Social Policy Specialist - Social Protection Systems, P-4 at UNICEF

How can you make a difference?


The Social Policy Specialist (Social Protection Systems) will contribute to expanding children's access to inclusive and shock-resilient social protection in all contexts, supporting UNICEF's Strategic Plan 2026 - 2029.
In this role, you will accelerate UNICEF's support to regional and country efforts to strengthen national social protection systems and programmes through hands-on technical assistance, capacity development, knowledge management, and strategic partnership engagement, with a particular emphasis on Sub-Saharan Africa.
You will provide analytical input, oversight, quality assurance, and technical guidance to Country and Regional Offices and their partners, ensuring that social protection programmes are child-sensitive, inclusive, and resilient to shocks, including in fragile and humanitarian contexts.
You will contribute to strengthening policy reform, programme design and implementation, evidence generation, and knowledge sharing, while working closely with regional bodies, UN agencies, and partners to expand partnerships and foster South-South cooperation.
Through this work, you will help build stronger, more equitable national systems delivering sustainable protection for children and families, while enhancing UNICEF's visibility and credibility as a trusted partner to governments in advancing social protection systems at scale.
The Social Policy Specialist (Social Protection Systems) contributes to UNICEF's Strategic Plan 2026 - 2029 by expanding children's access to inclusive and shock-resilient social protection. The role focuses on strengthening national social protection systems through hands-on technical assistance, capacity development, knowledge management, and strategic partnership engagement, with a particular emphasis on Sub-Saharan Africa. The Specialist provides analytical input, oversight, quality assurance, and technical guidance to Country and Regional Offices and their partners, ensuring programmes are child-sensitive, inclusive, and resilient to shocks, including in fragile and humanitarian contexts. The role supports policy reform, programme design, and operational guidance by consolidating and sharing evidence and good practices, while working closely with regional bodies, UN agencies, and partners to expand collaboration, foster South - South cooperation, and advance sustainable and scalable social protection systems for children and families


Responsibilities will include:


Capacity Development & Institutional Strengthening
Quality Improvement at Scale
Policy Reform & Systems Transformation
Evidence, Data & Knowledge for Action
Equitable Access
Programme Management & Results Monitoring
Global Facing Functions


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

Minimum requirements


Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Public Policy, Labor and social protection, international relations
Work Experience: 8 years of relevant work experience in Social Protection, international development, strengthening social protection systems, written analysis/documentation of public policy.
Experience managing and/or providing advisory support for strengthening social protectionsystems (including policy, programme design and operations) in international development settings
Experience working in a developing country
Experience in written analysis/documentation of public policy work


Skills:


Excellent oral communication
Excellent interpersonal skills
Excellence strategic communication skills across multiple audiences
Ability to influence others while working in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity
Strong analytical skills


Language Requirements: Proficiency in English is required.