Research Manager (Prevention of Harmful Practices), P-4, Temporary Appointment (364 days) Innocenti, OSE, Florence, Italy. #00137935

Organizational Context

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential. UNICEF Innocenti, the Office of Strategy and Evidence, undertakes and commissions research on emerging and critical issues impacting children globally. Through evidence generation, foresight, and strategic influence, Innocenti supports UNICEF's policy, programming, and advocacy priorities, shaping global discourse on children's rights.

Job Purpose

The Research Manager (Prevention of Harmful Practices) at UNICEF Innocenti, the Office of Strategy and Evidence, plays a crucial role in advancing UNICEF's mission to protect children's rights globally. This position is central to Innocenti's mandate to undertake and commission research on critical issues affecting children, particularly in the context of preventing harmful practices. The manager will contribute to evidence generation, foresight, and strategic influence, directly supporting UNICEF's policy, programming, and advocacy priorities. By shaping global discourse on children's rights, the role ensures that UNICEF remains at the forefront of addressing emerging trends and deepening understanding of key challenges faced by girls and boys. This position also supports the new Centre of Excellence structure, specifically its commitment to the Prevention of Harmful Practices agenda, by delivering high-quality, demand-driven technical assistance to Country Offices, Regional Offices, and partners. The Research Manager will help position children and UNICEF at the center of global conversations through prominent external engagement, communication, and influence, transforming contributions into future strategies and policies.

Responsibilities

The Research Manager will be responsible for leading and managing research initiatives focused on the prevention of harmful practices affecting children, aligning with UNICEF Innocenti's mandate to generate evidence and influence global discourse. This includes designing, overseeing, and conducting rigorous research projects, ensuring their relevance to UNICEF's policy, programming, and advocacy priorities. The role involves leveraging foresight to identify emerging trends and deepen understanding of critical issues, thereby advising UNICEF and diverse actors including governments, the UN, private sector, civil society, and young people. The manager will contribute to creating an enabling environment and platform for children, young people, global influencers, and decision-makers to transform their contributions into actionable strategies and policies. A key responsibility is to support the Centres of Excellence structure, particularly in delivering high-quality, demand-driven technical assistance to Country and Regional Offices and partners on the Prevention of Harmful Practices agenda. This involves bringing together specialized expertise in thematic programming, financing for scale, and institutional strengthening, ensuring UNICEF's leadership in global conversations on child protection through strategic external engagement and communication.

Work Experience

Specific work experience requirements are not detailed in the provided job description.

Skills

Research Management, Evidence Generation, Foresight and Trend Analysis, Strategic Influence & Advocacy, Policy & Programme Support, Technical Assistance Delivery, External Engagement, Effective Communication, Child Protection, Project Leadership, Stakeholder Engagement, Analytical Thinking

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