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.

Maldives is one of the over 190 countries and territories around the world where we work to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease, and discrimination place in a child’s path. Together with the Government of Maldives and partners we work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the objectives of the Maldives National Development Plan, and the planned outcomes of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework.

Purpose of the Job:

Under the guidance of the supervisor, provide professional technical assistance and support for programme design, planning and implementation, management and evaluation of programme/project activities, data analysis and progress reporting, in support of programme goals and objectives.

Key End-results Expected:

• Technical contribution to and participation in effective knowledge management made to strengthen country programme management and activities, including data collection, analysis, and information sharing/exchanges.
• Effective monitoring system administered and analysis of country level socio-political-economic trends and their implications provided for the identification of critical programme intervention point and measures; changes in programme work plans and recommendations drafted or prepared as required.
• Programme funds effectively monitored for optimum use.
• Programme monitoring and evaluations effectively conducted to improve programme performance, and programme status reports timely prepared.
• Technical support and assistance provided to elevate the quality of rights-based projects /programmes, and add coherence, synergy and value to project management process by using results-based management.
• Contribution and support provided to build and reinforce commitment and institutional capacities of the national and local partners.
• Rights perspective and advocacy at the community and family levels incorporated in policy analysis for establishing and elevating UNICEF’s credibility in policy debates.
• Technical support and assistance provided to enhance effective communication and networking through partnership and collaboration.

Key Accountabilities And Duties & Tasks

Within the delegated authority and the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be responsible for all or most of the following areas of major duties and key end results.

Knowledge Management for Programmes

• Contribute to country programmes by supporting knowledge management through providing professional assistance in data collection and analysis, complete and accurate reporting as well as participation in the Programme Knowledge Network system of  "lessons learned" and other corporate-level databases.
• Participate in information exchange with partners as well as in the development of training and orientation material by providing professional technical assistance.

Programme Development and Management

• Provide professional technical assistance in the preparation of the Situation Analysis for programme development and management by collecting and analyzing data and monitoring implementation progress. Contribute to the identification of critical intervention points and measures by administering a consistent and transparent monitoring system; analyse country level socio-political-economic trends and their implications for ongoing programmes and projects. Draft or prepare programme work plans as required. Propose adjustments/changes in work plans. Propose programme recommendations for inclusion in formal programme documentation, and new approaches, methods and practices for supervisor.

Optimum Use of Program Funds

• Monitors programme implementation progress and compliance.  Monitors the allocation and disbursement of programme funds, making sure that funds are properly coordinated, monitored and liquidated. Takes appropriate recommendations or actions to optimize use of programme funds.

Programme Monitoring and Evaluations

• Undertakes field visits to monitor and assess programme implementation and decides on required corrective action.
• Collaborate with partners to carry out a rigorous and transparent approach to evaluation and participate in the major programme evaluation exercises in consultation with the Representative, the Operations Officer, the Evaluation Officer and others to improve efficiency and quality of programme delivery. Participate in annual sector review meetings with government counterparts.  Collaborate and prepare annual program status reports in a timely manner, as required.

Rights-Based and Results-Based Programme Management Approach

• Support a rights-based programmes approach in the formulation of programme goals and objectives and development of strategies and implementation frameworks. Collaborate with partners and assist in the strengthening of quality child rights-based programmes through consistent and effective planning, design, implementation, monitoring and/or evaluation of programmes and projects. Contribute to coherence, synergy and added value to the programming planning and design processes using a results-based management approach to programme planning and design.
• Provide professional technical assistance in preparing viable recommendations on project implementation, alternative approaches, new initiatives and optimal utilization of resources that contribute effectively to the fulfilment of the rights of children and women.

National and Local Capacity Building/Sustainability

• Provide government authorities with technical assistance and support in planning and organizing training programmes for the purpose of capacity building and programme sustainability.
• Promote and maintain the building and reinforcing of the commitment and institutional capacities of the national and local partners by identifying these partners and partnerships and providing continuous support, coordination and collaboration for sustainability.

Rights Perspective and Advocacy at the National, Community and Family Levels

• Analyze programme related issues and policies from a children's and women's rights perspective and advocacy at the community and family levels for elevating credibility in national policy debates. Promote the organization goals of UNICEF through active advocacy and communication.

Partnership, Coordination and Collaboration.

• Facilitate partnership and collaboration with internal and external counterparts, including those of the UN and national partners, in order to improve the ability to collect and disseminate development data and information, exchange information on programme/project status and implementation and movement/distribution of supplies. Establish and maintain linkage to the Regional Programme Knowledge Network to ensure the availability of current and accurate programme data.
• Collaborate with the Operations Section to establish and maintain sound internal controls supportive of programming endeavours and to coordinate financial and supply management requirements and accountability.  Approve allocation and disbursement of funds ensuring they are properly coordinated, monitored and liquidated in accordance with the programme budget allotments (PBA).
• Maintain close collaboration with Regional and HQ Advisers for overall coordination.
• Provide professional support in the provision of technical advice, negotiation, advocacy and promotion of area/country level goals, leading to agreement on practicable and priority actions to be supported by the UNICEF programme.

Job Grade Factors 

• The nature of decision-making is primarily choosing methods of work and prioritizing project activities in accordance with the established workplan.  Regularly make recommendations to the supervisor on appropriate courses of action regarding project adjustments
• The impact of the actions affects the quality of services, efficiency of processing and delivery in support of a country programme. 
• Work requires understanding of principles and technical knowledge, skills, acquired through formal training at the university level.
• Conduct research, data collection & analysis requiring analytical / conceptual thinking and organization skills at a professional level.
• The work requires evaluation and analysis of programme implementation, with basic professional technical input into programme design, implementation, evaluation, data analysis and progress reporting.
• Provide briefings, trainings, support and/or guidance to programme team and others, requiring communication and presentation skills, human relations skills and teamwork.
• The decisions and recommendations are primarily based on interpretation of rules, procedures and methods.
• Draft correspondence, reports for signature of supervisor, requiring professional writing and reporting skills.

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

Education - 

• A university degree in one of the following fields is required: Social Sciences, International Relations, Government, Public Administration, Public Policy, Social Policy, Social Development, Community Development, or another relevant technical field.
• A minimum of one year of relevant professional work experience is required.

Experience -

• Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset.
• Background/familiarity with emergencies is considered as an asset.

Language Requirements - 

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

Source: https://jobs.unicef.org/cw/en-us/job/550126