Re advertisement : Social Policy Specialist (Cash Coordinator), NO-D, Addis Ababa, Post#125931 Temporary Appointment (364 days) – Only for Ethiopian nationals

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, empowerment 

Ethiopia is situated in the Horn of Africa and is the second most populous country on the continent, with an estimated population of 115 million. It borders six African countries: Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan, and covers 1,104,300 square kilometers. Approximately 85 percent of the population lives in rural areas. Ethiopia represents a melting pot of ancient cultures, with Middle Eastern and African cultures evident in the religious, ethnic, and language composition of its people.

Over the past two years, children and their families across Ethiopia faced multiple and complex emergencies, such as the conflict in the northern Ethiopia and the drought, which resulted in millions of people in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. UNICEF has programmes in Child Protection, WASH, Health, Nutrition, Social Policy, and Education and serves over 15 million children in Ethiopia. Join UNICEF Ethiopia to contribute to improving the lives of children and women.

To see our year in review, please click on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx_DayHVFVA

How can you make a difference?

Purpose:

Social Policy Specialist (Cash Coordinator) drives the group’s strategic and technical functions. They will leverage their expertise to offer guidance, develop work plans, enhance coordination across various sectors and entities across the federal and sub-national structures, and ensure effective planning, implementation, and delivery of Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) in Ethiopia. By collaborating with local and international partners, they will foster inclusiveness, promote efficient practices, and enhance capacity building to ensure quality CVA programming.

Strategic Leadership and Coordination

• Direct and provide leadership to the Ethiopia Cash Working Group (CWG), facilitating regular meetings and engagement between stakeholders, fostering an inclusive environment.
• Develop 2024-2026 CWG strategy and work plans in alignment with the Strategic Advisory Group (SAG), CWG Assembly, and stakeholders.
• Ensure harmonization of multi-purpose cash (MPC) to aid those in need and coordinate emergency MPC responses as required.
• Represent the CWG in ICCG meetings and other relevant platforms.
• Support different inter-agency coordination structures, including OCHA-led coordination structures, facilitating strategic yearly humanitarian response planning (HRP) with MPC.
• Lead the conceptualization of an exit strategy from emergency MPC, emphasizing alignment with development/durable solution/social protection initiatives where possible.
• Oversee and provide strategic support to the sub-national CWGs operating in various regions. Facilitate consistency in methodologies and encourage cross-learning.

Technical Support and Quality Assurance

• Offer technical advice to stakeholders on efficient, effective, and context-appropriate CVA programming for the affected population.
• Regularly update and develop MPC and sector-specific CVA guidelines, key messages, and Standard Operational Procedures as needed.
• Facilitate reviewing and mapping financial and compliance frameworks related to CVAs, advising agencies on potential opportunities and constraints.

 Financial Management, Reporting, and Knowledge Management

• Manage the CWG Coordination Funds, coordinating joint initiatives, capacity building, consultancies, and other critical projects.
• Organize, structure, and develop spending plans and report to the Strategic Advisory Group (SAG), the CWG assembly, and donors on spending, ensuring financial transparency and accountability.
• Support and collaborate with the CWG Information Management Officer (IMO) in enhancing reporting through the 5Ws and regular market analysis in collaboration with Market sub-WG members to inform strategic coordination, harmonization, and complementarity of programming.
• Support and work with the IMO in collecting/documenting replicable good practices, lessons learned, case studies and in building a repository of resources, including context-appropriate CVA guidance and tools beneficial to the CWG.
• Regular reporting as required by the ICCG

Advocacy, Communication, and Capacity Building

• Engage with donors regularly, sharing information about CVA policies and trends in Ethiopia with members and stakeholders.
• Advocate for solutions to emerging constraints on CVA programming in Ethiopia, liaising with partners, ICCG, HCT, and the Aid Community.
• Foster relationships with regional groups such as the Cash Learning Partnership (CALP) and other similar coordination and advocacy groups.

 Team Management

• Oversight of the Cash Information Management Officer and any other coordination support provided by partners.
• Build the capacity of the team, promoting collaboration between members from different functions and host agencies
• Foster a supportive team atmosphere, providing resources and support to maintain or improve team performance and personal development.

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

• A Master’s Degree in Social Sciences, Sociology, Economics, International Development, or a related field.
• *A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with two additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• A minimum of eight (8) years combined field and country office experience in various international organizations or projects (e.g., UN agencies, INGOs, IOs, Donors, IFRC, or ICRC) is required.
• Demonstrable experience in coordination roles, with a preference for those related to Cash and Voucher Assistance.
• Proven understanding of the UN System, NGO humanitarian community, and humanitarian coordination architecture (desired).
• Comprehensive knowledge of Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) standards, indicators, and best practices.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of the local language or any other official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of:

• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability
• 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…

• • 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)

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. All selected candidates will, therefore, 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.

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates and persons with disabilities 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). 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.