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For every child, the right to Sustainability
BACKGROUND
South Sudan is a conflict-prone and fragile country that continues to suffer the effects of past and ongoing conflicts. These conflicts exacerbate the worsening humanitarian crisis in some parts of the country, negatively impacting the country’s social indicators. South Sudan has high levels of inter-twined vulnerabilities attributable to the chronic conflicts, worsened by the impacts of climate change. The resultant shocks are both idiosyncratic and covariate in nature, affecting vast parts of the country, with children and women the most affected segments of the population, and is currently facing an unprecedented economic crisis, and the economy has been worsening.
In response, UNICEF South Sudan has thus been supporting the establishment of social protection systems and its coordination portfolio since the independence of South Sudan. Country Office is currently delivering two cash transfer programs, namely the Shock Responsive Cash Transfer (SRCT) and the Young Child Support Grant (YCSG), through the UNICEF Corporate MIS System called HOPE.
Organizational Context
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. 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.
Eliminating child poverty and ensuring access to social protection have been recognized as critical priorities of the Agenda 2030. An explicit requirement to measure and monitor multidimensional child poverty is included under SDG 1.1.2, and similarly, the need to accelerate progress around public spending for poverty reduction under SDG 1.a.2, and SDG 1.b.1, for which UNICEF has recently become a custodian. The effective scale-up of social protection, with specific attention to children, is included as part of ensuring access to social protection, a core target of SDG 1 (Elimination of poverty), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
Purpose for the job:
Under the general guidance and direct supervision of the Chief Social Policy and in close collaboration with UNICEF’s social policy and health teams and staff of implementing partners, the Programme Officer (Beneficiary Data) will support UNICEF South Sudan (SSCO) with timely beneficiary data management services for implementing the CO’s development and humanitarian cash transfer programming including both cash to households (social assistance) and cash for individuals (for example incentive payments). This includes, amongst others, beneficiary data related to the Shock-Responsive Cast Transfer Program (SRCT), the Young Child Support Grant (YCSG) and the Health Sector Transformation Project health sector workers’ incentives. It will also support other future cash programmes that will utilize HOPE.
The Programme Officer (Beneficiary Data Officer) will play a key role in ensuring the accuracy, integrity, and protection of data within HOPE, thereby contributing to the success of cash programmes and related HOPE payments.The Humanitarian Cash Operations and Programme Ecosystem (HOPE) is UNICEF’s bespoke management information system for managing cash transfer programmes. It is an integrated solution which provides the necessary tools to manage high amounts of data during the implementation of Humanitarian Cash transfers in compliance with UNICEF Data Protection Policy and Information Security Standard.
Key Functions, Accountabilities and Related Tasks
1. Data Processing and Data Management
• Write, manage, and update scripts in Python and other relevant languages to consolidate, parse, clean, and prepare external personal data sources for import in HOPE
• Consolidate different data sources such as KoBo registration surveys, post-distribution monitoring (PDM) surveys, and other monitoring data (such as needs assessment, market monitoring, grievance, and feedback data, etc.) for data analysis and data comparison, including longitudinal comparisons.
• Detect individual records flagged as errors upon import in HOPE and perform adequate correction based on programmatic instructions.
• Spot check and ensure the quality of data stored in HOPE and in other digital platforms for the case of programmatic non-personal data.
• Support programme teams and implementing partners to Implement data validation and verification protocols to ensure high-quality beneficiary information.
• Manage and monitor data integrity within the HOPE platform, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and consistency.
• Coordinate partners' grievances management work by supporting the documentation of grievances management in the HOPE system
• Troubleshoot and resolve data-related issues in collaboration with technical teams.
• Liaise with implementing partners to ensure smooth data flow and alignment with programme objectives.
2. Reporting and Analysis
• Perform advanced analysis for report writing, including data analysis tables and visual representation of findings.
• Generate regular reports and dashboards on beneficiary data status, trends, and gaps.
• Collaborate with relevant sections to integrate data insights into programme planning and reporting.
3. Capacity Building
• Support training and capacity development of staff and partners on HOPE usage and data management protocols.
• Support onboarding of future cash programmes that will utilize HOPE.
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: 
Programme Officer (Beneficiary Data) _NOB_Social Policy Section_FINAL.docx
To qualify as an advocate for every child, you will have…
Minimum requirements:
Education:
- A university degree in one of the following fields is required: Information Management or Information Systems, Economics, Public Policy, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Science, or another relevant technical field.
Work Experience:
- A minimum of two years of professional work experience of information/data management or related project management experience preferably in social protection or humanitarian programs
Language Requirements:
- Fluency in English is required.
- Knowledge of local language is an asset.
Desirables:
Experience in emergency contexts is desirable.
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
The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
(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
Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.
UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.
UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.
UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.
UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be 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 canceled.
Remarks:
As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.
UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.
Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions 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.
UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.
Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.
All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.
Eligible staff members on fixed-term, continuing or permanent contracts applying to IP TA positions in a duty station designated as L2/L3, may be able to retain a lien and their fixed-term entitlements, subject to approval by their Head of Office. The conditions of the temporary assignment will vary depending on the status of their post and relocation entitlements may be limited as per the relevant policies.
Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.
