Programme Specialist NO3 (TA 7 months)

Job Posting Organization:
UNICEF, established in 1946, operates in over 190 countries and territories with a mission to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential. The organization is committed to promoting the rights of every child and offers diverse opportunities for professional and personal development. UNICEF has a strong focus on building careers and fostering a culture of belonging and growth, supported by an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Job Overview:
The Programme Specialist Field Office is responsible for supporting the planning, implementation, monitoring, and coordination of UNICEF program interventions in southern Kyrgyzstan, particularly in the Osh, Jalal-Abad, and Batken regions. This role involves working closely with various stakeholders, including government counterparts, civil society, UN agencies, and development partners, to ensure effective field-level program delivery and results for children and adolescents. The incumbent will provide technical, operational, and coordination support to align program implementation with the UNICEF Country Programme 2023–2027, national development priorities, and the Sustainable Development Goals. The role also emphasizes strengthening partnerships with local authorities and stakeholders, monitoring results, identifying implementation bottlenecks, and facilitating timely responses to emerging needs. Additionally, the Programme Specialist contributes to evidence-based planning, program analysis, reporting, and knowledge management while promoting integrated and cross-sectoral approaches that advance child rights, equity, inclusion, resilience, and meaningful participation of adolescents and young people.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Strengthen program development and management through evidence-based planning, updated situation analysis, clear program recommendations, effective work planning, regional representation, staff management, and attention to safety and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security.
• Ensure efficient planning, coordination, monitoring, and liquidation of program funds, ensuring transparent resource use and compliance with UNICEF procedures.
• Conduct effective program monitoring, field visits, and evaluations, identifying corrective actions, supporting annual reviews, and preparing timely program status reports to improve performance and results.
• Enhance knowledge management systems through data collection, analysis, accurate reporting, lessons learned, information exchange, donor and media engagement, and development of training and orientation materials.
• Integrate rights-based and results-based program approaches across planning, design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation to ensure coherence, quality, and stronger results for children and women.
• Strengthen national and local partners' commitment and institutional capacities through strategic partnerships, technical support, guidance, and capacity-building for sustainable program results.
• Incorporate child rights perspectives and advocacy into policy analysis, community engagement, and policy dialogue to strengthen UNICEF's credibility and influence at various levels.
• Enhance partnerships, coordination, and collaboration with government, UN organizations, civil society, operations colleagues, and other partners to support advocacy, technical cooperation, program coordination, information sharing, and achievement of agreed results for children.

Required Qualifications:
Minimum requirements include a Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Social Sciences, International Relations, Economics, Public Administration, Public Policy, Social Policy, Social Development, Community Development, or another relevant technical field. Candidates must have 5 years of relevant work experience in program management, field operations, monitoring and evaluation, partnership development, advocacy, capacity building, knowledge management, resource management, and humanitarian response, with supervisory experience required. Skills in program implementation, coordination, leadership, community development, social policy, and public administration are essential.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess a Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in relevant fields such as Social Sciences, International Relations, Economics, Public Administration, Public Policy, Social Policy, Social Development, Community Development, or other technical areas pertinent to the role.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience in areas such as program management, field operations, monitoring and evaluation, partnership development, advocacy, capacity building, knowledge management, resource management, and humanitarian response. Supervisory experience is also a prerequisite for this role.

Languages:
Proficiency in English and Russian is mandatory, with both languages required at a fluent level. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) or the Kyrgyz language is considered desirable.

Additional Notes:
This position is a temporary appointment for 7 months. It is assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes, requiring additional vetting and assessment. UNICEF promotes diversity and inclusion in its workforce and encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities. The organization offers a wide range of benefits, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment process and has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct incompatible with its aims and objectives.