Child Protection Specialist - Financing for Scale (P-4)

This position is based in Nairobi, one of UNICEF’s global Centres of Excellence, and sits within the Child Protection Programme and Migration practice, under the Violence Prevention and Response Systems (VPRS) Unit and also supports the Harmful Practices Unit. The unit supports countries to strengthen child protection systems, prevent and respond to violence against children, and scale high‑impact violence prevention solutions through policy reform, systems strengthening, workforce development, and financing.

Role Overview

You will support strategic planning and policy reform, integrate child‑sensitive public finance approaches into national systems, and lead financing assessments, costing, and investment cases that demonstrate the value and impact of child protection interventions. The role advances domestic resource mobilization and innovative financing, strengthens public financial management, and supports the development of costed workforce strategies for social service systems. You will also contribute to capacity development, global engagement, and advocacy, helping position child protection and violence prevention within national and global financing agendas.

Key Responsibilities

• Support strategic planning and policy reform regarding child protection financing.
• Integrate child‑sensitive public finance approaches into national systems.
• Lead financing assessments, costing, and investment cases that demonstrate the value and impact of child protection interventions.
• Advance domestic resource mobilization and innovative financing.
• Strengthen public financial management (PFM) for child protection services.
• Support the development of costed workforce strategies for social service systems.
• Contribute to capacity development, global engagement, and advocacy.
• Help position child protection and violence prevention within national and global financing agendas.
• Provide accessible technical assistance and capacity development to partners and staff.

Requirements and Qualifications

• Education: An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Public Administration, Social Policy, Public Finance, Social Sciences, Social Work, International Relations, Political Science, Law, or a related field is required.
• Work Experience: A minimum of eight years of progressive, professional work experience in public financial management and sector financing in applied, national, and international social development settings is required.
• Technical Skills: Excellent analytical and public financing skills; experience with costed plans and resource mobilization.
• Communication: Excellent oral communication and interpersonal skills. Demonstrated capacity in strategic communication, including public speaking and effective engagement in high-level policy dialogues, is an asset.
• Field Experience: Solid professional field experience in multiple country contexts with technical leadership on child protection systems strengthening, care reform, and disability inclusion policy.
• Language: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) is desirable.

Desirable Experience

• Hands-on experience and proven results in using PFM evidence to concretely generate change at the national level.
• Experience in budget analysis, costing, and developing investment cases, PERs, and PETS in key sectors for children.
• Relevant experience at the country level, particularly in development, fragile settings, and humanitarian contexts.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to apply by visiting the UNICEF recruitment portal via the following link: Apply to UNICEF.