Social Policy Specialist (Cash in Fragile Settings), P4, FT WCARO Dakar, Senegal# 117278

The UNICEF West and Central Africa Regional Office (WCARO) is now recruiting a full-time dedicated resource person to provide programmatic and operational support to priority countries in the region to strengthen social protection and HCT delivery in fragile settings and emergencies.
The regional office post is based in Dakar, Senegal. The post holder will be part of the regional Social Policy team, which provides technical support and oversight to UNICEF country programmes in the fields of social protection, including cash transfers, public finance for children, local governance, and child poverty. The post contributes critically to the unit’s work on social protection, with a special focus on fragile settings and emergencies.
The supervisor of the post is the Regional Social Policy Advisor. At the regional level, the staff member will work closely with the Emergency team, the RO’s Cash Task Force, and sector focal points. At global level, the team member will be part of UNICEF’s global Child Poverty and Social Protection team, and work closely with the global Humanitarian Cash Transfer Team. The staff member will support the RO to provide overall regional guidance as well as provide direct support to priority country offices in the region.

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

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For every child, hope

How can you make a difference? 

Under the guidance and supervision of the Regional Social Policy Advisor, and in close collaboration with the Regional Social Protection Specialist, the post-holder will be responsible for the provision of technical support to country offices to improve coverage and delivery of cash transfers in fragile settings and emergencies, through or in alignment with national social protection systems, and to ensure systems have improved ability to respond to shocks and humanitarian crises. The post will also be responsible for regular coordination and partnership with other relevant regional and global stakeholders with engagement in social protection in fragile settings and emergencies in West and Central Africa.

The accountabilities for the position are the following:

1. Support design and delivery of cash transfer programmes, especially in fragile settings, through national systems or delivered directly by UNICEF Country Offices. Working with Country Office programme and operations teams through in-country missions and/or through remote support, the staff member will:
   • Support programmatic design of social protection, shock responsive, HCTs and other cash interventions (targeting criteria, duration, transfer value setting, payment frequency, complementary services, etc., and inclusion of gender, disability, and mobility lenses)
   • Support COs in operational model design and roll out of cash transfer programmes, including, identification of appropriate modalities for: payments (i.e., through government or direct delivery); delivery channels (e.g., mobile, cash-in-hand); identification and enrolment of programme participants; data management; programme communications; monitoring and evaluation (M&E); and grievance redress mechanisms (GRMs). More specifically, the staff will:
     1. Support offices in conducting needs assessments and system assessments (SRSP assessments in advance or Emergency rapid assessments for humanitarian responses), and to implement recommendations from assessments, including identification of opportunities to provide TA for strengthening operational delivery capacity of national systems, including delivery of HCTs in response to cyclical and sudden onset shocks.
     2. Support COs to establish or ensure protocols for communications, payments, M&E and GRM for cash programmes supported by UNICEF.
     3. In close collaboration with the global HCT team, support COs to ensure data quality and protection, through advice on Data Sharing Agreements and implementation of data management systems (i.e., UNICEF’s global beneficiary data management system, HOPE)
     4. Provide technical assistance for obtaining approval for and contracting of financial service providers (FSPs)
     5. Support COs to develop (or update) risk registers for any cash transfer programming (direct delivery or through government), and ensure compliance with HACT assurance measures, and appropriate third-party monitoring (TPM) for cash programmes.
2. Strengthen overall cash transfer preparedness and capacity of UNICEF Country Offices to deliver high quality, risk informed programming. This includes:
   • Advice and support to Country Offices on meeting minimum preparedness standards for cash programming
   • Building capacity of relevant programme and operations staff on (shock-responsive) social protection, social protection systems strengthening, and HCTs
   • Provide guidance on cash strategies (ensuring alignment with CCCs), including assessing cash-related human resources capacity needs and conducting related recruitments, and models for internal cash programming coordination (e.g., cash task forces)
   • Advising Country Offices on partnership strategies, donor proposals, etc.

1. Co-lead and coordinate regional agenda in support of UNICEF WCARO’s regional engagements with social protection and cash delivery in fragile settings and emergencies.

• Co-lead and support RO Cash Assistance Task Force (CATF) to implement capacity building and other priority initiatives.
• Coordinate RO efforts in the implementation of the WCAR Cash Transfer Strategy, in collaboration with the RO Cash Assistance Task Force (CATF)
• Actively liaise with the RO Operations and Emergency teams to share country updates, coordinate joint mission etc.
• Support RO programme sections to identify appropriate programmatic entry points to leverage the cash modality and in providing related support to COs.
• Disseminate global and regional guidance and tools.
• Document and disseminate regional knowledge and learning on SRSP, including HCTs, and share internally as well as with partners, to contribute to the global SRSP agenda.

Co-manage regional level partnerships related to cash in fragile settings, including participation in the regional Cash Working Group, and maintaining a regular dialogue and exchange with regional humanitarian cash actors, including the Cash Learning Partnership (CALP).

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Advanced University degree in one of the following fields: social sciences, public administration, international law, public health, nutrition, international relations, business administration or other related disciplines. Preferably a combination of management, administration, and relevant technical fields.

• Work Experience:

• • A minimum of eight years of professional work experience in SRSP and/or HCTs is required, including operational and strategic leadership on social protection in fragile or humanitarian settings.
  • At least 5 years of demonstrated experience in design and management of HCT programme operations is required.
  • Demonstrated experience with supporting governments to strengthen shock responsive social protection is required.
  • Good understanding of social protection systems and building nascent social protection systems is desirable.
  • Extensive experience of working in emergencies and fragile contexts is required. Experience of work in complex humanitarian contexts will be an added advantage.
  • Direct experience and/or exposure to UNICEF, or any UN agency implementation, risk management and financial operating framework is a strong asset.
  • Background, familiarity, and knowledge of mainstreaming programmes to deliver cash in emergencies into the larger social protection system is a strong asset.
  • Working experience in West and Central Africa is a strong asset.

• Language Requirements: Fluency in French and English is required.

Desirables:

• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.

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

The 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 

(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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 measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. 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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be 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 canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

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

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions 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. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

Special Notice on UNICEF office relocation:

UNICEF and other UN Agencies will be moving soon to the new United Nations House in Diamniadio, 30 kilometers from downtown Dakar. The name of the duty station for this position will remain Dakar, Senegal.