UNICEF recruits 01 Emergency Specialist (Humanitarian Cash Transfer), (P-3)

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.

As part of its efforts to achieve better results for children in a more efficient and effective way, UNICEF has recently initiated the mainstreaming and scale up of the humanitarian cash transfer (HCT) modality across the organization. This has become a priority area of work under UNICEF’s strategic plan, as well as UNICEF’s agenda to increase the resilience of households, communities and systems.

In the Central African Republic (CAR), Cash-Based Interventions (CBIs) have often been limited to sectoral and geographical levels due to factors such as insecurity and protection concerns, which hinder the free movement of the population and traders, as well as the limitation of trade flows in large areas of the country. The penetration of the banking system is low and access to financial services remains a major challenge. Similarly, unreliable – if not largely inexistent – coverage of mobile services are hindering the expansion of access to financial services through mobile technologies. As a result, while CBIs are being increasingly used for social protection purposes in the main urban centers or for voucher-based sectoral assistance in the calmer parts of the country, the use of humanitarian cash transfers (HCTs) as first line response is still extremely limited.

Still, UNICEF CAR started to pilot HCTs within its Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) program in late 2018 and is developing the use of voucher-based assistance, also as part of the RRM.  UNICEF CAR is looking to develop the use HCTs and CBIs as part of its humanitarian response, and to ensure this is done in coordination with other actors involved in this field, in particular through the development of common approaches with other UN Agencies such as WFP and UNHCR.

How can you make a difference?

Under the general supervision of the Chief Emergency and Field Operations, and in close collaboration with the relevant sections, the Emergency Specialist – Humanitarian Cash Transfers (HCTs) will provide guidance and technical assistance to support the UNICEF CAR country office in developing the HCT modality, while working closely with OCHA, WFP and UNHCR to develop common approaches. Guidance and technical assistance should be provided in terms of design, planning, implementation management, monitoring of activities and data analysis.

 

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks

1. Coordination and collaboration on cash transfer programming

• Advise the Country Office on inter-agency collaboration on cash in emergencies, particularly within the framework of the Statement from the Principals of OCHA, UNHCR, WFP and UNICEF on the development of joint approaches and mechanisms for cash assistance.
• Contribute to the development of the joint initiative’s workplan, and to its implementation
• Actively participate and represent UNICEF in the Cash Working Group.
• Ensure operational linkages between UNICEF cash assistance and relevant UNICEF sectors, including the Rapid Response Mechanism

2. Cash based assistance, design and implementation

• Advise the Country Office on UNICEF strategic positioning on cash in emergencies in CAR, based on best practices, country specificities and partners’ comparative advantages.
• Support the ongoing development of humanitarian cash transfers (HCTs) within the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM).
• Develop the integration of cash-based interventions (CBIs) by designing relevant sector-specific and multi-sector projects using HCTs and CBIs where relevant, and where UNICEF comparative advantage is present.
• Undertake cash feasibility assessments where relevant to inform UNICEF cash programmes, and identify potential implementing partners, and/or contribute to partners’ design efforts to ensure that HCT programmes are child-centered.
• Conduct regular operational analysis of the HCT programmes, identify areas of poor performance, bottlenecks, and identify solutions such as design improvements, additional trainings and technical support.
• Ensure Accountability to Affected Population (AAP) is streamlined across the programme implementation cycle with attention to information sharing to beneficiaries, community inclusion in programme implementation, complaints and response mechanism and continuous learning.
• Ensure analysis of complaints and feedback received through different communication channels and ensure follow up by implementing partners.
• Develop, review and maintain work plans with time frames and deadlines for key activities, based on changing and emerging needs, and ensure that standard operating procedures are developed.
• Prepare programme reports required for management, donors, budget reviews, programme analysis, annual reports, etc.
• Work closely with relevant sections/units as needed.

3. Operational oversight and risk management

• Work in close collaboration with the Planning Monitoring and Evaluation (PME) team to implement a sound monitoring and evaluation system for the cash transfer programme/components, undertake field visits to monitor and assess programme implementation and decide on required corrective action
• Produce knowledge management products for the cash transfer programme through data collection and analysis, complete and accurate reporting as well as generating and documenting lessons learned.
• In close collaboration with the PME team and the Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT) unit, ensure coverage of CBIs by the country office’s third-party monitoring system.
• Conduct risk assessments and propose risk mitigation measures for the use of cash in emergencies in the specific country context of CAR.
• Ensure all applicable HACT risk management measures for HCT are implemented.

 

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in international development, social sciences, public policy, public health, or relevant field.
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional work experience, including in the design, implementation and management of humanitarian cash transfer projects/programmes.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English and French is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

 

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and Core Competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

Functional Competencies

• Applying Technical Expertise
• Deciding and Initiating Actions
• Analyzing
• Leading and Supervising
• Persuading and Influencing
• Adapting and Responding to Change
• Coping with Pressure and Setbacks
• Planning and Organizing

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.