The overarching framework for UNCEF at sub-national level is to strengthen local governance systems and capacities to plan, fund, implement and monitor sustainable initiatives to improve the well-being of children and women in selected sub-national areas of the country. To anchor this framework, UNICEF adopts five pillars in programming at sub-national level: Equity, Evidence and Result-based Approach, Sustainability, Children and Youth Participation and Communication for Development (C4D) for greater community empowerment.
The rationale for this sub-national strategy is to ensure effective implementation of UNICEF and Government's commitment to equity, focusing on filling equity gaps in social and economic development. It also provides a platform for cross-sectoral coordination and collaboration to facilitate child rights realization holistically, especially for those whose rights are not being realized.
Based on the regional mapping on multidimensional child deprivations, geographical focus of UNICEF has been prioritized. In the four regions of Mbeya, Iringa, Njombe and Songwe (MINS), UNICEF maintains and consolidates its commitment in lagging indicators in HIV, nutrition and health with enhanced consideration for equity and sustainability. This allows UNICEF to make planning, budgeting and monitoring results for children, youth and adolescents more context-responsive, bringing it closer to the rights-holders and frontline duty bearers, which has the potential to enhance accountability and the creation of real-time feedback loops.
A sub-office located in Iringa was set up in 2012/13 to support activities in the MIN regions. Under the new CP the location of the office was shifted to Mbeya with programme specialists in Health, Nutrition, Education, WASH and Children and AIDS led by a Chief Field Office.
UNICEF aims to strengthen the institutionalization and sustainability of its support to MINS regions. This requires support to decentralized planning, budgeting, monitoring, and coordination as far as service delivery and programming for children are concerned. This ambition reflects a deliberate and strategic effort to engage with regional, district and ward-level decision-makers to influence and leverage policies, plans, and budgets for children. This broadly includes the advocacy and technical support needed to translate and localize national policies, capacity strengthening in planning & budgeting, and to sustain and scale-up services for children through local planning & budgeting. This engagement agenda also includes an emphasis on partnerships and networks within and across other organizations, sectors, platforms, and the media to achieve results for children. UNICEF has developed a local up stream's agenda, which is overseen by the Chief of the Field Office in Mbeya, with technical support from technical teams based in Mbeya and Dar es Salaam offices. The present TORs outline the main responsibilities of a 12-month assignment to support the implementation of this upstream agenda.
Competencies and level of proficiency required
Core Values
Core competencies
Functional Competencies:
Education:
Experience:
Language Requirements:
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.