Consultoría para Primera Infancia y Cuidados

Job Posting Organization:
UNICEF, established in 1946, is a United Nations agency that works in over 190 countries and territories. Its mission is to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs, and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. UNICEF focuses on the most disadvantaged children and aims to save lives, defend rights, and help children fulfill their potential. The organization employs thousands of staff worldwide and collaborates with various governments and organizations to implement programs that support children's welfare and development.

Job Overview:
The position involves providing technical assistance to national, provincial, and municipal governments in designing and implementing comprehensive social protection policies focused on early childhood and care. The consultant will support the Federal Early Childhood Strategy (EFPI) and the Federal Program for Early Childhood (PFPI), assisting seven provincial governments in strengthening their Early Childhood Provincial Tables and planning, implementing, and monitoring comprehensive early childhood policies. The role also includes working with municipalities participating in the MUNA initiative to develop local action plans based on evidence, ensuring a rights-based and equitable approach to early childhood policies. The consultant will generate and systematize evidence and tools to improve early childhood policies at all levels of government, contributing to their sustainability and scalability.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide technical assistance for the implementation and monitoring of the EFPI and PFPI.
• Collaborate with the Family Policy Subsecretariat in the Ministry of Human Capital on the EFPI implementation.
• Review planning and implementation documents related to the EFPI.
• Support the design and adjustment of results frameworks, indicators, and monitoring tools for the EFPI.
• Facilitate coordination between national and provincial levels for the implementation of EFPI and PFPI.
• Assist seven provincial governments in forming or strengthening Early Childhood Provincial Tables and in planning, implementing, and monitoring comprehensive early childhood policies.
• Analyze the functioning of Early Childhood Provincial Tables, identifying key actors, progress, challenges, strengths, and weaknesses.
• Update or create provincial early childhood diagnostics for planning purposes.
• Support the development of strategic lines or provincial early childhood plans. 1
• Assist in defining objectives, expected results, indicators, and intersectoral activities. 1
• Promote intersectoral work agendas and facilitate dialogue among provincial areas. 1
• Provide technical assistance to municipalities in MUNA for local action plans on early childhood and care. 1
• Organize training and technical support for municipalities in developing early childhood plans. 1
• Plan thematic meetings for municipalities to share experiences and solutions regarding local early childhood policies. 1
• Systematize information on early childhood policies and generate technical reports as required.

Required Qualifications:

• University degree in Social Sciences with postgraduate studies in public policy, preferably related to childhood and adolescence.
• Proven work experience of at least 15 years in designing and implementing social projects and programs, with at least 5 years specifically in early childhood policy design and implementation.
• At least 10 years of experience working with state agencies or UN agencies.
• Excellent oral and written command of Spanish.
• Experience in similar technical assistance roles is valued.
• Knowledge of the UN system and specifically UNICEF is an advantage.
• Ability to work collaboratively and incorporate inputs from various stakeholders.

Educational Background:
A university degree in Social Sciences is required, along with postgraduate studies in public policy, ideally focused on childhood and adolescence. This educational background is essential to understand the complexities of social policies and their implementation in the context of early childhood.

Experience:
Candidates must have a minimum of 15 years of proven experience in designing and implementing social projects and programs, with at least 5 years specifically focused on early childhood policies. Additionally, candidates should have at least 10 years of experience working with government entities or UN agencies, demonstrating a strong understanding of public sector dynamics and international cooperation.

Languages:
Fluency in Spanish is mandatory, both oral and written. Knowledge of additional languages may be considered an asset but is not required.

Additional Notes:
The consultancy is expected to last for 21 months, starting approximately in early April 202

• The consultant must have their own workspace and the necessary technological tools to carry out the activities. Availability for regular meetings with UNICEF's team, both virtually and in-person in Buenos Aires, is required. The consultant should also be willing to travel to different provinces for provincial meetings and municipal visits, with an estimated 10 to 20 trips per year, each lasting 1 to 2 days. The proposal must be submitted in Argentine pesos (ARS), and candidates must adhere to UNICEF's values and principles throughout the recruitment process.