Programme Specialist (Better Care), NO-3, Fixed Term, Kharkiv, Ukraine – Open for Ukrainian Nationals Only

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.

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UNICEF Ukraine

How can you make a difference?

Programme Specialist (Better Care) is responsible for the management of design, implementation, and evaluation of the Bette Care programme in Kharkiv oblast, in accordance with UNICEF’s Annual Work Plan.

Consistent with Ukraine’s long-term goal to join the European Union (EU), Ukraine is driven by a vision to ensure that every child grows up in a safe and nurturing family. This includes ensuring that the most vulnerable have their right to safe housing, nurturing family care, protection, health, and inclusive education. Consistent with Ukraine’s long-term goal to join the EU, the vision of the Better Care initiative is a Ukraine that prioritizes safe and nurturing family care for all children. To reach this vision, UNICEF, with the support of the Government of Ukraine will support the Better Care initiative within Ukraine at the national and oblast levels, across non-governmental actors working on care within Ukraine, all with the aim to scale-up family care across all of Ukraine.

The specific components of the Better Care programme include: 1) Strengthening preventive measures: To address the institutionalization of children, it is essential to review and revise relevant laws and policies, establish a moratorium on new institutions, and redirect private funding towards supporting families; 2) Enhancing alternative family care options: To expand the availability and quality of alternative family care, comprehensive measures should be taken. 3) Supporting at-risk families: Families at risk of separation require targeted support. 4) Strengthening the care system: It is crucial to invest in the care system’s capacity by significantly increasing the number of social work professionals and providing them with necessary infrastructure, equipment, training, and supervision. 5) Integration of services and standardized procedures: Establishing integrated social protection services and implementing a unified registration system and case management procedures tailored to the unique needs of children will improve coordination and ensure a comprehensive approach to care, etc.

To implement this programme in Kharkiv oblast, UNICEF needs strong child protection capacity and support at the field office level to support policy advocacy and implementation, planning and budgeting and capacity building of Regional Administration departments, Regional Division of State Social Services, Municipal actors, and community actors involved in care. This post will also support Oblasts to document Better Care processes, lessons learned and recommendations to inform scale-up to additional Oblasts across Ukraine.

The Programme Specialist is a member of the UNICEF’s Kharkiv Field Office team. The programme specialist manages two Child Protection Officers. The Programme Specialist directly reports to the Chief Field Office in Kharkiv and receives technical support and supervision from Chief Child Protection based in Kyiv.

KEY END-RESULTS

1. Effective knowledge management and systems developed and utilized to strengthen area/country programme management.

2. Situation Analysis prepared/updated, critical programme intervention points/measures identified, and programme work plans/recommendations/reports prepared.

3. Programme funds optimally used.

4. Programme monitoring and evaluations effectively conducted to improve programme performance, and programme status report timely prepared.  Gender/sex disaggregated data and inputs relevant to country programme provided as integral part of programming.

5. Rights based and results based programming approach fully incorporated into all phases of programme and projects processes.

6. Commitment and institutional capacities of the national and local partners effectively gained and established.

7. Rights perspective and advocacy at the national, community and family levels incorporated in policy analysis for establishing and elevating UNICEF’s credibility in national and international policy debates.

8. Effective partnership and collaboration achieved and maintained for advocacy, technical cooperation, programme development/management/coordination, information sharing and networking.

 

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES and DUTIES & TASKS 

Within the delegated authority and the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be accountable for all or assigned areas of the following major duties and end results.

1.  Knowledge Management for Programmes

Ensure that area/country programmes are strengthened by knowledge management through data collection and analysis, complete and accurate reporting as well as participation in the Programme Knowledge Network system of “lessons learned” and other corporate-level databases.

Participate in information exchange through donor and media visits as well as in the development of training and orientation materials.

2. Programme Development and Management

Contribute to the preparation of the Situation Analysis for programme development. Administer a consistent and transparent monitoring system, providing accurate analysis of country level socio-political-economic trends and their implications for ongoing programmes and projects. Support preparation of programme work plans as required. Responsible for preparation of program recommendations for inclusion in formal programme documentation, and new approaches, methods and practices.

3. Optimum Use of Programme Funds

Assist in establishing programme work plans and monitors progress and compliance.   Help to manage allocation and disbursement of programme funds, ensuring that funds are properly coordinated, monitored and liquidated. Takes appropriate actions to optimize use of programme funds. Ensure programme efficiency and delivery through transparent approach to programme planning, monitoring and evaluation.

4. Programme Monitoring and Evaluations

Undertakes field visits to monitor and assess programme implementation and decides on required corrective action.

Carry out a rigorous and transparent approach to evaluation and participate the major programme evaluation exercises in consultation with the Representative, the Operations Officer, the Evaluation Officer and others to improve efficiency and quality of programme delivery.

Participate in annual sector review meetings with government counterparts. 

Ensure the timely preparation of annual programme status reports.

5.  Rights-Based and Results-Based Programme Management Approach

Assure the quality of child rights-based programmes through consistent and effective planning, design, implementation, monitoring and/or evaluation of programmes and projects. Bring coherence, synergy and added value to the programming planning and design processes using a results-based management approach to programme design.

Ensure viable recommendations on project implementation, alternative approaches, and optimal utilization of resources that contribute effectively to the fulfilment of the rights of children and women, and recommendations on new programme initiatives and management issues to ensure achievement of stated objectives.

 

6.  National and Local Capacity Building/Sustainability

Provide government authorities with technical supports and guidance to plan and organize training programmes for the purpose of capacity building and programme sustainability.

Ensure the building or reinforcing of the commitment and institutional capacities of the national and local partners starting with taking a strategic approach to the identification of these partners and partnerships.

7. Rights Perspective and Advocacy at the National, Community and Family Levels

Conducts policy analysis from a children’s and women’s rights perspective and advocacy at the community and family levels for credibility in national and international policy debates. Promote the organization goals of UNICEF through advocacy and policy dialogue.

8. Partnership, Coordination and Collaboration

Develop partnerships and collaboration with internal and external counterparts, including those of the UN and national partners, in order to improve the ability to collect and disseminate development data and information, exchange information on programme/project status and implementation and movement/distribution of supplies. Establish and maintain linkage to the Regional Programme Knowledge Network to ensure the availability of current and accurate programme data.

Collaborate with the Operations Section to establish and maintain sound internal controls supportive of programming endeavours and to coordinate financial and supply management requirements and accountability.

Maintain collaboration with Regional Advisers and HQ Officers for effective overall coordination on programmes.

Plans, develops and implements sectoral programme(s) by collaborating with the government and other partners. Provide leadership in provision of technical advice, negotiation, advocacy and promotion of area/country level goals, leading to agreement on practicable and priority actions to be supported by UNICEF programme and country level cooperation.

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

Education

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: Social Sciences, International Relations, Government, Public Administration, Public Policy, Social Policy, Social Development, Community Development, or another relevant technical field.

Experience

• A minimum of five years of relevant professional work experience is required.
• Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset.
• Background/familiarity with emergency is considered as an asset.

Language Requirements

• Fluency in English and Ukrainian are required. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as 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…

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

Core Competencies (Required)

• 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)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

Functional Competencies (Required)

• Analyzing (2)
• Persuading and Influencing (2)

Technical Knowledge  

 a) Specific Technical Knowledge Required

Rights-based and Results-based approach and programming in UNICEF.

UNICEF programme policy, procedures and guidelines in the Manual.

Progressively responsible professional experience in developing, implementing and monitoring child protection programming in child protection system and social welfare services for children

b) Common Technical Knowledge Required (for the job group)

•  Methodology of programme/project management

•  UNICEF programmatic goals, visions, positions, policies and strategies.

•  Knowledge of global human rights issues, specifically relating to children and women, and the current UNCEF position and approaches.

•  UNICEF policies and strategy to address on national and international issues, particularly relating to conflicts, natural disasters, and recovery.

•  UNICEF emergency programme policies, goals, strategies and approaches.

•  Gender equality and diversity awareness

c) Technical Knowledge to be Acquired/Enhanced (for the Job)

•  UN policies and strategy to address international humanitarian issues and the responses.

•  UN common approaches to programmatic issues and UNICEF positions

•  UN security operations and guidelines.

•  UNSECORD training for members of Security Management Team.

 

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:

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

This position is based in Kharkiv and the incumbent will be expected be work on-site. However, depending on the security conditions and advisory, s/he will be required to relocate within Ukraine.

Please note, this position is for Nationals of Ukraine only.