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 fulfil 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, vision.

The fundamental and primary 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 favouritism. 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 child survival, education, and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfil their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. Therefore, 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.

For every child, support.

UNICEF has been operating in the Sultanate of Oman for over 50 years. While initial programming focused more on a more traditional child survival and development agenda, with the graduation of the country to ‘high income’ status in 2007, UNICEF has adjusted its approach to undertake targeted, upstream interventions that address the country’s “unfinished business”. This includes issues related to the quality and financing of services; institutional capacity; and behavioural and social norms.  Hence, the overarching goal of the 2022-25 Country Programme is “to support the Government to empower all children in Oman to realize their rights and participate equitably in building a knowledge-based society and competitive economy”, by

Outcome 1: Strengthening evidence-based policies for children, so that by 2025 improved public finance analysis, data and evidence are used to inform social policies and programmes for children, adolescents and young people, and progress towards the realization of the SDGs.

Outcome 2: Enhancing systems and services for children, adolescents and young people, so that all children, adolescents and young people in Oman, including those with disabilities, benefit from improved social service systems and services.

At this level, the incumbent is likely to manage a small unit of professional and support staff.

How can you make a difference?

Under the guidance of the Representative, the Programme Manager will be accountable for overall programme, planning, design, implementation, and administration of all programme priorities within the Country Programme Document and Country Programme Management Plan.

The Programme Manager will be expected to perform key functions, and accountabilities as described below:

1. Improving data and research on data related to children for increased use for policy and programme action.:

a. Oversees the collection, analysis, and user-friendly presentation of data related to children, including strengthening national capacity to collect routinely, report and use data for policy decision-making.

b. Provides timely, regular data-driven analysis for effective prioritization, planning, and development; facilitates results-based management for planning, adjusting, and scaling up specific initiatives to promote child rights.

c. Contributes to the preparation of the Situation Analysis for programme development.

d. Administers a consistent and transparent monitoring system, providing accurate analysis of country-level socio-political-economic trends and their implications for ongoing programmes and projects.

2. Strengthening social protection coverage and impact for children:

a. Develops social protection policies, legislation and programmes with attention to increasing coverage of, and impact on children, with special attention the most marginalized.

b. Identifies, generates, and presents evidence to support this goal in collaboration with partners.

c. Promotes strengthening of integrated social protection systems, providing technical support to partners to improve the design of cash transfer and child grants and improve linkages with other social sector interventions.

d. Undertakes improved monitoring and research around social protection impact on child outcomes, and use of data and research findings for strengthening programme results.

e. Provides timely, regular data-driven analysis for effective prioritization, planning, and development.

f. Facilitates results-based management for planning, adjusting, and scaling up specific social policy initiatives to reduce child poverty.

3. UNICEF Programme Management:

a. Manages and coordinates technical support around child protection, social protection, public finance, education, health, and climate change, ensuring it is well planned, monitored, and implemented in a timely fashion, so as to adequately support scale-up delivery.

b. Ensures risk analysis and risk mitigation are embedded into overall management of the support, in close consultation with UINCEF programme sections, Cooperating Partners, and governments.

c. Supports and contributes to effective and efficient planning, management, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the country programme.

d. Ensures that the social planning project enhances policy dialogue, planning, supervision, technical advice, management, training, research and support; and that the monitoring and evaluation component strengthens monitoring and evaluation of the social sectors and provides support to sectoral and decentralized information systems.

e. Collaborates with the central and local authorities to strengthen capacity on quality data collection, analysis for policy development, planning, implementation, coordination, monitoring of essential social services, with emphasis on community participation and accountability.

4. Strengthened advocacy and partnerships:

a. Supports correct and compelling use of data and evidence on the situation of children coverage and impact of child-focused services – in support of the country programme overall.

b. Establishes effective partnerships with the Government, bilateral and multilateral donors, NGOs, civil society and local leaders, the private sector, and other UN agencies to support sustained and proactive commitment to the Convention of the Rights of the Child and to achieve global UN agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals.

c. Identifies other critical partners, promotes awareness and build capacity of partners, and actively facilitates effective collaboration within the UN family.

5. Improving use of public financial resources for children:

a. Undertakes sector diagnosis, fiscal space analysis, budget analysis, and costing to inform UNICEF’s advocacy and technical assistance to Ministry of Finance and Social sector Ministries to improve equitable allocation for essential services for children.

b. Works with sector colleagues to build capacity to undertake costing and cost-effectiveness analysis on priority interventions to help inform policy decisions on child-focused investments.

c. Undertakes and builds capacity of partners for improved monitoring and tracking of public expenditure to support transparency, accountability, and effective financial flows for essential service delivery, including through support to district-level planning, budgeting, and public financial management, as well as facilitating community participation.

d. Where national decentralization processes are taking place, collaborates with central and local authorities to improve policies, planning, budgeting, consultation, and accountability processes so that decisions and child-focused services delivery more closely respond to the needs of local communities.

The Programme Manager will be expected produce the following key end-results:

1. The strategic and effective advocacy, planning, and formulation of programmes/projects and the achievement of sustainable results, contributes to achievement of goals and objectives to create a protective environment for children and thus, ensure their survival, development and well-being in society.

2. Achievement in programmes and projects in turn contribute to maintaining/enhancing the credibility and ability of UNICEF to provide programme services for mothers and children that promotes greater social equality in the country.

To qualify as a champion for every child vision, you will have:

Education:  

An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required; Economics, Political Science, Public Policy/Administration, Social Sciences, International Relations, or other relevant technical field.

Work-related experience:

1. A minimum of eight years of relevant professional work experience is required;

a. Experience working in a developing country is considered as a strong asset.

b. Background and/or familiarity with UNICEF, or the UN system is considered as a strong asset.

d. Candidates with previous experience in social policy are encouraged to apply even if their experience has been at a national level.

Language Requirements:

1. Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Arabic is a strong asset as that is the local working language.

For every Child support, you are expected to demonstrate UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The functional competencies required for this post are:

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (2)
• 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)

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

Statement on UNICEF’s Zero-Tolerance policy on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse:

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

Remarks:

 Rotational Remark:

This position is classified as “rotational” which means the incumbent is expected to rotate to another duty station upon completion of their tour of duty.

Diversity Remark:

Given due consideration to the gender diversity in the overall UNICEF Oman CO, with specific reference to IP posts, and while both genders are encouraged to apply, yet Male applicants are highly encouraged to apply.

Higher education remark:

UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/

Flexibility with the audience remark:

The VA is open to all (internal and external candidates)

Shortlisted candidate remark: Only shortlisted candidates will be notified and advance to the next stage of the selection process.