National Consultant for Field Implementation of the EU4People Social Protection Programme

The consultant will ensure sustained, structured and quality-assured field-level implementation of the three-year EU4People Action on Social Protection across 40 partner locations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The role involves providing dedicated technical support to translate programme objectives into practical improvements in local service delivery, coordination and planning.

Responsibilities

• Ensure sustained, structured and quality-assured field-level implementation of the EU4People Action on Social Protection across 40 partner locations
• Provide dedicated technical support to translate programme objectives into practical improvements in local service delivery, coordination and planning
• Coordinate with local authorities, Centres for Social Work, service providers, civil society organizations and development partners
• Monitor, report, identify risks and prepare concise implementation reports
• Engage stakeholders and facilitate collaboration
• Work independently across multiple field locations and manage competing priorities
• Identify implementation bottlenecks and propose practical solutions
• Meet deadlines and produce high-quality written reports

Requirements

• Secondary education, preferably supplemented by relevant training, or university degree in social sciences
• Minimum five years of relevant professional experience in social protection, child protection, social services, local governance, community-based service delivery, programme implementation
• Strong experience in stakeholder coordination with local authorities, Centres for Social Work, service providers, civil society organizations and/or development partners
• Experience in monitoring, reporting, risk identification and preparation of concise implementation reports
• Strong understanding of social protection, child protection, local governance and community-based service delivery in Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Strong planning, organizational and coordination skills
• Demonstrated stakeholder engagement and facilitation skills
• Ability to work effectively with local authorities, Centres for Social Work, service providers and other local stakeholders
• Ability to work independently across multiple field locations and manage competing priorities
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to identify implementation bottlenecks and propose practical solutions
• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and produce concise, high-quality written reports
• Valid driving licence and ability to self-drive to a minimum of five target locations
• Fluency in written and spoken local languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Proficiency in written and spoken English
• Previous experience with UNICEF, UN agencies or EU-funded programmes (desirable)
• Understanding of UNICEF’s mandate, brand and programme standards (desirable)
• General knowledge of UN and UNICEF procedures and programming principles (desirable)
• Prior experience supporting social protection reform, integrated service delivery or local social protection planning (desirable)
• Experience coordinating or quality-assuring the work of field-based teams or consultants (desirable)
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills (desirable)
• Adaptability, resourcefulness and ability to work effectively in changing field conditions (desirable)
• Approachable and collaborative working style (desirable)

Skills

• Social Protection Policies
• Child Protection
• Social Services Delivery
• Local Governance
• Programme Implementation
• Stakeholder Coordination
• Monitoring and Reporting
• Risk Identification and Management
• IT Reporting
• Planning and Organization
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Facilitation Skills
• Independent Field Work
• Problem Solving
• Report Writing
• Driving License
• English Language Proficiency
• Local Language Proficiency

Languages

English, Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian