Child Protection Officer (alternative care), NO-2, TA, 6 months, #00138217, Caracas – Venezuela, LACR

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

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For every child, the right to protection

On 24 June, two powerful earthquakes of magnitude Mw 7.2 and Mw 7.5 struck Venezuela, marking the most significant seismic event in over a century. The epicenter, located near Yamari in Yaracuy State, triggered widespread destruction across La Guaira, Caracas, Carabobo, Falcón, Miranda and surrounding areas. The two main shocks occurred approximately 30 seconds apart, exacerbating structural damage and contributing to heightened disruption across already densely populated and infrastructure-constrained urban centers.

UNICEF estimates that 1.8 million people, including 680,000 children, now require humanitarian assistance. The earthquakes have exacerbated an already fragile situation, where 7.9 million people, including 3.9 million children, were already in need due to prolonged socioeconomic challenges, conflict, political instability, and limited access to essential services.

Since the onset of the emergency, UNICEF has been actively engaged in coordination with national, regional, and local authorities, as well as United Nations agencies and humanitarian partners, to support a coherent and timely response to the earthquakes of 24 June.

UNICEF Venezuela is supporting the government in responding to the crisis and protecting children affected by the earthquake and the consequences of its aftermath. UNICEF will continue to support the IDENNA in assessing additional and evolving needs and responding to child protection concerns, in accordance with its core commitments for children in humanitarian action. This includes the core commitment to on ensuring that “separation of children from families is prevented and responded to, and family-based care is promoted in the children’s best interest.”

How can you make a difference?

The Child Protection Officer (alternative care) provide technical assistance to the Government and partners to strengthen child protection system, protocols and capacities for the identification, case management, interim care, family tracing and reunification of unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) in line with international standards and the specific emergency context in Venezuela.

The Child Protection Officer (alternative care) contributes to the achievement of results according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM), and UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance and accountability framework.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Support to programme/project development and planning
2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results
3. Technical and operational support to programme implementation
4. Networking and partnership building
5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: JD_Child Protection Officer_NO2 TA.pdf

To qualify as a champion for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Completed first level university degree in social work, child psychology, or another relevant field is required.
• Work Experience: A minimum of 2 years of experience in child protection programming, related to interim or alternative care for children in overseas contexts and any other related areas is required.
• Skills: Knowledge of key international standards and guidelines related to alternative care for children is required.
• Language Requirements: Fluency/proficiency in Spanish and English is required.

Desirables:

• Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian) is a plus
• Experience in both development and humanitarian contexts is an added advantage.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian 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

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.

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either a role with direct contact with children, a role that works directly with identifiable children's data, a safeguarding response role, or an assessed risk role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) apply.

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.

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 are conditional on the selected candidates willingness to comply with current or future vaccination requirements, should UNICEF mandate it for personnel. Failure to comply with such requirements, where applicable and without a duly approved medical exemption from the relevant UN authority, will result in the cancellation of the selection or may lead to other administrative measures, including separation from service.

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.

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.

Visa residence requirements: i.e. UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.

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.