Senior Programme Specialist

Description

The Senior Programme Specialist works under the overall guidance of the Director and Deputy Director, Programme Group. He/she is responsible for the coordination of effective, high quality and relevant contribution to prevention, preparedness, response, resilience, and transitions through systems and localized approaches in fragile and conflict affected settings.

Provision of guidance and technical assistance:

• Coordinate the use of assets across PG and inter-divisionally to ensure that country offices receive timely and high quality technical assistance in developing and implementing appropriate resilience promoting programmes in fragile and conflict affected settings.
• Ensure that technical assistance as well as tools/guidance/policies developed for the organization are supported by knowledge management through data collection and analysis, evidence generation exercises; participate in information exchange through regular inter-agency and other knowledge platforms.

Promotion of policies, standards and partnership:

• Lead the development of policies and strategies in areas of migration and displacement, urbanization, climate informed prevention and recovery, and other emerging areas that advance results in building sustainable and resilience institutions.
• Oversee the adaptation of programmatic approach according to new strategies, policies and the evolving humanitarian context and their application to countries emerging from acute crises to build resilience in the long term.
• Ensure high quality contributions into the development of joint policies and technical guidelines for provision of humanitarian response and countries affected by fragility, crises and/or countries emerging from acute crises in coordination with other UN agencies, relevant NGOs and institutions.

Representation & Communication:

• Develop proposals and engage with donors to fundraise for programming in fragile and conflict affected settings and high quality programmatic strategies and interventions to prevent and mitigate the impact of shocks on children and systems.
• Position UNICEF – working with country and regional leadership – to support effective transitions and recovery after crises and build resilience in communities and institutions.
• Represent UNICEF at external fora related to prevention, transitions, resilience and recovery; and advise the PG Deputy Director, Director and the DED Humanitarian and Supply in influencing relevant external interagency fora and conferences.
• Shape communication and advocacy efforts on prevention, transition and recovery in close collaboration with EMOPS, DGCA and other relevant Divisions and Groups.

Management and Supervision:

• Ensure effective management and supervision of the organization’s human resources including through matrixed ways of working across HQ Divisions.
• Produce timely and high quality reporting and analysis on utilization of resources and impact of programmatic interventions to inform future partnerships.

National and Local Capacity Building/Sustainability:

• Advise HQ Divisions, ROs and COs in developing programmes for the purpose of capacity building and programme sustainability in fragile and conflict affected settings.
• Ensure the building or reinforcing of the commitment and institutional capacities of the national and local partners, taking a strategic approach to the identification of these partners and partnerships.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Science or any other related field is required.
• A minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience in international development, programme management and coordination in complex and fragile environments heavily affected by conflict and/or disasters is required.
• Prior experience in broad multisectoral knowledge and field experience in development and humanitarian action, preferably including with UN agencies is desired.
• Demonstrated strong organizational and inter-personal skills.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.