Advocacy Specialist (Girls Health & HPV) P-3 , Temporary Appointment, Division of Global Communication and Advocacy, UNICEF NYHQ, Post # 128095

The Advocacy Section within the Division of Global Communication and Advocacy (DGCA) is in need of an Advocacy Specialist who will be responsible for developing and implementing a global advocacy strategy for the Human papillomavirus (HPV) and for girls’ health. The role will work closely with programme teams in HQ and will support priority country and regional offices to ensure their advocacy strategies are positively influencing policies on HPV & girls health. The position will also develop a capacity building strategy to advance the advocacy skills of relevant colleagues in these countries.

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, an Advocate on HPV & girls' health

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

How can you make a difference?

Goal Area 1 of UNICEF’s Strategic Plan is to ensure every child survives and thrives. Immunization, vaccines and broader health advocacy are critical to this pursuit of this goal.   This is an opportunity to support UNICEF HQ’s Immunization Advocacy Team with the implementation of its global immunization advocacy strategy that aims to ensure that every child everywhere can access life-saving vaccines.

Duties include:

Strategy:

In coordination with key UNICEF colleagues in headquarters, regions, and counties, the HPV & Girls Health Immunization Advocacy Specialist will be responsible for the following:

• Develop & implement a global advocacy strategy for HPV & Girls Health
• Review and update strategy as needed to ensure it has a clear theory of change, is underpinned by a relevant workplan, and has broad buy-in from across the organization.
• Support effective monitoring and evaluation of the strategy, ensuring it is delivering clear results for every child.
• Provide advocacy support to countries and regions so they can develop relevant advocacy strategies nationally and regionally.
• Work with relevant teams in HQ, countries and regions to define advocacy goals, targets, tactics, and messages.
• Ensure that country- and region-specific strategies and plans are consistent with (and contribute to) UNICEF’s Global Immunization Advocacy Strategy + UNICEF’s programme strategies for Immunization & Gender.
• Coordinate with, and align a number of internal teams, including in UNICEF’s programme group, to ensure the advocacy strategies are understood and endorsed by key internal stakeholders.
• Manage relations with external partners and stakeholders involved in HPV and girls’ health.
• Represent UNICEF in inter-agency and partner discussions on HPV and girls’ health advocacy and communications.
• Identify opportunities for national and regional influencing on HPV & Girls Health.
• Guide and support countries in their advocacy and comms workplans.
• Support development of content strategies for multimedia production in countries.
• Act as internal focal point on HPV and girls’ health advocacy for countries and regions.
• Monitor, track and evaluate progress by countries and regions against their strategies.
• Intervene and help troubleshoot when progress towards advocacy outcomes in countries is hampered.

Capacity Building:

• Build the advocacy capacity of key staff in a number of priority UNICEF countries and regions for HPV and girls health, in coordination with UNICEF’s advocacy capacity building team.
• Coordinate and deliver capacity building workshops in countries, in collaboration with the advocacy capacity building team – this will include occasional travel to country and regional offices (2-3 times per year).
• Coach and support advocacy and communications specialists in countries and help them progress their advocacy strategies – this may include travel to regional and country offices. (1-2 times per year).

Knowledge & Grant management:

• Maintain an up-to-date internal SharePoint site with all key resources and documents, and that countries, regions and HQ teams can access and use.
• Help host regular webinars to disseminate information and share internal updates with the relevant teams.
• Work with countries and regions to identify and collect case studies showing impact of HPV and girls health advocacy on the ground.
• Work alongside the Immunization Advocacy Manager, and other colleagues across UNICEF who manage relations with private and public donors, to provide regular updates on key metrics and indicators for grant reporting.

Impact of Results:

The efficiency and efficacy of support provided by the Advocacy Manager:

1. Robust advocacy strategies are developed implemented, monitored and evaluated, with SMART advocacy outcomes and clear theories of change.
2. Measurable change for children and young people through the achievement of defined advocacy outcomes at the global and national level.

 Achieving these goals will significantly contribute to the well-being of children.

Child Safeguarding:

Child safeguarding involves proactive measures to limit direct and indirect collateral risks of harm to children, arising from UNICEF’s work, UNICEF personnel or UNICEF associates. The risks may include those associated with: physical violence (including corporal punishment); sexual violence, exploitation or abuse; emotional and verbal abuse; economic exploitation; failure to provide for physical or psychological safety; neglect of physical, emotional or psychological needs; harmful cultural practices; and privacy violations.

Certain UNICEF positions present elevated child safeguarding risks (“elevated risk roles”) and candidates and/or incumbents may be subject to more rigorous vetting and training. Roles may be elevated risk roles because of significant unsupervised direct contact with children, their data, having a role in responding to safeguarding incidents, or being otherwise assessed as presenting an elevated risk. This position has been identified as not being an elevated risk role.

Note: To appropriately categorize this position, please refer to the Guidance on Identifying & Assessing Elevated Risk Roles for this job profile and remove non-applicable description in the highlighted area above.

Preferred Start Date of Preferred candidate:  ASAP (ideal 1^st May)

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

Education: An advanced university degree is required in one of the following fields: International Relations, Political Science, International Development, Public Policy, Public Administration, Economics, Communication or related fields.

* A first level university degree with an additional two years of experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least five (5) years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in advocacy/ campaigning is required, with at least two years at the international level. Experience in humanitarian and complex setting is desired.
• Experience in leading the development and implementation of advocacy strategies, with clear theories of change, specific, measurable and timebound objectives, and performance indicators.
• A track record of achieving or contributing to tangible policy change.
• Proven experience in deploying a range of advocacy tactics based on a clear theory of change.
• Experience in building and maintaining a network of advocacy stakeholders, and in working with advocacy coalitions.
• Strong communicator with emphasis on being able to present complex policy ideas in succinct, engaging ways through campaign narratives and creative tactics.
• Demonstrated experience in design and management of projects, including budget management and monitoring and evaluation of results.
• Knowledge of international development, humanitarian issues and children’s rights.
• Experience in training and capacity building.
• Experience working in a developing and emergency environment is an asset.

Education: Fluency in English 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 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 (for Staff without Supervisory responsibilities) required for this post are…

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

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. 

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic 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). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be cancelled.

All selected candidates will 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.

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.