Child Protection Specialist

Job Highlight

The National Child Protection Specialist will provide technical support at national and district level to the ending child marriage portfolio, under the oversight and technical leadership of the Chief of Child Protection. The Child Protection Specialist will support the implementation for one of Malawi’s most ambitious child protection investments, focusing on Mobile Response Teams (MRTs), mass birth registration for legal identity, strengthened justice pathways, and large-scale community norm change.

About the Region

The UNOPS Africa Regional Office, based in Nairobi, Kenya, oversees the delivery of over 250 projects across 40 countries, with a focus on fragile and conflict-affected settings. Supported by more than 1,000 personnel across five multi-country offices—spanning North, West, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Horn of Africa—the office advances national priorities through strategic initiatives in Climate Action, Health, Infrastructure, Peace and Security, Middle-Income Country Support, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Regional Office provides strategic leadership, operational support, and oversight in key areas including Partnerships, Communications, Management and Oversight, Infrastructure and Project Management, Health and Safety, and Security. By promoting excellence in project delivery, fostering knowledge sharing, and driving continuous improvement, the office contributes to sustainable infrastructure, transparent resource management, and a better quality of life for communities across the continent.

About the Country/Multi-Country Office

Based in Nairobi, UNOPS East and Southern Africa supports sustainable development across 14 countries, including Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zanzibar, and Zimbabwe. Since 1995, UNOPS has expanded its footprint in Kenya, delivering services in project management, infrastructure, procurement, and financial management. Across the region, the office implements diverse, partner-funded initiatives that respond to national priorities. In Mozambique, this includes delivering specialized equipment (EU), supporting health services (UNICEF), promoting agro-processing (KOICA), and advancing peacebuilding efforts through a Multi-Donor Fund. UNOPS also supports agricultural input distribution and the Northern Crisis Recovery Project, both funded by the World Bank. In Malawi, efforts include developing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centres in partnership with the EU and the British Council. These initiatives reflect UNOPS’ commitment to strengthening national capacities, enhancing service delivery, and supporting progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the region.

Job Specific Context

Child marriage remains a critical challenge in Malawi, with approximately 38% of girls marrying before age 18—one of the highest rates globally and the third highest in Eastern and Southern Africa—driven by entrenched poverty, harmful social norms, limited access to services, and weak, under-resourced child protection and case-management systems. The practice disproportionately affects rural and poorer households, where multidimensional deprivation is most severe, and contributes to school dropout, adolescent pregnancy, and intergenerational cycles of poverty.

Despite national progress, the scale and persistence of child marriage requires a targeted, system-strengthening approach that enhances detection, improves survivor-centered response, and expands community-level prevention. Frontline actors— child protection workers (CPWs), police, judiciary, social workers, health workers and community structures—face major constraints including understaffing, limited mobility, slow case processing, poor coordination and weak data systems. As a result, cases are identified late, referrals stall, and survivors often lack timely, survivor-centered support. In addition, awareness of protection risks remains low, child-friendly reporting mechanisms are limited, and preventive services are inconsistent. Community-level structures often lack coverage, trained personnel and adequate facilities.

UNICEF is entering a five-year, multi-country partnership with the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) with a focus on Ending Child Marriage (ECM). The programme in Malawi builds on existing government structures, aligns with the National Strategy to End Child Marriage (2024–2030), and complements ongoing capacities across social welfare, police, judiciary, and community mechanisms.

Institutional Framework & Recruitment Context

This position is being filled as a Partner Personnel role. The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is supporting UNICEF Malawi as a UN partner, providing dedicated recruitment and administrative support for this position.

The selected candidate will be recruited by UNICEF using UNOPS recruitment rules and regulations. Upon completion of the process, the incumbent will be engaged directly as personnel of UNICEF Malawi, not as UNOPS personnel. Consequently, the selected professional will work under the effective management, day-to-day oversight, and supervision of a designated supervisor within UNICEF.

Role Purpose

Provides technical leadership at national level for Ending Child Marriage and Child Protection programming. Leads the design, technical oversight and quality assurance of MRTs, survivor centered case management, referral pathways, and coordination mechanisms with social welfare, police, justice and health sectors.

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Serve as the main point of technical engagement with relevant Government ministries and departments, providing strategic advice and guidance on policy development and implementation. Support alignment with national frameworks, contribute to technical working groups, and facilitate coordination between Government and partners to ensure coherent and effective responses.
• Provide leadership and direction to district-level implementation, ensuring that activities are delivered in accordance with national standards and SOPs. Establish quality assurance mechanisms, review performance, and support district teams to address gaps and strengthen service delivery.
• Supervise and guide Mobile Response Teams to ensure timely, coordinated, and high quality responses in line with agreed protocols. Monitor team performance, support problem-solving in complex cases, and promote consistency and adherence to standards across different locations.
• Act as the central technical lead across thematic areas – Birth Registration, Justice and Case management ensuring integration and consistency in approaches. Strengthen case management systems, support birth registration campaigns, and guide justice-related interventions to ensure they are child-sensitive and rights-based.
• Lead the design of comprehensive capacity building strategies, including training curricula, tools, and methodologies tailored to partner needs. Facilitate training, coaching, and continuous learning initiatives, and evaluate their effectiveness to ensure sustained improvements in knowledge and practice.
• Establish and maintain tracking systems to monitor case progression, referrals, and partner commitments. Proactively follow up to ensure services are delivered within agreed timelines, address delays or gaps, and strengthen coordination among stakeholders to improve outcomes.
• Work with the communications and partnerships team to identify key moments that will be important for visibility.
• Coordinate with other partners working on ECM to mitigate risks of duplication and/or overlap.
• Develop high-quality narrative and analytical reports that capture progress, challenges, and results. Ensure accuracy and timeliness of submissions, and tailor reporting to meet donor, Government, and organizational requirements while supporting evidence-based decision making.
• Plan and conduct regular field visits to assess implementation, verify data, and engage directly with beneficiaries and partners. Identify operational challenges, risks, and capacity gaps, and provide practical, actionable recommendations to improve programme effectiveness and impact.

Skills

Child Advocacy, Child Protective Services, Child Welfare, Government Relations, Grant Administration, Grant Monitoring, Partnerships, Planning

Competencies

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organisation. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organisation.

Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organisational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.

Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).

Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.

Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.

Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.

Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education Requirements

Required

• A Master’s degree in one of the following fields: international development, social science, human rights, psychology, or another relevant field is required.
• A combination of a Bachelor's degree with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the education requirements outlined above.

Experience Requirements

Required

• A minimum of seven (7) years of relevant work experience in child protection is required with a bachelor's degree, or a minimum of five (5) years of work experience in child protection with a master's degree.
• Demonstrated experience working with multiple stakeholders (Government, CSOs, UN) is required.
• Demonstrated experience working with District councils in implementation of child protection programming.
• Excellent skills in capacity building, especially training of low-level social service providers.
• Expertise in Case Management implementation.
• Excellent analytical, writing, and presentation skills, along with strategic thinking.

Desired

• Experience working with the UN.
• Experience working in emergencies is an asset.
• Excellent organizational skills and familiarity and confidence working with high level political and government stakeholders is desirable.

Language Requirements

LanguageProficiency LevelRequirementEnglishFluentRequired

Additional Information

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.

Terms and Conditions

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.