Social Policy Officer

A country of about 29 million inhabitants, Cote d'Ivoire is one of the most developed countries in West Africa, accounting for more than 40% of the West African Economic and Monetary Union's GDP and exports.

The country remains politically stable and recently organized local elections that remained mostly peaceful. The official language of the country is French, and the expatriate community is large and diverse.

UNICEF main Office is in Abidjan, the economic capital and largest city of the country. A cultural crossroads of West Africa, Abidjan is characterized by a high level of industrialization and urbanization. The transport network is developed and offers safe options to commute withing the city and between major towns.

Abidjan features a tropical wet and dry climate with a long rainy season from March to July, a short rainy season from September to December, and three dry months (January, February and August).

Under the general guidance of the Chief Social Policy, the Social Policy officer is accountable for providing technical support and assistance in all stages of social policy programming and related advocacy from strategic planning and formulation to delivery of concrete and sustainable results.

This includes evidence generation and programmes aimed at improving (a) public policies to reduce child poverty; (b) social protection coverage and impact on children; (c) the transparency, adequacy, equity and efficiency of child-focused public investments and financial management; and (d) governance, decentralization and accountability measures to increase public participation and the quality, equity and coverage of social services.

This encompasses both direct programme work with government and civil society partners as well as linkages and support to teams working on education, health, child protection, water and sanitation, Youth, Adolescents and HIV.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

• Improving data on child poverty & vulnerability for increased use for policy and programme action
• Supports the collection, analysis and user-friendly presentation of data on multidimensional and monetary child poverty, including strengthening national capacity to collect routinely, report and use data for policy decision-making [Core task].
• Provides timely, regular data-driven analysis for effective prioritization, planning, and development of country programme and national policies and programmes.
• Analyzes the macroeconomic context and its impact on social development, emerging issues and social policy concerns, as well as implications for children, and proposes and promotes appropriate responses.
• Strengthening social protection coverage and impact for children
• Supports strengthening of integrated social protection systems, providing technical support to partners to improve the design of cash transfers and child grants and improve linkages with other social protection interventions such as health insurance, public works and social care services as well as complementary services and intervention.
• Supports improved monitoring and research around social protection impact on child outcomes, and use of data and research findings for strengthening programme results.
• Support digitalization and improved management information system for social protection Demonstrates commitment and innovative thinking to identify and implement innovative solutions for social protection coordination (including MIS). [Core task].
• Improving use of public financial resources for children
• Undertakes budget analysis to inform UNICEF's advocacy and technical assistance to the government to improve equitable allocations for essential services for children.
• Supports the identification of policy options for improved domestic financing of child sensitive policies and programmes.
• UNICEF Programme Management
• Helps manage and coordinate technical support around child poverty, social protection, public finance and governance ensuring it is well planned, monitored, and implemented in a timely fashion.
• Ensures supervision of section's UN Volunteers and coordinate section's support to other work areas withing UNICEF Cote d'Ivoire Country office.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country.
• Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.
• Accountability
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Creativity
• Judgement and decision-making
• Planning and organizing
• Professionalism
• Self-management

Economics, Accounting, Finance, Social Science .
o Previous experience in a humanitarian organisation or the private sector is desirable.
o Experience with data collection and digital tools.
o Interpersonal skills, flexibility, and openness to learning and to new experiences.
o Motivated to contribute to the cause of children.
o Good interpersonal, networking and communication skills.
o Willingness to contribute and work as part of a team.
o Respect for diversity and adaptability to other cultures, environments and living conditions.
o Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture (studies, volunteering, internship) would be an asset.

Abidjan is the capital of Cote d'Ivoire in West Africa.

With an estimated population of 4.395 million, it is also Cote d'Ivoire's largest urban area and city with over 20% of the country's entire population.

Abidjan features a tropical wet and dry climate with a long rainy season from March to July, a short rainy season from September to December, and three dry months (January, February and August).

Houses/Apartments are easily available and generally have electricity and running water, although this may not be 24hrs. Costs are reasonable but vary per location.
Upon arrival, you will reside in a hotel or apartment until you get permanent housing.

The UNV Support Office can assist in helping you identify suitable housing.
Common diseases are Malaria, Yellow Fever, Typhoid and Meningitis. It is recommended to consult a travel clinic for required vaccines prior to travelling.
Foods and dietary needs of all kinds are found in the many supermarkets. There are marketplaces that cater in fruits and vegetables, and bakeries offer some exquisite pastries and breads. Fresh fish and meats are also easily available.

Cote d'Ivoire is a unique country and Abidjan is a unique (humanitarian) operation.

It provides for an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness, as well as more stamina and commitment than elsewhere to make life comfortable and affordable.

Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort, are essential.

Conditions of Service for international UN Volunteers

The initial contract is issued upon arrival for the period indicated above. The contract can be extended depending on continuation of mandate, availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectancy of renewal of the assignment.

A UN Volunteer receives a Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA), which is composed of a Monthly Living Allowance (MLA) and a Family Allowance (FA) for those with dependents (maximum three).

The Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) is paid at the end of each month to cover housing, utilities, transportation, communications and other basic needs.

The VLA can be calculated using by applying the Post-Adjustment Multiplier (PAM) to the VLA base rate of US$ 1,736.

The VLA base rate is a global rate across the world, while the PAM is duty station/country-specific and fluctuates on a monthly basis according to cost of living.

This method ensures that international UN Volunteers have comparable purchasing power at all duty stations irrespective of varying costs of living.

The PAM is established by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) and is published at the beginning of every month on the ICSC website -

In non-family duty stations that belong to hardship categories D or E, as classified by the ICSC, international UN Volunteers receive a Well-Being Differential (WBD) on a monthly basis.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are provided a settling-in-grant (SIG) at the start of the assignment (if the volunteer did not reside in the duty station for at least 6 months prior to taking up the assignment) and in the event of a permanent reassignment to another duty station.

UNV provides life, health, permanent disability insurances as well as assignment travel, annual leave, full integration in the UN security framework (including residential security reimbursements).

UN Volunteers are paid Daily Subsistence Allowance at the UN rate for official travels, flight tickets for periodic home visit and for the final repatriation travel (if applicable).

Resettlement allowance is paid for satisfactory service at the end of the assignment.

UNV will provide, together with the offer of assignment, a copy of the Conditions of Service, including Code of conduct, to the successful candidate.

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