Programme Specialist

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens addressing inequity not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Purpose for the Job: Under the direct supervision and guidance of the Representative, the incumbent is responsible for providing high quality support to the Representative to provide coordinated management and oversight of the India Country Office (ICO) composed of a main office based in New Delhi and 13 large-size Field Offices as well as outposts. This includes enabling effective coordination and planning across ICO of strategic actions/activities, supporting the development and implementation of internal guidelines and operating procedures, that support the Representative, Senior Management and the ICO to implement a coordinated, consistent quality Country Programme. The incumbent will also play a critical role in promoting organizational culture and innovation in process improvement across the office.

The incumbent will analyze the political, social and economic trends in India and keep the Representative abreast of these on a regular basis, in order to help inform strategic and sound decision making. The role will enhance the Representative’s engagement in policy advocacy and external partnerships, contributing to strategic foresight and the alignment of UNICEF’s goals with national and global priorities.

Summary of key functions accountabilities:

• Advise the Representative, Deputy Representative Programmes, Deputy Representative Operations and the Chief of Field Services on strategic and management issues and priorities for ICO, with in-depth engagement on specific projects/activities, as needed, in coordination with relevant Chiefs of Section and Field Office.
• Support overall Front Office Team in coordination of periodic meetings such as Front Office, All Staff and Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) meetings. Lead on planning and execution of the Country Management Team meetings and coordinating the minutes and follow up. Support overall Front Office in maintenance of correspondence, meetings, action items for senior management.
• Support policy advocacy efforts and strengthen the Representative’s external engagement by coordinating and supporting sections and offices in preparation of high-quality briefing notes, policy documents and advocacy strategies, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s goals, national priorities, partnerships and donor objectives.
• Coordinate and lead the processes enabling Section Chiefs, field offices and Front Office management to prepare, finalize quality speeches/remarks, briefing notes, overarching communication and reports. Support and coordinate across ICO and with the communications team to ensure common, consistent quality messaging is reflected across Representative’s, management’s and India CO’s engagements such as pan-India events such as SOWC release, World Children’s Day event. , At the request of the Representative or designated official, participate in meetings, missions, or events to represent India Country Office

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

Minimum requirements:

• An advanced university degree in Social Sciences, International Relations, Public Administration, Public Policy, Social Policy, Social Development, Community Development, or other relevant disciplines.
• A minimum of five years of relevant work experience in a professional capacity in external relations, programme management, public affairs, general office administration, or international development cooperation, preferably within the United Nations or similar international organization.
• Fluency in English and the local working language of the duty station is required. Mastery of another UN language is an asset.

Desirables:

• Strong background in public affairs, including the preparation of high-quality briefing notes, policy documents and advocacy strategies to support senior leaders in their engagements with government and partners.
• Proven ability to advise senior leaders on strategic and management issues, ensuring that decision-making is informed by relevant data and aligned with relevant priorities.
• Expertise in managing front office operations, coordinating meetings and overseeing the timely completion of tasks and deliverables while managing correspondence and action items.
• Experience in fostering an inclusive and innovative workplace culture, enhance staff engagement and motivation.
• Demonstrated capacity to identify and implement process improvements, driving efficiency and innovation within an organizational environment.

Source: https://jobs.unicef.org/cw/en-us/job/578193