Organization: UNV – United Nations Volunteers
Location: South Sudan
Grade: Level not specified – Level not specified
Occupational Groups:
International Relations
External Relations, Partnerships and Resource mobilization
Closing Date: 2024-11-19
Details
Mission and objectives
About us
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is the driving force that helps build a world where the rights of every child are realized. We believe that nurturing and caring for children are the cornerstones of human progress. UNICEF was created with this purpose in mind – to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path. We advocate for measures to give children the best start in life, because proper care at the youngest age forms the strongest foundation for a person’s future.
UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. It is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and strives to establish children’s rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behaviour towards children.
UNICEF provides long-term humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in 191 countries through country programmes and National Committees.
What We Do
UNICEF works to protect the rights of every child in South Sudan
Context
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is the driving force that helps build a world where the rights of every child are realized. We believe that nurturing and caring for children are the cornerstones of human progress. UNICEF was created with this purpose in mind – to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path. We advocate for measures to give children the best start in life, because proper care at the youngest age forms the strongest foundation for a person’s future. UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. It is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and strives to establish children’s rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behaviour towards children. UNICEF provides long-term humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in 191 countries through country programmes and National Committees. UNICEF works to protect the rights of every child in South Sudan.
The South Sudan Country Office’s new Country Programme (2023 to 2025) commenced on 1 January 2023, and it will be implemented in a complex and multi-hazard environment that includes the on-going impacts flooding, conflict, chronic economic crisis, and significant child rights violations and deprivations. This will require a robust resource mobilization strategy to raise adequate resources necessary to implement various innovative strategies to achieve expected results for children, especially the most disadvantaged.
The new Country Programme provides an opportunity for the South Sudan Country Office to prioritize results, align to the UNICEF Strategic Plan and ensure that the office is ‘fit for purpose’ to deliver commitments made for children in a fast-changing landscape of population growth, emergencies and a fluid political and economic environment.
It is anticipated there will be a decline in Official Development Assistance (ODA) due to a number of reasons that include the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and other global trends. This unfortunately comes at a time when funding support is most needed due to the multi-hazards impacting women and children in South Sudan. As the path to peace continues, without increased levels of funding, the risk is that more and more children may still suffer as access to education, nutrition, health and other basic social services will be reduced. It is critical that UNICEF builds and maintains a strong basis of partnerships with donors and ley stakeholders to fundraising for programmes and advocate on behalf of the children of South Sudan.
Task description
Supervision, induction and duty of care of UN Volunteers (Roles and Responsibilities of Host Entities)
UN Volunteers should be provided equal duty of care as extended to all host entity personnel. Host entity support to the UN Volunteer includes, but is not limited to:
• Introductory briefings about the organisation and office-related context including security, emergency procedures, good cultural practice and orientation to the local environment;
• Support with arrival administration including setting-up of bank accounts, residence permit applications and completion of other official processes as required by the host government or host entity;
• Structured guidance, mentoring and coaching by a supervisor including a clear workplan and performance appraisal;
• Access to office space, equipment, IT support and any other systems and tools required to complete the objectives of the assignment including a host entity email address;
• Access to shared host entity corporate knowledge, training and learning;
• Inclusion of the volunteer in emergency procedures such as evacuations;
• Leave management;
• DSA for official travel, when applicable;
• All changes in the Description of Assignment occurring between recruitment and arrival or during the assignment need to be formalized with the United Nations Volunteer Programme;
• Investigate misconduct: sharing reports with the UNV;
• Provide emergency assistance, e.g. the death of volunteer or medical evacuation, in collaboration with UNV. Accept letters of guarantees or potential liabilities for covering medical costs not claimable under medical insurance in extraordinary situations (e.g. isolation facilities` services during pandemics).
Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of Donor Relations Specialist or his/her designated mandated representative(s) and working closely with the Partnerships Team, the Communications Team and Programme Sections, the UN Volunteer Donor Relations Officer will:
• Contribute to the implementation of the work plan of the Donor Relations pillar area, to ensure timely and cost-effective delivery of results, in accordance with UNICEF’s partnership strategy.
• Support the development of frameworks and templates and review partner agreements and amendments for senior staff approval, ensuring compliance with UNICEF rules and regulations.
• Maintain up-to-date information on partner and income trends, analyse development assistance policies and keep resource partner profiles updated.
• Support the supervisor to maintain effective relationships with member states, UN agencies, and other partners, in order to keep them informed on important, strategic operational UNICEF issues.
• Attend meetings with the UN and other multilateral bodies, and member states, taking notes, sharing information, and supporting joint initiatives to increase UNICEF’s profile, and protect its interests.
• Conduct research on prospective new partners for UNICEF, and provide analysis of the areas of work, outreach, financial based and reputation of prospective partners.
• Support the coordination, compilation and editing of UNICEF donor reports. Ensure adherence to criteria set out in Executive Directives/Guidelines, donor contract stipulations and ESARO quality assurance standards.
• Support the development of internal and external briefing documents.
• Support with the coordination of inputs for key donor deliverables such as grant mid-term and annual reviews, audits, programme closures and other ad hoc requests.
• Lead the management of donor-related knowledge management by uploading key documents to the global shared drive (Donor Reporting Portal).
• Work with the Budget team to promote regular monitoring of utilization/expenditure, expiring funds and funding gaps involving all sections.
• Support the Country Office with timely processing of internal extension requests and donor reporting schedule updates in VISION.
• Support the Communications team in the organization of donor field visits if needed.
• Support the Donor Relations Specialist as the Officer in Charge when needed.
Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
• Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.
Results/expected outputs
• As an active UNICEF team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNICEF and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including:
o Supported strategic donor engagement;
o Supported improved contribution management in line with donor conditionalities;
o Improved visibility and donor recognition;
o Effective and timely donor reporting;
o Improved resource mobilization efforts;
o Strengthened advocacy for children;
o Capacity-building on donor engagement;
o Support to donor events and field visits.
• Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment
• A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed