Stretch Assignment - Chief Social Policy, P-4, Ndjamena, Chad

Background

UNICEF Chad is seeking the support of an interested and eligible staff member to provide leadership continuity for the Social Policy Section in N'Djamena through a four-month stretch assignment.

Context

Despite Chad’s significant assets, including oil revenues, arable land and strong livestock potential, poverty and vulnerability remain widespread. Nearly half of the population lives below the poverty line (42.5%) (INSEED, 2018). The country also faces overlapping political, security, economic, food security and climate-related pressures, including instability along several borders and the impact of recurrent crises in Sudan, the Central African Republic, the Lake Chad Basin, Niger and Libya.

Children are disproportionately affected by these multiple crises. Around 47% of children live in poor households and represent more than 67% of the poor population, while more than 50% are deprived of their rights in at least three areas simultaneously, including education, health, nutrition, protection, water, hygiene and sanitation. Social protection remains limited, with only 1.6% of the population aged 15 to 49 covered by a social protection programme according to MICS 2019, due in part to low domestic financing, fragmented partner-supported interventions and the absence of a strong institutional coordination framework.

Public investment in basic social services is also insufficient, with less than 20% of the national budget allocated cumulatively to education, health and social protection, compared with international benchmarks of 20% for education, 15% for health and at least 3.5% for social protection. In response, the Government of Chad and UNICEF, through the 2024–2026 country programme and in alignment with the National Development Plan 2026–2030, the UNSDCF 2027–2030 and UNICEF Strategic Plan 2026–2029, will support public finance for children, social protection and local governance to accelerate progress towards SDGs 1, 10 and 17 and contribute to SDGs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 11 and 16.

Purpose of the Position

Purpose of assignment

The Social Policy Section leads UNICEF Chad's Social Inclusion programme component under the 2024-2026 country programme. It supports the Government and partners to formulate and implement policies, strategies and programmes in social protection, public finance for children, and local governance and decentralization, while strengthening national and decentralized capacities.

The Section has evolved from a generalist structure into a multidisciplinary team organized around these three social policy pillars. The Chief Social Policy provides strategic direction, supervises the team, manages programme resources, coordinates planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting, and represents the Section in internal management and programme forums as well as in policy dialogue with the Government and development partners.

Key expected results

Main duties/responsibilities

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

•Strategic leadership and section management;

•Programme planning, monitoring and reporting;

•Social protection leadership;

•Public finance for children;

•Local governance and decentralization;

•Partnerships, advocacy and resource mobilization;

•Evidence, learning and cross-sectoral support.

• Strategic leadership and section management

Minimum Qualifications and Competencies

To be eligible to apply and qualify for this stretch assignment, candidates should have an existing Fixed-Term, Permanent or Continuing appointment within UNICEF that runs through the duration of the assignment, be at P-4/NOD, P-5 or an equivalent level as permitted under applicable stretch-assignment rules, and meet the following requirements:

• Advanced university degree in economics, public finance, public policy, social policy, development studies, public administration or a related field;

• A minimum of eight years of progressively responsible professional experience in social policy, public finance, social protection, local governance or a closely related field;

• Solid experience in at least two of the following three areas: public finance for children, social protection, and local governance/decentralization;

• Demonstrated programme management, team leadership, partnership management, resource management and high-quality analytical and reporting experience;

• Demonstrated ability to lead a multidisciplinary team, align staff around results, and manage uncertainty and conflict constructively;

• Strong partnership-building, negotiation, influencing and advocacy skills with government, development partners and internal stakeholders;

• Experience in fragile, humanitarian or Sahel contexts is highly desirable. UNICEF or United Nations experience is an asset;

• Fluency in French and working proficiency in English are required. Knowledge of Arabic or relevant national languages is an asset;

• Uphold UNICEF Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability;

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• Demonstrate UNICEF competencies, particularly nurturing, leading and managing people; self-awareness and ethical awareness; collaboration; partnership building; innovation and change; strategic thinking; drive for impactful results; and management of ambiguity and complexity.

The Office will cover the ticket for economy class travel and 100% of the UN DSA rate during the first 30 days, and 50% DSA for the remaining time.

Interested UNICEF staff should discuss this opportunity with their supervisor and seek the approval of their management before applying.

Candidates considered potentially well-matched for the stretch assignment will be contacted for an informal interview. Supervisors may also be contacted for references.