The ECD Officer reports to the ECD Manager and Specialist for supervision. The Officer provides professional technical, operational, and administrative assistance throughout the programming process for ECD programmes/projects within the Country Programme from development planning to delivery of results, preparing, executing, managing and implementing a variety of technical and administrative program tasks.
Summary of key functions/accountabilities:
1. Support to ECD programme development and planning
2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results
3. Technical and operational support to programme implementation
4. Networking and partnership building
5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
Below find more details on the Key tasks:
1. Support to ECD programme development and planning
▪ Conduct and update the situation analysis and carry out assessments on early childhood development related issues to establish evidence-based data to support holistic policy and programme development, as well as coordinated planning, implementation, and monitoring
of ECD related programmes/projects.
▪ Contribute to the development and establishment of ECD programme goals, objectives, strategies, and results-based planning through research, collection, analysis and reporting of ECD related information and data for development planning and goal setting.
▪ Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes by executing/administering a variety of technical, programme, operational and administrative transactions, preparing related materials/documentations and complying
with organizational processes and management systems, to support programme planning, results-based planning (RBM) and monitoring and evaluating results.
▪ Prepare required programme documentations/materials/data to facilitate the program review and approval process.
2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results.
▪ Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues and partners to discuss ECD operational and implementation issues, provide solutions, recommendations and/or alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level intervention and/or decisions. Keep record of
reports and assessments for easy reference and/or to capture and institutionalize lessons learned.
▪ Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual reviews with governments and other counterparts to assess ECD programmes/projects and to report on required action/interventions at the higher level of programme management.
▪ Monitor and report on the use of ECD programme resources (financial, administrative and other assets), verify compliance with approved allocation/goals, organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity. Report on critical issues/findings to ensure timely resolution by management/stakeholders. Follow up on unresolved issues to ensure resolution.
▪ Prepare regular/mandated ECD programme/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.
3. Technical and operational support to programme implementation
▪ Conduct regular programme field visits and surveys and/or exchange information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress and provide technical support, take appropriate action to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for resolution. Report on critical
issues, bottlenecks and potential problems for timely action to achieve results.
▪ Provide technical and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on the application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices on ECD
related issues to support programme implementation, operations and delivery of results.
4. Networking and partnership building
• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with government counterparts and national stakeholders across relevant sectors through active sharing of information and knowledge to facilitate programme implementation and build capacity of stakeholders to
achieve and sustain results on ECD programmes.
• Draft communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support resource mobilization for ECD programmes.
▪ Participate in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) meetings/events on programming to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNDAF operational planning and preparation of ECD programmes/projects and to integrate and harmonize UNICEF’s
position and strategies with the UNDAF development and planning process.
▪ Research information on potential donors and prepare resource mobilization materials and briefs for fund raising and partnership development purposes.
5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
▪ Identify, capture, synthesize and share lessons learned for knowledge development and to build the capacity of stakeholders.
▪ Apply innovative approaches and promote good practice to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results.
• Research and report on best and cutting-edge practices for development planning of knowledge products and systems.
• Participate as resource person in capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
Belgian nationality and be no older than 32 years of age as of 31st December of the year of application.
Education:
Master’s degree in one of the following fields is required: education, public administration, public health, nutrition, economics, psychology, sociology, human development, child development, family studies or another relevant technical field.
Work Experience:
A minimum of two years of professional experience in social development planning and management in early childhood development related areas is required.
Language Requirements:
Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language is considered as an asset.
Desirables:
Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.
Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset.
Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
