Regional Chief of Programme & Planning

Provides programme-related technical leadership, management advice, and support throughout the West and Central Africa region. Responsible for oversight, quality assurance, technical assistance, and capacity building for country programmes’ design, planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting. Facilitates application and adaptation of UNICEF policies and coordinates UNICEF contribution to UN Coherence/UNSDCF agenda at regional level.

Responsibilities

• Provide authoritative policy advice and cutting-edge technical expertise to the Regional Director, Deputy Regional Directors, Country Representatives and other managers.
• Oversee quality assurance, technical assistance and capacity building for country programmes’ design, planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting in the region.
• Facilitate application and adaptation of UNICEF policies, directives and standards for programme documents in collaboration with HQ Divisions/Offices.
• Coordinate and strengthen UNICEF contribution to UN Coherence/UNSDCF agenda at regional level through work with R-UNDG WCA QSA/Programme Support Group and counterparts in regional offices of other UN agencies.
• Work closely with Regional Director and Deputy Regional Directors to ensure Regional Office functions and accountabilities are adequately planned, monitored and reported.
• Lead advisory capacity and policy development, technical support and quality assurance in regional programme planning.
• Support strategy development, coordination, knowledge management, research, capacity building, technical leadership, regional monitoring and assessment, child rights monitoring, representation, communication, networking and partnership.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree in social sciences, or other disciplines of the specialized technical areas.
• A minimum of Ten (10) years progressively responsible professional work experience in all aspects of programme management, and/or advisory support, in the technical area or programme sector resulting in recognized expertise in the technical area.
• Skills in networking, supervision, working with people, capacity building, interagency coordination, advisory support.
• Fluency in French and English is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is desirable.
• Experience in West and Central Africa, common country analysis, cooperation frameworks, executive board processes, policy advocacy, sustainable development goals is an asset.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

Skills

• Programme Management
• Advisory Support
• Capacity Building
• Inter-agency Coordination
• Supervision
• Networking
• Policy Advocacy
• UN Common Country Analysis
• Cooperation Frameworks
• Executive Board Processes
• Sustainable Development Goals
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Quality Assurance
• Technical Assistance
• Programme Planning
• Programme Reporting
• UN Coherence Coordination
• UNSDCF Agenda
• Experience in Fragile Settings
• Humanitarian Contexts

Languages

French, English