Child Protection Specialist, NO-3, Fixed Term Position,
Kigali, Rwanda, #00100613 at UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund: (Deadline
7 Aug 2026)
Job Description
UNICEF works in over 190 countries and
territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them
fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.
At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what
we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not
just a job – it is a calling.
UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our
staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will
help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities
across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse
and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits
package.
Visit our website to
learn more about what we do at UNICEF.
For every child, the right to a Champion
How can you make a difference?
Are you passionate about safeguarding children and
strengthening systems that protect their rights and well‑being?
We are seeking a highly motivated Child Protection
Specialist to provide technical leadership in the design,
implementation, and monitoring of high‑quality child protection programmes. The
role plays a critical part in advancing prevention and response systems,
ensuring that children, especially the most vulnerable, are protected from
violence, abuse, exploitation, and neglect.
The Child Protection Specialist will work closely with
government counterparts, UN agencies, civil society partners, and communities
to strengthen national child protection systems, enhance accountability
mechanisms, and promote family‑based care. The position requires strong
technical expertise, sound judgment, and the ability to translate policy into
effective, operational programming.
Purpose for the job:
The Child Protection Specialist reports to the Child
Protection Specialist for guidance and general supervision. The Specialist
supports the development and preparation of the Child Protection programme(s)
and is responsible for the management, implementation, monitoring, reporting,
and evaluation of the child protection programmes/projects within
the country programme. The Specialist provides technical guidance and
management support throughout the programming processes. H/She facilitates the
administration and achievement of concrete and sustainable contributions to
national and international efforts to create a protective environment for
children against all harm, and to protect their rights to survival, development
and well-being as established under the Convention on the Rights of the Child,
international treaties/frameworks and UN intergovernmental bodies.
The Specialist contributes to the achievement of results
according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and
methodology (RBM), and UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance and
accountability framework.
Summary of key functions/accountabilities:
- Support
to programme/project development and planning
- Programme
management, monitoring and delivery of results
- Technical
and operational support to programme implementation
- Networking
and partnership building
- Innovation,
knowledge management and capacity building
- Protection
from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) & Safeguarding
If you would like to know more about this position, please
review the complete Job Description here: Child
Protection Specialist-NOC. IMIS#100613-Revised 2025.doc
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will
have…
Minimum requirements
- Education: Master
or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in International Development,
Psychology, Sociology, Social Services, human rights, international law or
another relevant social science field. and any other related fields.
A Bachelor or equivalent (First Level University Degree) in
a relevant area combined with 2 additional years of relevant work experience
may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
- Work
Experience: 5 years of relevant work experience in International
Development, Human Rights, Child Protection, Programme Management,
Programme Development, Monitoring, Reporting, Evaluation, Advocacy,
Capacity Building, Partnership Building, Safeguarding, Geder based
Violence. and any other related fields.
- Skills: Knowledge
of Rwanda Child Protection System Protection from Sexual Exploitation and
Abuse (PSEA) & Safeguarding Experience in social development planning
and management in child protection Partner capacity strengthening
Government engagement.
- Language
Requirements: Fluency in English is required.
Desirables
- Knowledge
of Kinyarwanda and French is highly desirable, and knowledge of
another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) or a
local language is an asset.
- Experience
working in a developing country is considered as an asset.
- Relevant
experience in programme development in child protection related areas in a
UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset
- Relevant
experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings
and humanitarian contexts.
For every Child, you demonstrate...
UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and
Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we
do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values
UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others
(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people
Familiarize yourself with our
competency framework and its different levels.
This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for
Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either a role with direct contact with
children, a role that works directly with identifiable children's data, a
safeguarding response role, or an assessed risk role. Additional vetting and
assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including
additional criminal background checks) apply.
UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the
rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to
support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most
disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those
children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of
their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation,
religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.
UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified
candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds,
and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide
range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding
breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF
provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you
require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility
email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.
Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to
share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in
advance.
UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children
(persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is
incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including
sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and
discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation,
religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote
the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will,
therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be
expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will
include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history.
Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to
conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be
requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability
confidentially.
UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.
Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP
positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject
to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2
(Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be
inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant
department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.
Remarks:
As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the
United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is
the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and
integrity.
UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive,
representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, we particularly
welcome applications from individuals who can bring fresh perspectives and
innovative ideas to our team.
Government employees who are considered for employment with
UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before
taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an
offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is
not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a
reasonable period for any reason.
UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its
recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage,
interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will
not ask for applicants' bank account information.
Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within
UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in
humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all
functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian
response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and
capacity of national authorities.
Visa residence requirements: i.e. UNICEF shall not
facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates
under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service
category.
All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted
candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection
process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the
relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the
corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without
assessment of other candidates.
Additional information about working for UNICEF can be
found here.
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