Job Description

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, [insert tagline]

Together with the Malaysian government and others who are truly passionate about child rights, UNICEF works in Malaysia to ensure every child has the opportunity to grow healthy and happy; live safely; and achieve their full potential.

With the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the 12th Malaysia plan as our guides, we endeavor to change minds, change policies, and in turn change the lives of all children in Malaysia.

How can you make a difference?

1. Leading UNICEF\'s programme on Positive Parenting in Malaysia, with a focus on scale-up

• Serve as UNICEF\'s focal point in the National Parenting Consortium, collaborating with government agencies, International Organizations and CSO Partners
• Oversee the implementation of the parenting workplan, ensuring timely execution and alignment with project objectives.
• Explore strategic approaches to scaling up positive parenting programming through partnerships with government, private sector, and CSO partners. This includes implementing a scale-up plan for the Positive Parenting Initiative with various government agencies.
• Lead on Gender Transformative Parenting approaches, including by working with the National Parenting Consortium in adapting and integrating UNICEF\'s Global Gender Transformative Positive Parenting Modules into Malaysia\'s existing Positive Parenting Curriculum (Naungan Kasih), \xe2\x80\xa2 Jointly with UNHCR and partner organisations, lead in adapting and pilot testing the modules with a refugee community in Malaysia.
• Lead UNICEF\'s advocacy efforts in promoting positive parenting nationwide through various channels.

2. Support UNICEF programming to end child marriage, with a focus on Advocacy Initiatives and Legal Reform

• Design and implement an advocacy strategy at the national and state levels, based on existing evidence and in consultation with key partners, to address the issue of child marriage.
• Collaborate with the Gender Specialist to finalize an internal child marriage strategy at the UNICEF CO level.

Develop comprehensive advocacy messages on child marriage, considering diverse perspectives including the Syariah perspective.

Enhance the advocacy and social and behavior change capacity of civil society organization partners to effectively address child marriage.

Identify opportunities to support the government in implementing the National Strategy Plan, which focuses on addressing the root causes of child marriage.

Explore and provide support for initiatives related to child marriage within refugee communities.

3. Serve as Social and Behavior Change (SBC) Focal Point within the Child Protection Team, with a focus on leading a formative research on Violence Against Children

• Collaborate with colleagues specializing in Social and Behavior Change, conduct formative research on Violence Against Children, including reviewing the research design, data collection, analysis, and generating recommendations.
• Establish a Technical Working Group/Steering Committee consisting of experts, stakeholders, and partners to contribute inputs and provide oversight for the formative research.
• Lead and manage the implementation of the research conducted by an external contractor, ensuring its alignment with the programming priorities set by UNICEF Malaysia.

4. Other duties:

• Support to programme development and planning through research, analysis, and documentation, as well as facilitating the establishment of goals and strategies, executing programme transactions, and preparing materials for review and approval processes.
• Managing and monitoring programme implementation, collaborating with colleagues and partners to address implementation issues, participating in monitoring and evaluation exercises, ensuring compliance with resource allocation and organizational standards, reporting on identified issues for resolution, and preparing inputs for programme and donor reporting.
• Providing technical and operational support to programme implementation, including conducting field visits, assessing progress, reporting on critical issues, and providing support to government counterparts, NGO partners, and other stakeholders to ensure the application of UNICEF policies and best practices in child protection.
• Networking and partnership building by establishing and maintaining relationships with government counterparts and stakeholders, sharing information and knowledge.
• Promoting innovation, knowledge management, and capacity building by identifying and sharing lessons learned, applying innovative approaches and good practices, researching best practices, and participating in capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of stakeholders.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have\xe2\x80\xa6

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

A minimum of one year of professional experience in social development planning and management in child protection related areas is required.

Proven ability to work effectively with government agencies, consortium partners, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders.

Strong knowledge of the Malaysian context and understanding of the social and cultural dynamics related to parenting, child marriage, and violence against children

Excellent communication, coordination, and interpersonal skills.

Ability to work independently and as part of a team, in a fast-paced environment

A strong advantage for candidates who in addition bring:

• Expertise on Social and Behaviour Change Approaches (SBC) and experience in implementing SBC Programming

• Experience on effectively and strategically advocating on culturally sensitive issues

• Experience in oversseing research projects

• Experience working in a low, middle-income, or upper-middle income country is considered an asset. * Fluency in English and Bahasa Malaysia 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:

Click to learn more about UNICEF\'s compensation, benefits and wellbeing.

Click to learn more about UNICEF\'s salary scale & structure.

Click to learn more about UNICEF\'s job categories (GS/NO/IP)

UNICEF competencies required for this post are\xe2\x80\xa6

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: .

UNICEF is here to serve the world\'s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. , irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
We offer a , including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and . 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. All selected candidates will, therefore, 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.

Remarks:

UNICEF\'s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable candidate 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). 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.

Advertised: 14 Jul 2023 Singapore Standard Time
Deadline: 27 Jul 2023 Singapore Standard Time

Unicef