Child Protection Officer (MHPSS), Caracas, Venezuela

## Child Protection Officer (MHPSS), Caracas, Venezuela - Organization:UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund - Office:UNICEF Caracas, Venezuela Child Protection Officer (MHPSS), NO-2, TA, 6 months, #00138215, Caracas - Venezuela, LACR Position type:Temporary Appointment Division/Equivalent:Latin America and Caribbean Regional Off School/Unit:Venezuela Department/Office:Caracas, Venezuela Categories:Child Protection 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 protection On 24 June, two powerful earthquakes of magnitude Mw 7.2 and Mw 7.5 struck Venezuela, marking the most significant seismic event in over a century. The epicenter, located near Yamari in Yaracuy State, triggered widespread destruction across La Guaira, Caracas, Carabobo, Falcón, Miranda and surrounding areas. The two main shocks occurred approximately 30 seconds apart, exacerbating structural damage and contributing to heightened disruption across already densely populated and infrastructure-constrained urban centers. The earthquake has left many children and caregivers in need of humanitarian assistance and have significantly exacerbated acute vulnerabilities facing women and children. Since the onset of the emergency, UNICEF has been actively engaged in coordination with national, regional, and local authorities, as well as United Nations agencies and humanitarian partners, to support a coherent and timely response to the earthquakes of 24 June. The magnitude of the crisis demands specialized technical leadership to: - Design, implement and follow up the services of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) for children and families aligned with national authorities - Define referral mechanism for children's victims, including victims of different types of violence, including gender-based violence - Support the coordination with other organizations supporting services of MHPSS in the field to avoid duplication and improve the response. This temporary assignment will ensure that MHPSS principles and approaches inform the full humanitarian response cycle from immediate life-saving communication to early recovery and system resilience building. How can you make a difference? UNICEF's Child Protection Section will coordinate a multi-sectoral contribution to the mental health and psychosocial response to the earthquake. This will be done under overall government leadership and through existing partnerships (wherever possible) to assist long-term sustainability of MHPSS infrastructure. Under the Supervision of Child Protection Specialist, the Child Protection Officer-MHPSS will support the design and implementation of a psychosocial programme and support to displaced and affected children. The Child Protection Officer-MHPSS will provide technical leadership and coordination support for the design, implementation, and monitoring of MHPSS interventions in response to Venezuelan Earthquake. The role will ensure that community engagement, accountability, and behaviorally informed approaches are embedded across sectors and aligned with UNICEF's Core Commitments for Children (CCCs). Key functions and accountabilities: - Support to programme 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 If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: JD_Child Protection Officer (MHPSS)_NO2.pdf To qualify as a champion for every child you will have... Minimum requirements: - Education: A completed university degree (Bachelor's Degree) in social sciences, sociology, anthropology, psychology, communication, public health, or another related field is required. - Work Experience: A minimum of 2 years of professional experience in child protection, community based MHPSS interventions, community engagement, with at least 2 years in humanitarian or emergency contexts is required. Proven experience supporting emergency preparedness and response in contexts affected by natural hazards or/and complex crises is required. Demonstrated experience implementing MHPSS at community level, community engagement, and participatory communication is required. Experience working with both Government and civil society partners is required. Experience in managing inter-agency coordination processes and supporting cross-sectoral teams. - Skills:Strong analytical, coordination, and communication skills are required. Ability to design and implement behaviourally informed interventions in dynamic and high-pressure environments is required. Proven capacity in data-driven decision-making, social listening, and community feedback systems. - Language Requirements: Fluency in Spanish is required. Intermediate English is required. - Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French or Russian) is desirable. Fluency in English is considered an asset. - An advanced university degree (Masters or higher) in a relevant field is considered an asset. - Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts is an asset. 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 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. Eligible staff members on fixed-term, continuing or permanent contracts applying to IP TA positions in a duty station designated as L2/L3, may be able to retain a lien and their fixed-term entitlements, subject to approval by their Head of Office. The conditions of the temporary assignment will vary depending on the status of their post and relocation entitlements may be limited as per the relevant policies. 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