Programme Associate

UNICEF is the leading United Nations agency on child rights (www.unicef.org) and works in 190 countries around the world. UNICEF’s Global Strategy focuses on supporting child survival and development, basic education, child protection and policy advocacy, and WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene). In countries affected by crises, UNICEF leads humanitarian efforts to help children and women living in challenging circumstances and provides support to help them to survive and to maximise their development potential. 

Jordan hosts the world’s largest Palestinian refugee population, with over 2.4 million people registered with UNRWA, including around 24 per cent children. While many Palestinians live under similar conditions as other Jordanians, those in camps face higher poverty rates, with nearly 31 per cent living in poverty. Most Palestinian refugees in Jordan hold Jordanian nationality, except for approximately 180,000 ‘ex-Gazan’ refugees and over 20,000 Palestine refugees from Syria (PRS), who face higher unemployment and socio-economic challenges due to legal restrictions on employment. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these issues, creating barriers to employment and contributing to material deprivation.

• Violence and insecurity are prevalent in the camps, with concerns about child marriage, bullying, and the stigma surrounding disabilities. The prevalence of stunting among Palestinian children under the age of 5 is also a challenge, standing at 23.8 per cent. Additionally, a quarter of Palestinian refugee camp households lack access to safe water, posing significant health risks.
• UNICEF addresses these challenges and needs through its Palestinians Living in Jordan (PLJ) programme. The overall goal of the PLJ programme is to transform the lives of Palestinian children by progressively fulfilling their basic rights to survival, care, child and social protection, and participation, their right to reach their full potential, and their right to live in protective, equitable and inclusive societies. Under the PLJ programme, UNICEF supports comprehensive health care for Palestinian children and families, particularly adolescent girls, and advocates for early identification and referral of children with disabilities.
• In collaboration with UN agencies, government partners, and other stakeholders, UNICEF also prioritizes quality and inclusive education for vulnerable children and empowers Palestinian adolescents through participation, volunteerism, and enhancing livelihood opportunities focused on social innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Additionally, UNICEF works to enhance the capacity of case workers and social workers to address domestic and gender-based violence. UNICEF also provides access to safe drinking water and sanitation and works to improve WASH services in all Palestinian camps.
• Through its social protection and policy interventions, UNICEF provides integrated services to Palestinian children and youth under the Makani programme, acting as a cash-plus programme to the Jordanian safety net and the UNICEF-supported child cash programme.

Functional Responsibilities

• Under the supervision of the Deputy Representative-Programme, the PLJ Programme Officer is expected to fulfil the following responsibilities:

Key functions and accountabilities:  

• Coordinate efforts with programme sections and externally with UNRWA, the Department of Palestinian Affairs (DPA), and other stakeholders on the work related to the Palestinians Living in Jordan (PLJ) programme.
• Coordinate the revision of the PLJ work plan ensuring continuous improvement, adaptation, and responsiveness to the needs of the targeted communities.
• Prepare programme updates and briefing documents as requested.
• Support programme sections in assessing the impact of programme implementation through regular field monitoring visits and follow-up meetings with partners and stakeholders.
• Contribute to reporting on the PLJ programme by liaising with relevant sections, consolidating data and information, and reviewing inputs.
• Ensure the funding expenditure plan aligns with the programme work plan and donor commitments.

Key duties and tasks:  

• Collaborate with relevant sections to identify gaps in programmes targeting Palestinians living in Jordan, and lead coordination efforts to review the programme work plan to address these gaps, ensuring continuous improvement and responsiveness to community needs.
• Provide input on strategic shifts in programme implementation through regular monitoring visits, coordination and follow-up meetings, and the design and implementation of improvement plans if needed.
• Organize, facilitate, and attend cross-sectoral meetings to ensure effective internal and external coordination related to the PLJ programme.
• Organize, coordinate, and facilitate meetings with programme sections, implementing partners, and other stakeholders to assess current PLJ programmes and identify necessary interventions.
• Collect and combine data from programme sections to develop briefing reports and documents summarizing programme progress, challenges, and achievements to ensure comprehensive updates upon request.
• Keep an organized record of all updates and briefing documents for future reference and reporting purposes.
• Address any questions or requests for additional information from stakeholders regarding the PLJ programme.
• Conduct frequent field visits to monitor and assess the implementation and impact of PLJ programme activities and interventions.
• Ensure the timely submission of internal and donor reports based on the consolidation and review of cross-sectoral inputs.
• Facilitate and monitor the allocation and disbursement of the PLJ programme funds to ensure proper coordination and liquidation in line with the programme work plan and donor commitments.
• Other duties as agreed upon

Education/Experience/Language requirements

• A high school diploma is required. A first level degree / Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as International Relations, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Public Administration, or a related discipline will be an asset and may compensate for some of the required years of experience.
• A minimum of 6 years of experience in programme coordination, project management, or a similar role, within international organizations or NGOs.
• A minimum of 2 years of experience in working with UN agencies, government departments, or other stakeholders involved in humanitarian or development programmes.
• Experience in working in refugee camps is an asset.
• Fluency in Both English and Arabic is required.

Source: https://jobs.unops.org/Pages/ViewVacancy/VADetails.aspx?id=29393