording of grievances and feedback.
• Oversee user roles allocation and perform capacity building on the use of HOPE with partners.

5. Maintain and continuously update (on a fortnightly or monthly basis) the existing IM products of the Section. In particular:

• The Who does What Where and When (4Ws) database and related products, such as charts and maps.
• One Consolidated Registry for humanitarian social protection interventions.

6. Data Protection Standards

• Ensure that Cash Implementation Unit data management workstream is aligned with UNICEF Data Protection Policy
• Coordinate with Headquarters technical counterparts to ensure:

1. Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIA) are carried out with appropriate frequency on Cash Implementation Unit supported programmes.
2. UNICEF partners are trained on Data Protection and Responsible Data for Children principles.
3. UNICEF SoPCO and private sector partners comply with relevant data protection legal tools such as Non-Disclosure Agreements.

7. Support the Section in all aspects related to information management and knowledge generation:

• Maintain an updated contact list of the Sections partners, focal points, donors, and other parties of relevance to the Section.
• Act as Section IM Focal Point and represent the Section in the IM Focal Points Meetings chaired by the PME Section
• Support the development of socio-economic analysis on the situation of children in Syria.
• Conduct value for money analyses of the social policy programme to monitor effectiveness and efficiency of social policy spending.
• Represent Data Management function in external briefing.

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

Education:

• University degree in Information Management, Computer Science, Data Sciences, Demography, Geography, Statistics, Economics, Public Policy, International Relations, Political Science, Social Science, or a related technical field is required.
• Higher academic degree is an advantage.
• Additional training and certification on information management and information technology will be considered as an asset.

Experience:

• Minimum of one year of relevant professional experience in a similar role for information management, as described in this vacancy announcement.
• Background and/or familiarity with emergency is considered as a strong asset.
• Experience working for UN, NGOs or humanitarian organizations in Syria is an asset.
• Proven statistical, analytic and technical skills including designing and administrating databases, database management and data analysis using statistical packages (SPSS, STATA, PowerBI, etc.), ability to maintain basic websites, ability to produce data summaries and visualizations, GIS knowledge and practical experience on qualitative surveys an advantage.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and Arabic 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

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.

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. 

Remarks:

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

This position is not considered an elevated risk role. However, UNICEF reserves the right to conduct further vetting/assessment within the scope of child safeguarding as appropriate.

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

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

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