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Regional Adviser (Social Policy & Economics),P5, WCARO, Dakar, Senegal #20527
Job Number: 528890 | Vacancy Link
Locations: Africa: Senegal
Work Type : Fixed Term Appointment
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, hope
Organizational Context
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 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 the health, 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. 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.
Strategic office context:
The West and Central Africa Region (WCAR) faces numerous challenges including demographic transition, rapid urbanization and migration, violent extremism, armed conflicts, insecurity and successive epidemics. The World Bank classifies 11 countries out of 24 as middle-income, the OECD considers 15 as “fragile.” Although the region has one of the world’s strongest growth rates, this has not translated into social dividends.
In WCAR, Government funding of social sectors is still very low, and even this low level of public expenditure is more often not spent wisely and efficiently, contributing to worsening the situation. Families and community often lack resources to access social services. Social Protection is therefore seen as a powerful tool to reducing these bottlenecks.
Finally, countries in humanitarian situation are facing challenges in bridging the gap between humanitarian and development, which leaves many children, particularly the most vulnerable, in a dire situation after the height of a crisis is passed. It is therefore urgent in humanitarian contexts to build capacity of national and local systems, support the development of sustainable funding strategy, and increase the resilience of the most vulnerable through social protection systems.
The role of this position is to provide strategic Social Policy’s leadership at the regional level, for effective contribution of UNICEF-WCAR to the achievement of regional and global child right agenda.
How can you make a difference?
Purpose for the job
Under the overall guidance of the Deputy Regional Director, the Regional Adviser (Social Policy & Economics) will strengthen UNICEF’S regional level capacity by monitoring, analysing and assessing changes in the socio-economic situation of West and Central African countries, with particular attention to poverty and vulnerability of children and policies and strategies aiming at overcoming them, will establish and operate an intermediary knowledge centre that supports countries in their poverty, economic and social studies, analyses and research activities. The Regional Adviser (Social Policy & Economics) will liaise with other Regional Offices, NYHQ and ICDC on issues related to poverty reduction, social and economic programmes and policies.
Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks
Summary of key functions/accountabilities:
1- Advises and extends support to country offices to carry out socio-economic analyses/studies that will lead to better formulation of their programmes. Contributes to the oversight and quality assurance role of the RO (30%).
- Provides technical support to country offices (CO) in undertaking regular analysis and assessment of country offices planning environment,
- Supports the formulation and development of innovative actions plans for CO,
- Assists CO in obtaining through studies information about changes in their political, demographic, economic and social trends, which might have direct or indirect bearing on their programmes,
- Assists CO in the preparation of CCA and UNDAF, participates in mid-term reviews, strategy and preview meetings,
- Visits countries to support country programme preparations,
- Produces regional and sub-regional position papers on poverty and socio-economic policies to overcome them,
- Establishes and maintains a roster of selected resource institutions/persons,
- Prepares regional and sub regional studies in economic and social issues relevant to the countries.
2-Extends support to on-going programme implementation (20%)
- Organises and undertakes follow-up missions to countries where PRSPs are being prepared or implemented, programmes are in progress and/or inter-agency co-operation for new discussion on social policy and social protection programmes is being pursued,
- Monitors progress and advises on corrective measures to be adopted through country visits and review of annual reports,
- Advises countries on economic and social reforms,
- Supports exchange and sharing of information among countries.
3- Advises country offices as well as governments on the design of office programmes and projects. Advises HQ on CO on the relevance of global policies for the WCAR context (20%)
- Contributes to the development and refinement of UNICEF corporate policies, procedures and guidelines relating to economic and social reforms,
- Acquires up-to-date information on corporate policies, strategies, priorities and goals for dissemination to country offices,
- Documents and disseminates experience acquired in the region,
- Participates in updating medium-term plan,
- Participates in and contributes to meetings aiming at corporate policy formulation,
- Undertakes policy reviews on behalf of the regional offices on specific issues, particularly those having economic causes or implications, which might be the object to broad-based work within UNICEF in the future,
- Undertakes research in relation to UNICEF’S policy and strategic priorities at the request of the Deputy Regional Director.
4- Acts as focal point within the regional office on all issues relating to socio-economic analyses and research activities and structural reforms with a human face. Supports interagency coordination and partnerships (15%),
- Promotes and advocates socio-economical reforms conductive to improving the welfare of women and children within the international community, academic World NGOs, etc..
- Coordinates and supervises the work of distribution and promotion of UNICEF’s publications in this area among well-defined target audience.
- Represents UNICEF in international meetings, including those organized by the UN system, the ADB and IMF with a view to advocating UNICEF’s position.
- Participates in on-going debates on socio-economic issues and liaises with other relevant institutions in case of joint activities,
- Maintains contact with UNICEF’S operational and technical Units in H. Q.
- Prepares relevant section of the Region’s annual report,
- Plays key role in the Social Protection Interagency Regional Team Group
5- Upgrades skills of UNICEF’s staff and other partners on matters relating to social and economic development (15%)
- Acquires, develops and shares training materials with Country Offices
- Organises regional and in-country training workshops and seminars on issues related to social and economic development.
Office based post with frequent travel within the country offices.
Impact and consequence of error
- Describe the type of decisions regularly made and the impact of those decisions.
Main decisions relate to choosing appropriate approaches for the promotion and application of new policies/programmes in favour of children and women to the use of (some) resources to accomplish these objectives; and to help the organisation engage in dialogue with governments on economic and social issues.
- Describe the type of recommendations regularly made and why they are important
Typical recommendations are to country offices on their analysis and quantitative appraisals in development and planning of work; to the Management on advocacy and organisational issues related to economic and social issues and more rarely, to governments of assisted countries on policy matters.
- Describe the most damaging error (s) that could be made in the performance of the job and their consequences.
Because of the officer’s central role in the area of development planning faulty decisions and recommendations could be propagated throughout the organisation. In addition, lack of follow-up and supervision could contribute to the erosion of UNICEF reputation in this area.
Independence
As the post is highly technical, supervision is limited to guidance on the overall work framework and organisation policy. Incumbent is expected to perform independently and to consult with supervisor when major decisions and actions must be undertaken.
Guidelines
- Indicate which guidelines are required for performing the duties of the post (rules, regulations, policies, procedures, practices, precedents, manuals, instructions etc.)
- Describe the degrees to which interpretation of, and deviation from existing guidelines are permitted, and the authority to propose or establish new guidelines
Post is highly managerial. Provides authoritative advice/interpretation of guidelines and organisational policy and contributes to development off new guidelines as programme evolves.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have:
Education:
Advanced University degree in economics or related social science
Experience:
At least ten (10) years progressively responsible professional work experience in economics and applied statistics in a large organisation.
Language Requirements: Fluency in English and French.
For every Child, you demonstrate commitment
UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.
The functional competencies required for this post are:
Core Values
- Commitment
- Diversity and inclusion
- Integrity
Core competencies
- Communication (III)
- Working with people (III)
- Drive for results (III)
Functional Competencies:
- Formulating Strategies and Concepts (III)
- Analyzing (III)
- Relating and Networking (III)
- Persuading and Influencing (III)
- Applying Technical Expertise (III)
- Entrepreneurial Thinking (III)
Technical Knowledge
- Knowledge of the latest developments in economic and social development
- Proven ability to conceptualize, plan and manage programmes as well as to transfer knowledge and skills
- Good analytical, negotiation, communication and advocacy skills
- Good knowledge of computer management and applications
- Ability to work in an international multi-cultural environment
View our competency framework at
http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf
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:
Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
Opening Date Tue Jan 07 2020 10:00:00 GMT+0100 (heure normale d’Europe centrale) Greenwich Standard Time
Closing Date Mon Jan 20 2020 00:55:00 GMT+0100 (heure normale d’Europe centrale)
