Avis de recrutement : UNICEF recrute un(e) Responsable de la politique sociale à Lilongwe, Malawi.
UNICEF Malawi Country Programme (2019-2023) is aligned with Malawi Vision 2063 and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). The programme supports the Government of Malawi to meet its commitment to respect, protect and fulfil children’s rights in line with international conventions and standards. The country programme is guided by the principles of children’s rights, equity, gender equality, inclusion and resilience, and supports evidence-based, integrative and innovative programming. The vision is that ‘all girls and boys in Malawi, especially the most disadvantaged and deprived, realize their rights’. The programme focuses on: early childhood (parenting, high-impact social services, early stimulation and learning), middle childhood and adolescence (learning, multi-sectoral services, active citizenship), communities (decentralized services and systems, community ownership, social norms), programme effectiveness (monitoring, evaluation, HACT, Innovation, Social Protection and Social Policy and External Communication. The programme is based on ‘leaving no child behind’, realizing ‘rights for all children in Malawi’.
Through UNICEF’s work on social protection, we aim to ensure that the Government has an integrated child-sensitive social protection system targeting the most vulnerable households. The Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) is Malawi’s flagship social protection intervention. Since 2006, when the SCTP began, UNICEF has supported the Government through extensive technical assistance in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the programme. The SCTP is currently operational in all 28 districts in the country reaching about 290,000 households of whom over 600,000 are children.
The evaluation of the programme showed a positive impact on several livelihood outcomes including food security, education, and asset accumulation. However, there is growing evidence in Malawi and beyond on the need to establish and nurture strategic linkages between cash transfer programmes and other interventions (“cash +”) to amplify the impact of cash transfers. In addition, there is a need for social protection programmes and systems to be resilient and adaptable to respond to emergencies to safeguard gains and mitigate household negative coping strategies across the life course.
How can you make a difference?
The Malawi Country Office offers an exciting and rewarding career opportunity for you to join our dynamic Social Policy team where you will be responsible for supporting UNICEF’s efforts in strengthening social protection delivery systems (social registry, harmonized grievance redress tools and electronic payments), policy development, sector coordination and “cash-plus” linkages with social services for recipients of social assistance programmes. In your role as Social Policy Officer, you will be under the guidance and supervision of the Social Policy Specialist (Protection) as well as work in close collaboration with a team of social policy professionals.
This job therefore presents a unique and significant opportunity for a qualified, vibrant, motivated and committed person to contribute to the overall achievement of transformative results for children with professional excellence and by delivering on the following key responsibility areas, but not limited to:
- Support the effective implementation and monitoring of Government-led social protection interventions at the central and district level with a focus on 9 districts.
- Support the implementation, piloting and scale-up of targeting reforms (categorical approaches) and evidence generation on the long-term impacts of the the SCTP.
- Lead the scale-up of the cash-plus linkages programme including graduation pathways to sustainable livelihood for SCTP beneficiaries in 9 districts.
- Lead the scale-up of the harmonized e-payments and the leverage of the system for emergencies.
Education:
- A university degree in one of the following fields is required: Economics, Public Policy, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Science, or another relevant technical field. An advanced degree is an added advantage.
Experience:
- At least 2 years of relevant experience and proven expertise in the area of social protection and/or humanitarian cash-based assistance.
- Proven experience working on electronic payment systems (Mobile Money Operators (MNOs), financial institutions, Banking) to facilitate large-scale payment to social protection and/or humanitarian interventions is a strong advantage.
- Demonstrated capacity to work with, support and develop the capacity of government institutions both at national and district levels
- Previous demonstrable experience in working with the Malawi Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) and/or a resilience and social accountability programmes targeting vulnerable populations.
Technical knowledge and skills:
- Awareness of and knowledge of local and international efforts to the digitization of Government to People (G2P) payments and financial inclusion is highly desirable.
- Proven knowledge and experience in supporting impact evaluations is required.
- Proven skills in the implementation of livelihood programmes among vulnerable popularization and facilitation of strategic linkages is required.
- Background and/or familiarity with emergency and/or humanitarian is considered as an asset.
Language:
- Fluency in English, both strong verbal and written skills, are essential.
Deadline: South Africa Standard Time
Application process