Social Policy Specialist (Disability Inclusion), Temporary Appointment (364 days), P-4, Kyiv, Ukraine, #134613

The P4 Disability Inclusion Specialist is a strategically vital role for UNICEF Ukraine, designed to address a critical gap in disability-inclusive technical expertise at a time when national reform momentum and donor expectations are rapidly increasing. The position is essential not only for the Social Policy Section and the Social Recovery Unit, but for the broader country office and the country programme leadership areas (Better Start, Better Learning and Skills and Better Care), enabling UNICEF to effectively engage in and influence disability-inclusive reforms and where applicable, support service delivery scalable models. To ensure comprehensive support and alignment across the organisation, the role will have a dotted reporting line to the Deputy Representative – Programmes, while being line-managed by the Chief of Social Policy and Economic Analysis to ensure strong technical leadership and integration within core social policy workstreams. This position will equip UNICEF Ukraine to provide high-level, technically sound guidance that ensures disability inclusion is embedded in the design and implementation of national reforms. It will support the development of inclusive policies, legislation, and service delivery systems that align with international standards and UNICEF’s strategic priorities.

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Purpose for the job:
The P4 Disability Inclusion Specialist is a strategically vital role for UNICEF Ukraine, designed to address a critical gap in disability-inclusive technical expertise at a time when national reform momentum and donor expectations are rapidly increasing. The position is essential not only for the Social Policy Section and the Social Recovery Unit, but for the broader country office and the country programme leadership areas (Better Start, Better Learning and Skills and Better Care), enabling UNICEF to effectively engage in and influence disability-inclusive reforms and where applicable, support service delivery scalable models. To ensure comprehensive support and alignment across the organisation, the role will have a dotted reporting line to the Deputy Representative – Programmes, while being line-managed by the Chief of Social Policy and Economic Analysis to ensure strong technical leadership and integration within core social policy workstreams. 

This position will equip UNICEF Ukraine to provide high-level, technically sound guidance that ensures disability inclusion is embedded in the design and implementation of national reforms. It will support the development of inclusive policies, legislation, and service delivery systems that align with international standards and UNICEF’s strategic priorities.   

The Specialist will also play a key role in supporting the Deputy Representative Programmes with CO programme coordination on Disability Inclusion within UNICEF’s wider programme, and serve as an organizational resource person to provide technical guidance and support for other programme areas (Education, Child Protection, Health, WASH, ADAP) as needed on matters related to disability inclusive programming.   In addition, the incumbent will support strengthening internal capacity, offering mentoring and institutional support to mainstream disability inclusion across programme areas. To ensure this cross-Sectional take-up and general support of the country programme this role has a dotted reporting line to the Deputy Representative – Programmes, with whom the incumbent will directly engage with on this workstream (approx. 30% of time)  

Summary of key functions/accountabilities

1. Strategic and Technical Policy advice on Disability Inclusion and system reform leadership  therein

• Advise the Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity on embedding disability inclusion across social protection reform priorities (policy, legislation, financing, administration, service delivery, grievance/redress).
• Lead/coordinate technical inputs that make reform instruments inclusive by design (e.g., disability-responsive targeting, case management, referral pathways, inclusive digital/ICT and accessibility features, assistive technology linkages, inclusive grievance and accountability).
• Translate global evidence and international good practice into practical, context-appropriate options for Ukraine, including costed scenarios and implementation roadmaps.

1. Lead and Coordinate on Evidence Generation, Analysis and Inclusive M&E

• Developing and technically supervising a robust pipeline of evidence products related to disability inclusion that align with the strategic priorities of the Government and UNICEF.
• Identify and help address data gaps on persons with disabilities across social protection reforms; promote use of internationally recognized disability identification and measurement approaches where appropriate.
• Define disability-inclusion indicators within reform results frameworks; synthesize findings for decision-making by government and partners; and build national capacity to monitor/track
• Commission/oversee analytical notes, studies, mappings, and lessons learned to inform reform choices.

1. Partnerships, coordination and advocacy

• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with OPDs, relevant ministries and agencies, local authorities, development partners, academia, private sector and civil society to advance inclusive reform.
• Convene and contribute to technical working groups/coordination mechanisms to ensure alignment, coherence and shared accountability for disability inclusion.
• Advocate for inclusive policy choices and budgets, including accessibility and assistive technology considerations relevant to social protection.

1. Capacity strengthening and supervision

• Design and deliver tailored capacity-building for government counterparts and partners on disability-inclusive social protection design, delivery and monitoring.

1. Under the Supervison of the Deputy Representative Programmes, Support  UNICEF Disability Inclusion Work Across Programmes (approx. 30%)

• Strengthen UNICEF’s internal capacity in Ukraine on disability inclusion (policies, procedures, accessible programming and workplaces).
• Train, mentor and provide technical support supports to integrate disability inclusion in programme design and implementation, drawing on UNICEF organizational standards and guidance.
• Support coordination of UNICEF’s disability inclusion across UNICEF programmes
• Serve as a resource person within UNICEF to provide technical advice and strategic advice across UNICEF programmes on disability inclusion.

• Contribute technical inputs to concept notes, donor proposals, budgets and donor reporting across UNICEF programmes, related to disability-inclusion.
• Ensure risks to inclusion are identified and mitigation measures integrated into plans, procurement and implementation arrangements across UNICEF programmes

Impact of Results

By ensuring disability inclusion is systematically embedded in social protection reforms, the post contributes to equitable and effective systems that better reach children and adults with disabilities and their families. High-quality policy advice, inclusive design of reform instruments, and robust monitoring improve the responsiveness, accessibility and accountability of programmes, strengthen government ownership, and enhance value for money. Effective partnerships with OPDs and other stakeholders increase legitimacy and sustainability of reforms. Internally, strengthened UNICEF capacity and a trained NOC focal point improve consistency and quality of disability-inclusive programming across the Country Office.

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

Minimum requirements:

Education:

Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent; or Bachelor’s plus two additional years of experience) in social policy, public administration, social protection, disability studies, international development, public policy, or a related field.

Work Experience: 

• Minimum 8 years of progressively responsible experience in policy advisory and/or programme design related to disability inclusion
• Demonstrated in-depth knowledge of Ukraine’s disability inclusion landscape, including legal/policy frameworks, institutions, and active networks of OPDs and civil society.
• Proven experience adapting international best practices to national contexts and facilitating knowledge transfer between global/regional and country counterparts.
• Experience supervising staff and managing/overseeing national experts/consultants and multi-disciplinary workstreams.
• Strong results in partnership building with government, OPDs, development partners and civil society; experience with evidence generation, indicators and inclusive M&E.
• Experience in humanitarian and fragile and recovery contexts is essential.

Language Requirements: 

Fluency in English is required.

Desirables:

• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts. 
• Knowledge of Ukrainian language is highly desirable; knowledge of another official UN 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 

(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people 

Technical competencies (role-specific):

• Disability-inclusive policy and programme design (legislation, eligibility/assessment, delivery systems, grievance and accountability, accessibility, assistive technology linkages).
• Evidence and data for inclusion; indicator design and measurement for disability inclusion within reforms.
• Capacity development and organizational change for inclusion; facilitation and high-quality technical writing.

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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, eligible and suitable people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

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.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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.

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.

UNICEF staff members holding fixed-term, continuing, or permanent appointments who are considered to be on abolished post status may apply for this temporary position and, if selected with a start date before 31 December 2025, may take it up as a temporary assignment, in line with UNICEF guidance on separation due to the abolition of posts or staff reduction. They will retain their fixed-term entitlements but will not hold a lien to their abolished post. For other scenarios where a Temporary Assignment may be possible, please refer to Additional guidance on IP to IP temporary assignments after completion of the full TOD.pdf (accessible to internal staff only).

The conditions of a temporary assignment, including relocation entitlements, will depend on the status of the staff member’s original appointment and may be limited in accordance with applicable UNICEF policies, procedures, and practices in force.

This position is based in Kyiv and the incumbent will be expected be work on-site. However, depending on the security conditions and advisory, s/he will be required to relocate within Ukraine.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.