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Child Protection Specialist (Alternative Care), 1 Year Temporary Appointment, NOC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia #130292 (Opens to Malaysian only)

Apply now Job no: 575589
Contract type: Temporary Appointment
Duty Station: Kuala Lumpur
Level: NO-3
Location: Malaysia
Categories: Child Protection

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, hope

Together with the Malaysian government and others who are truly passionate about child rights, UNICEF works in Malaysia to ensure every child has the opportunity to grow healthy and happy; live safely; and achieve their full potential.

With the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the 12th Malaysia plan as our guides, we endeavor to change minds, change policies, and in turn change the lives of all children in Malaysia.

https://www.unicef.org/malaysia/

How can you make a difference? 

Under the general supervision and guidance of the Chief Child Protection #68521, the Child Protection Specialist will provide strategic leadership on the area of alternative care in the UNICEF Malaysia Country Office, improve the evidence base for systemic reform of the alternative care system in Malaysia, and will engage in dialogue for sustainable programme development, advocacy, partnership and coalition building.
 
The Temporary Assignment incumbent will be responsible for:
 
1. Strengthen partnerships and build new coalitions
  • Establish and maintain strong relationships with relevant Government and NGO/CSOs counterparts;
  • Potentially identify a champion state and cultivate strong relations to model a comprehensive approach to care reform in one state;
  • Sensitize the business community on the harms of supporting institutional care and mobilize them to strengthen families, working closely with UNICEF’s Business for Results Specialist, the Communications Section and the Private Sector and Fundraising Section (PFP).
2. Strategy Development
  • Drawing on national, regional and international expertise, develop a 5-year strategy on Care Reform to be included in UNICEF Malaysia’s current and next Country Programme;
  • Lead on consultations within the UNICEF Country Office, drawing on the expertise of relevant programme sections, Communications and PFP to develop a comprehensive and evidence-based strategy with a strong focus on prevention;
  • Pending Government agreement, support the Government in developing a comprehensive Care Reform Agenda;
  • Lead on consultations with Government counterparts as well as the CSO/NGO community.
3. Provide technical support
  • Drawing on national, regional and international expertise, provide technical support to Government on a comprehensive Care Reform Agenda or elements of it, such as the evidence-based expansion of the existing family-based care pilot or fast-tracking registration and monitoring of unregistered institutional care;
  • Promote regional and global standards, as relevant, in the Malaysian context; including UN Minimum Standards on Alternative Care;
  • Facilitate learning from other relevant contexts that have implemented a comprehensive Care Reform Agenda.
4. Address the data gap on children living in institutional care
  • Support identification of, and/or work with survey and data collection agency/institute to carry out the UNICEF’s Survey of Children Living in Residential Care
  • Supervise and/or collaborate with said survey and data collection agency/institute to test and implement adapted research protocol for training; finalize sampling design, obtain ethical approval, carry out data collection and analysis;
  • Facilitate/moderate/coordinate a Technical Working Group, noting that the TWG composition include government ministries, Malaysian Association of Social Workers, and UNICEF as well as other key agency partners;
  • Co-develop draft report and/or coordinate its review and provision of inputs by TWG and UNICEF

Upon request of supervisor, support on other areas of programming, such as social service workforce strengthening.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Download File JDTEMP~1.PDF

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

Minimum requirements:

  • Education: An Advance University Degree in social sciences, social work, or similar field.
  • Work Experience: At least 5 years of relevant work experience in Child Protection or Social Policy, with a focus on the area of alternative care, family strengthening and/or social work.
  • Candidate with 8 years or more experience is highly desired.
  • Experience engaging in diplomatic and strategic advocacy in Malaysia or outside
  • Proven track record of Partnership and Convening skills.
  • Excellent oral and written skills, including presentation skills
  • Ability to work independently with minimum supervision.
  • Team worker that brings positive energy
  • Language Requirements: Fluency in English and Bahasa Malaysia is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is considered as an asset

Desirables:

  • Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.
  • Expertise on the Malaysian alternative care landscape, as well as ASEAN and global best practices on child rights and child protection.
  • Experience working with Malaysian Government counterparts, such as JKM and JAKIM.
  • Track record of planning and overseeing complex research, including those involving survey methodology, managing stakeholder engagement, and successfully disseminating it
  • Expertise on children with disabilities

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

Advertised: Singapore Standard Time
Deadline: Singapore Standard Time

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