Adolescent Development Specialist (U-Report) NO-3 at United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

Job Title: Adolescent Development Specialist (U-Report) NO-3

For every child, dedication

Nigeria has one of the largest youth populations in the world, with most of the population (74%) under 35 years old. (National Youth Survey 2020). As the country continues to grow and develop, it’s essential to engage with youth to harness their energy and potential for positive change. UNICEF Nigeria aims to support the government in strengthening youth participation and engagement. To achieve this, UNICEF Nigeria established a communication platform, U-Report, which enables youth to access information and participate in key issues that affect them.

U-Report is a social monitoring tool that allows youth to speak out on community issues via SMS, polls, messages and on digital platforms. It amplifies their voices through local and national media and provides real-time data for stakeholders, service providers, and decision-makers. The platform also empowers youth to work towards change and improvements in their communities. With Nigeria’s high mobile density rate and increasing access to internet, U-Report has the potential to make a significant impact.

How can you make a difference? 

Under the supervision of the Chief of Communications, Advocacy and Partnerships, the Adolescent Development Specialist (U-Report) will support the scaling up of the U-Report programme including U-Report communities, and make it meaningfully used for programming for children by UNICEF, Government, and implementing partners. The incumbent will work with programme sections to develop and deploy demand-driven U-Report use cases that address development challenges and accelerate results for children. The incumbent will be tasked to support integrating social innovation approaches into traditional UNICEF programming, especially for adolescents and young people.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Managing and maintaining the U-Report digital platform (RapidPro), ensuring its smooth operation and technical integrity.
• Collaborating with program sections to design and deploy regular U-Report polls and other digital content.
• Analyzing incoming messages, feedback, and data to assess progress, identify trends, and inform decision-making.
• Promoting U-Report as UNICEF’s flagship program for advocacy, leveraging digital channels to amplify its impact.
• Supporting youth mobilization by developing and implementing campaigns to engage young people, increasing U-Report participation, and fostering a sense of community.
• Driving digital engagement by creating and curating content, moderating online discussions, and encouraging user-generated content by young people
• Building and maintaining U-Report communities, including community leaders and platform users, to ensure high engagement and reach.
• Supporting the Chief CAP in fostering partnerships with government counterparts, media outlets, and mobile telephone operators to expand U-Report’s reach, influence, and impact.
• Assisting in proposal development, reporting, and other communication-related tasks for development, advocacy, adolescents, and youth.
• Managing U- U-Report Territory Officers

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  JD Adolescent Development Specialist (U-Report) NOC.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

• Education: An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: Communication, Journalism, Digital Media, Information Technology, International Development, Adolescent Development, or a related field.*A Bachelor’s degree with an additional two years of relevant work experience may be accepted.
• Work Experience: At least a minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience, at the national and international level working with children and marginalized youth in the global south, including on adolescent/youth/community engagement and innovation
• Skills:
• Strong technical and digital background, with experience in managing digital platforms and social media.
• Ability to manage U-Report digital platforms, including RapidPro and other related tools.
• Proven understanding of how to engage young people through digital channels, including social media, SMS, and online communities.
• Excellent digital communication skills, including content creation, curation, and moderation.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience in data analysis and reporting.
• Experience with digital campaign management, including strategy development, implementation, and evaluation.
• Excellent communications skills, verbal and written, with strong interpersonal, public speaking, presentation, and writing skills.
• Good computer skills with software proficiency in Windows, Microsoft Office Suit (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote)
• Knowledge of youth-related issues, trends, and behaviors, particularly in Africa, with familiarity with UNICEF’s programming and goals.
• Language Requirements:Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another Nigerian language is an asset.

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

The 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.

Application Instructions:

The application deadline is 15th November 2024. Therefore qualified and interested candidates can “CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT APPLICATION” It is important to visit the official website (link found below) for detailed information on how to apply successfully for this vacancy

Website:
Official Job Website: https://jobs.unicef.org/