Regional Adviser, Early Childhood Development (ECD), P-5, EAPRO, Bangkok, Thailand, #99166

The Regional Adviser, Early Childhood Development (ECD) will provide technical leadership, management guidance, and programming support throughout the region on planning, developing and managing the implementation of ECD programmes; will serve as conduit between global and national levels in the achievement of ECD results within the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) framework, programmatic partnerships, and compacts; will be responsible for facilitating the implementation and development of related UNICEF policies and strategies in the region, as well as facilitating capacity building for Country Office (CO) staff, key government counterparts and civil society partners. He/she will be responsible for promoting innovatory practices that can be taken to scale to ensure national coverage and that all children, especially the most vulnerable, are reached by key ECD interventions and will coordinate with those responsible for other outcome areas, including emergency and humanitarian contexts. He/she will ensure that results in the area of ECD are in alignment with regional priorities and global strategies and will strengthen regional technical leadership on ECD, as well as regional partnerships.

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Purpose of the Position

The Regional Adviser, Early Childhood Development (ECD) will work under the guidance of the Deputy Regional Director. He/she will also be supported through frequent consultation with the global ECD Chief and fellow regional advisors in the East Asia and Pacific Office Regional Office (EAPRO).  He/she will provide technical leadership, management guidance, and programming support throughout the region on planning, developing and managing the implementation of ECD programmes; will serve as conduit between global and national levels in the achievement of ECD results within the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) framework, programmatic partnerships, and compacts; will be responsible for facilitating the implementation and development of related UNICEF policies and strategies in the region, as well as facilitating capacity building for Country Office (CO) staff, key government counterparts and civil society partners.  He/she will be responsible for promoting innovatory practices that can be taken to scale to ensure national coverage and that all children, especially the most vulnerable, are reached by key ECD interventions and will coordinate with those responsible for other outcome areas, including emergency and humanitarian contexts. He/she will ensure that results in the area of ECD are in alignment with regional priorities and global strategies and will strengthen regional technical leadership on ECD, as well as regional partnerships. 

Summary of Key Functions/Accountabilities:

1. Leverage resources for Regional ECD initiatives, policies, strategies and implementation plans based on globally acknowledged scientific evidence, through:

• Strengthening the evidence base on programme implementation, policies and operational strategies for ECD.
  
  
• Developing and operationalizing regional ECD strategic priorities together with the UNICEF Regional Management Team, Regional Advisors, and COs.
  
  
• Driving technical leadership for ECD in the region through monitoring the trends and situation of young children and families, based on analyses of data. 
  
  
• Creating and maintaining relevant partnerships and networks with key stakeholders to support the programme, policy, advocacy and data needs of the region.
  
  
• Coordinating with colleagues involved in planning and resource mobilization to support the leveraging of additional resources for ECD.
  
  
• Contributing and taking a lead role on ECD issues in major regional forums and networks.
  
  
• Providing outcome specific, high quality and timely reporting on progress towards the SDGs, and the implementation of the CRC commitments to Early Childhood, and those in the WFFC.

2. Ensure that a young child's holistic development is fully integrated into global strategic plans, across programmes in EAPRO and CCA/UNDAFs with measurable progress indicators and M&E plans, through:

• Working closely with the HQ global ECD team and informing global strategies to reflect national and regional priorities and bringing the latest global evidence and to the region and COs.
  
  
• Working with other UNICEF ECD regional advisors as part of a global technical team to promote a common understandings and programmatic strategies for ECD across the organization.
  
  
• Using knowledge gained from other regions and global initiatives, when relevant to inform regional and country practices in EAP.
  
  
• Participating in and providing technical support to global and other regional initiatives.

3. Provide technical leadership through clear and timely guidance and follow up with field offices as to ensure the effective implementation of ECD interventions, including by taking innovations to scale through:

• Facilitating technical leadership on country programme preparation and providing inputs for reviews, including indicator development, through interaction with country office teams and ECD Focal Points, where appropriate.
  
  
• Supporting the evaluation of new country programmes, including an assessment of current CCA/UNDAF indicators.
  
  
• Contributing to the formulation of strategic plans and strategies, including the development of culturally appropriate implementation guidelines for both sectoral and cross-sectoral programming and the identification of relevant indicators and M&E mechanisms at the CO level.

4. Provide effective and efficient management of ECD programmes and projects, including cross-sectoral collaboration, through:

• Ensuring that the regional Office Management Plan fully reflects global, regional and CO priorities in ECD.
  
  
• Proving quality assurance support to programming around ECD in terms of programme design and monitoring to ensure global, regional and CO objectives are met.
  
  
• Providing guidance on general ECD policy and strategies.
  
  
• Supporting recruitment and identifying the human resource support required for effective programme delivery.
  
  
• Managing evidence and the analysis of programming in Early Childhood Development, and related areas, through documentation, annual reporting and assessment of best practices.
  
  
• Coordinating the effective dissemination of best practices, ensuring knowledge management.
  
  
• Fostering enhanced linkages with professional organizations and academia to support global knowledge-building efforts and regional networks and partnerships (including when/if/as necessary with private sector).
  
  
• Monitoring the overall commitment, expenditure and liquidation of programme funds in accordance with the programme budget allotments.
  
  
• Taking necessary action for the optimal use of programme funds at regional and country office levels; including provide feedback to CO on funding proposal.
  
  
• Management of donor funded projects

Qualifications of a Successful Candidate

• An Advanced University Degree (Master's) in any of the following: Social Sciences, Public Health, Education, or other fields related to the work of UNICEF.  

• Ten to Twelve years of progressively responsible professional work experience in social development management, at the national and international level, of which four to six years should have been spent in a developing country or set of countries in a region.

• Capacity to analyse both quantitative and qualitative data is required as is a basic understanding of results based management principles.

• Work experience preferably should include high level involvement in ECD in areas such as: programme design and planning, national capacity development, development of standards, research, M&E and governance and financing.

• Experience in building coalition and network for advocacy at national governments and regional levels strongly desired. 

• Fluency in English (written and oral) is required.  Knowledge of an additional UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish) or a local language is considered an asset.
  
  

Competencies of a Successful Candidate

Core Values

• Commitment
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Integrity

Core competencies

• Communication - Level III
• Working with people - Level III
• Drive for results - Level III

Functional Competencies

• Leading and supervising - Level III
• Formulating strategies/concepts - Level III
• Analyzing - Level III
• Relating and networking - Level III
• Deciding and initiating action - Level III
• Persuading and influencing - Level III

To view our competency framework, please click here.

REMARKS: This is a re-advertisement. Candidates who applied previously need not re-apply as their application will be given due consideration.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.