UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, [care]

UNICEF is committed to creating environments where women, children and their communities are safe and respected by humanitarian and development personnel and can access the protection and assistance provided by them without fear or risk of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA).

In the Pacific we work in Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu: These 14 Pacific island countries are home to 2.3 million people, including 1.2 million children and youth, living on more than 660 islands and atolls stretching across 17.2 million square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean, an area comparable to the combined size of the United States of America and Canada. Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu are classified as Fragile States according to World Bank/OECD criteria.

UNICEF has been supporting the Government of Tonga across different programme sectors including health and nutrition, education, WASH, child protection and social policy. During the COVID 19 outbreak and in the aftermath of the volcanic eruption in 2022, UNICEF served as a key partner for the Government of Tonga and has since expanded its areas of collaboration and partnership. Given the scope of work and the nature of engagement with the Government, particularly in the area of Child Protection, with growing rates of violence against children, impact of child marriage, and issues of child neglect within families, it is important for UNICEF to support the sectoral Ministries in Tonga through technical assistance. It is not feasible to provide remote support from Pacific Multi-Country Office in Suva as government deliberations require in-country presence of a senior level staff member who can adequately represent UNICEF.

All 14 Pacific Island countries and territories have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, but only a third are on track with reporting obligations. Explore the different areas of our work here: UNICEF Pacific Islands.

How can you make a difference?

The Programme Specialist will be accountable for professional leadership in and contribution to the development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation and administration of UNICEF’s programmes in Tonga, focusing largely on Child Protection programme in conjunction with the Education and Health and Nutrition component of the workplan developed with the Government of Tonga to achieve UNICEF’s multisector goals and objectives for the country.

The Programme Specialist will also serve as UNICEF Pacific’s liaison officer in Tonga to manage the overall partnership UNICEF has with the government of Tonga and will have oversight responsibility for monitoring and reporting on UNICEF’s Rolling Workplans with the Government of Tonga.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS

1- Provide timely strategic and technical support and coordination to the development, planning and implementation of the UNICEF-Tonga workplan

• Contribute to the implementation and roll out of the UNICEF/Tonga annual workplan and engage with government and other partners.
• Conduct and update the situation analysis for the development, design and management of child protection and education related programmes/projects. Research and report on development trends (e.g., economic, social, health) and data for use in programme development, management, monitoring, evaluation, and delivery of results.
• Contribute to the development and establishment of sectoral programme goals, objectives, strategies, and results-based planning through research, analysis and reporting and other related information for development planning and priority and goal setting.
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes by executing and administering a variety of technical, programme, operational, and administrative transactions, preparing related materials and documentations, and complying with organizational processes and management systems, to support programme planning, results-based planning (RBM) and monitoring and evaluating of results.
• Prepare required programme documentations, materials, and data to facilitate the programme review and approval process.

2-Programme Management, monitoring and delivery for results

• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sectoral reviews with government and other counterparts to assess programmes/projects, and to report on required action/interventions at the higher level of programme management.
• Monitor and report on the use of sectoral programme resources (financial, administrative, and other assets), verifying compliance with approved allocations, organizational rules, regulations, procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity. Report on critical issues and findings to ensure timely resolution by management and stakeholders. Follow up on unresolved issues to ensure resolution.
• Support emergency/cluster work for child protection, linking with other programmes as relevant.
• Represent UNICEF in Gender and Protection Forums and ensure children’s issues remains a prominent agenda item.
• Triage requests from partners for child specificity in response to survivors of violence and abuse– and link with technical assistance.
• Link Ministry of Education/MOE and Gender and Protection services to ensure educational continuity for survivors of violence in emergency accommodation.
• Identify and propose opportunities to UNICEF to engage in parenting programs for Health, Education and CP combined.
• Prepare regular and mandated sectoral programme/project reports for management, donors, and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.

3-UNICEF and Government accountability is ensured for supply and non-supply assistance and disbursement of programme funds for the sector.

• Coordinates with Operations and Supply staff on supply and non-supply assistance activities ensuring UNICEF and Government partner accountability. Certifies disbursement of funds, ensuring those activities are within established plans of action and programme budget allotments.
• Monitors the overall allocation and disbursement of programme funds, making sure that funds are properly coordinated, monitored, and liquidated. Submits financial status reports to management in compliance with the regulations and guidelines.

4- Improve partnerships and coordination of UNICEF interventions for advocacy, technical cooperation, programme coordination, information sharing and knowledge networking.

• Represent UNICEF in all relevant Government, UN and Partners including civil society coordination and other meetings.
• Act as a liaison for overall UNICEF programmes with partners in Tonga, in coordination with Suva office.
• Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues and partners to discuss implementation issues, provide solutions, recommendations and/or to alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level interventions and/or decisions. Keep records of reports and assessments for easy reference and/or to capture and institutionalize lessons learned.
• Coordinates activities and exchanges information and knowledge with other government and non-government partners and UN agencies to promote knowledge generation, information and experience sharing, and lessons learned.

5. Emergency preparedness is maintained, and in emergencies, emergency responses with effective coordination are provided.

• Collaborates in forming emergency preparedness plan relating to the areas of responsibility. In case of emergency, participates in monitoring and assessing the nature and extent of the emergency in the assigned area. Coordinates and support the Multi-Country Office in identifying where support is required in terms of immediate response as well as long-term strategy and plan.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education

• An advanced university degree in international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law, public health, child development, or another relevant social science field.

Work experience

• A minimum of five years of relevant professional work experience is required in planning, programming, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of programmes in areas such as gender, child protection, human rights or similar, of which at least two years in managerial and/or advisory capacity.
• Expert work experience related to child protection, gender and human rights and education would be highly desirable.
• Experience in managing multi-sectoral programmes is highly desirable.
• Work experience with governments and/or UN agencies in the Pacific is essential.
• Experience at partnerships development with government bodies is required.
• At least one year of international experience in developing country will be considered as an asset. Work experience in the Pacific is highly desirable.
• Background/familiarity with emergencies is considered an asset.

Languages

• Fluency in English. Knowledge of the local language of the duty station would be an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

The competencies required for this post are…

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
• Works Collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)
• Analyzing (1)
• Applying Technical Expertise (2)
• Planning and Organizing (2)

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

Remarks

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

With regard to higher educational qualifications, UNICEF only considers degrees obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/

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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government 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.

Only shortlisted candidates meeting the specific criteria will be contacted and advanced to the next stage of the selection process.