The UNICEF Programme of Cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) is designed to address and mitigate the threat of poverty the country’s children face, while responding to the needs with interventions addressing the multiple causative factors.

How can you make a difference?

The Child Protection Officer will support an upcoming integrated social development programme to be implemented by UNICEF Zambia. The child protection component of the programme will focus on ensuring protection services reach vulnerable children and adolescents and empowers them to achieve their full potential, The incumbent will provide professional, technical, operational, and administrative assistance throughout the programming process for child protection within the Country Programme. H/She will prepare, execute, manage, and implement a variety of technical and administrative programme tasks and contribute to UNICEF’s overall goal of preventing children and adolescents from all forms of violence, abuse, and exploitation.

Under the guidance and supervision of the Child Protection Specialist, the Child Protection officer play a lead role in the implementation of child protection programmes with a specific focus on strengthening district and community-based child protection systems to prevent children and adolescents from harmful practices, Gender Based Violence promote birth registration, child safeguarding, mental health and psychosocial support services and ensure referrals to health facilities for learners requiring specialized attention. The Child Protection Officer will closely work with other sections, line ministries and partners to strengthen a government led child and adolescent centered system-wide approach that ensures delivery of quality services to children and adolescents in families, community, schools, and health facilities.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

• Support to programme development and planning
• Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results.
• Technical and operational support to programme implementation
• Networking and partnership building
• Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

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

  Minimum requirements:

  Education:

  • A university degree in one of the following fields is required: international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law, or another relevant social science field.

  Work Experience:

  • A minimum of two years of professional experience in social development planning and management in child protection, adolescent programming, Gender Based Violence related areas is required.
  • Experience working with government or a non-governmental organization on child protection, child rights is an added advantage.
  • Relevant experience in programme development in child protection and adolescent programming

  Desired Experience:

  • Experience in both development and humanitarian context and working in with both rural and urban communities is an added advantage.
  • Experience working on integrated programmes targeting education/early childhood education, adolescent programming, health, education, and other social development services is an added advantage

  Language Requirements:

  Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of the local language is an asset.