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For every child, the right to a Future
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Under the guidance of the Deputy Representative, Programme, and working in close collaboration with programme sections, the Planning and Monitoring Specialist P3 is accountable for the establishment of viable systems that strengthen the programme focus, monitoring and results for children in Zimbabwe. The incumbent will lead programme planning, programme monitoring and provides guidance, coordination and leadership in policy and strategy development. The incumbent also works in collaboration with the UN Country Team in support of the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) outcomes, as well as in monitoring the implementation of the SDGs.
The Planning and Monitoring Specialist P3 reports to the Deputy Representative, Programme (P5) and is responsible for the overall management of the Programme Planning and Monitoring Section. This position is integral to UNICEF's mission of promoting the rights of every child, everywhere, through results-based management approaches in programme planning and monitoring. The Planning and Monitoring Specialist leads the Zimbabwe Country Office Programme Planning and Monitoring Section with four staff under their supervision and ensures programme quality and enhanced results for children and women by providing leadership, guidance, and coordination in policy and strategy development, and overseeing the implementation of monitoring recommendations.
Summary of key functions/accountabilities:
Integrated Programme Planning and Results-based Monitoring: Ensure that the Country Office and national partners have well-prioritized and realistic programme plans and monitoring activities, developed collaboratively that provides all the relevant and strategic information needed to manage the Country Programme.
Situation Monitoring and Assessment: Ensure that the Country Office and national partners have timely and accurate measurements of change in conditions in the country or region, including monitoring of socio-economic trends and the country’s wider policy, economic or institutional context, to facilitate planning and to draw conclusions about the impact of programmes or policies.
Programme Performance Monitoring and Knowledge Exchange: Ensure that the Country Office has quality information to assess progress towards expected results established in annual work plans.
Implementing Partnerships and Contribution Management: Ensure that UNICEF implementing partners deliver quality services that help to push UNICEF’s mandate.
Capacity Building: Ensure that the planning and monitoring capacities of Country Office staff and national partners – government and civil society – are strengthened enabling them to increasingly engage in and lead planning and monitoring processes.
Coordination and Networking: Ensure that the UNICEF office is effectively linked to wider UNICEF Planning and Monitoring (P&M) Developments in a way that both contributes to and benefits from organizational learning on effective P&M management.
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Job Description
To qualify as a/an [champion or advocate] for every child you will have…
- Minimum requirements
- Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Social Sciences, Statistics, Demography, Data Management, Project Planning, Monitoring
- Work Experience: 5 years of relevant work experience in Programme Development, Management
- Skills: Project Planning, Monitoring, Data Management, Statistics, Data Analysis, Reporting
- Language Requirements: English - Proficient
- Desirables
- Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language
- Developing-country experience, UN system experience, additional UN language, maternal health, neonatal health, humanitarian preparedness
- Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.
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 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
(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people
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 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.
Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.
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.
Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.
