If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.
For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.
Purpose of the Position
The Senior Adviser supports the Chief, Sustainability and Policy Action Unit in providing global strategy,policy, advocacy, Coordination and engagement Support on urbanization and population and technical support to Country and Regional Offices working on advocacy, policy, planning, finance and engagement on urbanization and population. Such support will enable UNICEF to better advocate for and represent the rights of urban children, particularly the most disadvantaged and marginalized, and children in migration and displacement processes at the global, regional and national levels, including in high-income Countries where UNICEF does not have a country office presence but may have a National Committee. The Senior Adviser may also be called on to be part of surge and other emergency staffing procedures in times of large sudden onset migration flows and urban humanitarian crises.
The Senior Adviser works to achieve the results outlined in the annual Sustainability and Policy Action Unit work plan, and is responsible specifically for the achievement of the goals and targets related to urbanization and population.
Key Accountabilities and Duties & Tasks
1. Lead Coordinated global approaches to policy, advocacy and engagement on urbanization and population issues.
Develop a Coordinated organization wide approach to UNICEF's urban work, and a strategic framework and plan of action.
Convene staff from across the organization working on population issues to develop and maintain a coherent and strategic organization-wide approach on urban work in UNICEF
Coordinate strategic frameworks for urbanization and population work in UNICEF, and its subsequent rollout across the organization.
Rollout the implementation of the strategic framework for urban work in conjunction with other divisions and regional offices.
Represent UNICEF in partnerships and external coordination and engagement on urbanization, and population issues, including inter-agency fora and public private sector forums.
2. Strengthen technical assistance on urbanizationand population issues to field offices.
Provide technical assistance to HQ, ROs and COs in developing concept notes and full fledged proposals on urban development and population issues for children.
Support COs with strategies to engage more effectively with cities and municipalities, and strengthen the policy framework for child-friendly urban development.
Integrate fully the work of the Child Friendly Cities initiative into national urban work and set standards for child rights and urban development.
Provide monitoring and backstopping of implementation of approved proposals
Liaise with national focal points for urban funds such as Cities Alliance, United Cities and Local Government, and with multilateral and bilateral donors and coordinate between COS, ROs and HQ
Engage in global fora and interagency discussions on coordination, cooperation, best practices and lessons learned.
3. Development of tools and guidance on urbanization and population issues
Lead the development of technical guidance and tools for urbanizationand population issues conjunction with the relevant policy specialist in the team
Support COs in undertaking urban child risk assessment, and Contribute to policy components of migration and displacement risks assessment
4. Strengthen knowledge and evidence base on urbanization and population issues
Identify evidence gaps on relevant topics and - in coordination with other staff and partners - developing a prioritized agenda for filling those gaps.
Develop timely and relevant research and advocacy products as well as managing the production of additional products from externally contracted individuals and firms.
5. Develop UNICEF policy and positioning on issues related to urbanization, and population.
Lead on the development of organizational approaches to key urbanization, population, migration and displacement issues.
Develop both technical and advocacy-focused materials to communicate these approaches wide range of audiences and stakeholderS.
Support country and regional offices in addressing policy challenges around population issues.
6. Identify and recommend organizational positions on emerging trends on topics related to urbanization, migration, displacement, and other demographic shifts.
Determine current and emerging topics of interest in these policy areas, regularly updating senior management and guiding policy development on emerging topics.
Contribute and take forward the work on demographic analysis under the guise of the Generation 2030 project in conjunction with Data and Analytics Unit in DRP.
Qualifications of Successful Candidate
An advanced university degree (Masters or higher) in the social Sciences (i.e. sociology, demography, psychology, political science, social policy or economics), preferably urban planning, with a focus on demography or population movements. Academic credentials in urban planning and policy and population transition are a plus.
A minimum ten (10) years of progressively responsible professional experience and demonstrated track record of having undertaken and led urban planning and population. transition work.
Proven experience in urban analysis and planning and/or migration and demography in high-level organizations. In country experience in these area is highly regarded.
A track record of successfully developing, formulating and implementing strategies and response in urban and population work and public policy design and engagement at global and national levels.
Sound understanding of urban planning and population movement flows.
Expertise in staff capacity building, developing tools and providing training.
Excellent analytical, advocacy and presentational skills an asset.
Excellent written and oral communication skills, including ability to write succinctly and clearly.
Proven experience in formulating and implementing strategies.
Work experience in a development or humanitarian setting is required and field experience is preferred.
Fluency and very good writing skills in English are required. Knowledge of an additional UN Language (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish) or a local language is considered an asset.
Competencies of Successful Candidate
Core Values
Commitment
Diversity and Inclusion
Integrity
Core competencies
Communication - Level III
Working with People - Level III
Drive for Results - Level III
Functional Competencies
Formulating strategies and concepts - Level IIIAnalyzing - Level III
Persuading and influencing - Level III
Applying technical skills - Level III
Entrepreneurial thinking - Level III
Ability to think outside the box, generate new ideas, approaches, or insights and develop innovative ways to undertake projects and initiatives, shape solutions to problems.
Ability to build rapport with individuals and groups and maintain an effective network of individuals across organizational departments as well externally.
Ability to contextualize and be able to translate the approaches into practicable programme design, including in complex and politically sensitive environments.
Technical Knowledge
Strong substantive, technical, programmatic and research skills in policy analysis and advocacy planning.
Ability to connect policy analysis with viable strategies for engagement and advocacy.
Demonstrated rigor in analytical, conceptual and programme design skills relevant to policy analysis and advocacy, with sound understanding of theories of change and path from intervention to results.
To view our competency framework, please click here.
**This is an extension of the application deadline in order to expand the candidate pool. Previous applicants need not reapply as their original application will be duly considered.
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.
