Technical Advisor on Child-Sensitive Social Protection and Child Protection
Organizational Context
UNICEF operates in over 190 countries and territories, dedicated to saving children’s lives, defending their rights, and helping them fulfill their potential from early childhood through adolescence. We are committed, passionate, and proud of our work, viewing the promotion of every child's rights as a calling. UNICEF fosters diverse career opportunities for professional and personal development.
Job Purpose
The consultancy aims to strengthen child-sensitive social protection systems and child protection systems in Kenya. This involves supporting the expansion and institutionalization of child-sensitive social protection programs, enhancing adaptive social protection to protect children from shocks like droughts and floods, and integrating child poverty considerations into these programs. Additionally, the role will support the State Department for Children Services in implementing the Children Act 2022, including developing necessary regulations and procedures. A key focus is fostering linkages and referral pathways between cash transfer programs and child protection services, promoting integrated approaches to address child poverty, violence, neglect, family separation, and harmful practices, ultimately contributing to the realization of children's rights and potential.
Responsibilities
The consultant will provide technical expertise to strengthen child-sensitive social protection systems by supporting the expansion and institutionalization of relevant programs. This includes enhancing adaptive social protection mechanisms to better protect children affected by various shocks such as droughts, floods, displacement, and economic downturns. A significant responsibility is promoting the integration of child poverty and vulnerability considerations within existing social protection frameworks. Furthermore, the role involves supporting the State Department for Children Services in the effective implementation of the Children Act 2022, which includes the development and rollout of essential regulations, guidelines, standards, and operational procedures. The consultant will also focus on establishing and strengthening linkages and referral pathways between cash transfer programs and child protection services, advocating for integrated approaches to tackle interconnected issues like child poverty, violence, neglect, family separation, and harmful practices. This will involve policy analysis, program coordination, stakeholder engagement, advocacy, and providing strategic advisory support to government institutions and partners.
Work Experience
A minimum of ten (10) years of progressive work experience in child-sensitive social protection, child protection, social policy, public policy, public finance, development economics, poverty and vulnerability analysis, or public administration. Experience providing strategic technical advice to government institutions, supporting government-led policy and reform initiatives, and working with national and subnational governments, development partners, and UN agencies is required.
Skills
Child-sensitive social protection systems, Child protection systems, Kenya's child protection legal, policy and institutional framework, Children Act 2022, Care reform and violence prevention approaches, Child poverty, vulnerability and social inclusion issues, Social protection policy, programme design and delivery systems, Policy development, legislative processes and institutional reform, Analytical, writing and communication skills, Stakeholder engagement, Facilitation, coordination and capacity development skills, Policy analysis