UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.
Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.
And we never give up.
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 11th Malaysia plan as our guides, we endeavor to change minds, change policies, and in turn change the lives of all children in Malaysia.
How can you make a difference?
The Social Policy Specialist is responsible for the following functions:
1. Inclusive social protection
2. Cross-cutting social policy areas
Specifically, the Social Policy Specialist (Inclusive Social Protection) performs:
1. Inclusive social protection
- Advocates for inclusion and equity-driven particularly as it relates to gender, disability and migration by advocating and promoting policies that address specific vulnerabilities tied to multifaceted aspects of poverty and the contribution social protection has on reducing exclusion.
- Works closely with colleagues across UNICEF to ensure a coherent agenda on inclusive social protection, engaging with cross-sectoral and thematic areas such as adolescence and humanitarian response.
- Together with child protection, education, nutrition and other substantive sections, identifies the most suitable strategies to develop social protection services for the most marginalized and at-risk children and adolescents supporting inclusion and preventing institutionalization. This includes contributing to the development of inclusive, gender-transformative systems that respond to women’s and caregivers needs.
- Designs, updates, reviews, adjusts, implements and evaluates specific programmes and instruments that contribute to gender-responsive / transformative, disability-inclusive and migrant-inclusive social protection systems.
2. Cross-cutting social policy areas
- Establishes effective partnerships with the government, bilateral and multilateral donors, civil society and local leaders, the private sector, and other UN agencies to support sustained and proactive commitment to the Convention of the Rights of the Child, achieve global UN agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals and strengthen UNICEF’s leading positioning for their implementation as they relate to inclusive, child-sensitive and gender-transformative social protection.
- Analyzes national context, including key socio-economic trends, and their impact on social development, emerging issues and concerns. Uses evidence and data to help the country office predict, prepare for and mitigate risks and adjust programming course.
- Supports the correct and compelling use of data and evidence including on the situation of children, and coverage and impact of child-focused services, in support of the social protection programme and the country programme overall.
- Develops approaches to identify social and behavioural change needs and undertakes interventions for the meaningful accountability to affected populations and community engagement.
- Monitors current technological trends, new modalities of working applicable to social protection versus current and emerging needs to assess their role and match their potential applicability to social protection for enhanced outcomes for children.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
- An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: Economics, Public Policy, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Science, or another relevant field.
*A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
- A minimum of five years of professional work experience in social protection policies, programmes or services including relevant experience from an inclusion lens regarding the most marginalized and at-risk is required.
- Experience in programme design and management and policy advocacy is required.
- Experience working in developing countries / contexts is considered as a strong asset.
- Background and/or familiarity with emergencies and humanitarian contexts is considered as a strong asset.
- Fluency in English and Malay is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is considered as an asset.
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
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.
- Analyzing (2)
- Persuading and Influencing (2)
- Planning and Organizing (2)
During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.
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 benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
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 promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, 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’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable candidate are encouraged to apply.
UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government 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.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
Advertised: 06 Apr 2023 Singapore Standard Time
Deadline: 05 May 2023 Singapore Standard Time
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