The UNOPS Africa Regional Office, based in Nairobi, Kenya, oversees the delivery of over 250 projects across 40 countries, with a focus on fragile and conflict-affected settings. Supported by more than 1,000 personnel across five multi-country offices—spanning North, West, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Horn of Africa—the office advances national priorities through strategic initiatives in Climate Action, Health, Infrastructure, Peace and Security, Middle-Income Country Support, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Regional Office provides strategic leadership, operational support, and oversight in key areas including Partnerships, Communications, Management and Oversight, Infrastructure and Project Management, Health and Safety, and Security. By promoting excellence in project delivery, fostering knowledge sharing, and driving continuous improvement, the office contributes to sustainable infrastructure, transparent resource management, and a better quality of life for communities across the continent.

Based in Tunis, the North Africa Multi-Country Office (NAMCO) oversees operations in Algeria, Egypt, Libya, and Morocco, delivering project management, financial services, infrastructure, procurement, and human resources support. With active project offices in Morocco and Libya, NAMCO works in close partnership with governments, NGOs, and international financial institutions to advance socio-economic development across the region. NAMCO’s portfolio spans health, justice, climate action, and environmental preservation, while promoting youth and women's empowerment through improved access to education and employment opportunities. Key initiatives include: supplying digital learning materials for Tunisian schools (World Bank), supporting Tunisia’s national development plan (AICS), enhancing maritime border management (EU), delivering high-tech health equipment to 75 hospitals (World Bank), supporting resilient agriculture in Libya (IFAD), and advancing vocational training in Morocco (KOICA). NAMCO’s work contributes directly to inclusive growth and progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop, and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic, and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

The Senior Child Protection Associate will be responsible for planning, coordinating, and overseeing field-level implementation of interdisciplinary activities related to children on the move, including case management, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), community-based and legal protection as well as child wellbeing. S/he will supervise and support a multidisciplinary team composed of caseworkers, MHPSS officers, and child protection assistants, ensuring quality, consistency, and adherence to UNICEF child protection policies and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

The Senior Child Protection Associate manages a complete support service by integrating multiple processes related to children on the move. S/he supervises the work of support staff, applies baseline professional principles of child protection, formulates proposals for improving service delivery, and ensures the integrity of related documents and reports.

Technical and operational support to Children on the move programme implementation 

• Plan, coordinate, and monitor the day-to-day implementation of children on the move activities in assigned locations, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s programme priorities and standards.

• Supervise and guide the work of child protection caseworkers, MHPSS officers, child protection assistants, and child wellbeing ensuring timely delivery of quality children on the move interventions.

• Ensure that case management, MHPSS, and other child protection activities are implemented in accordance with established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and the Best Interests of the Child principle.

• Provide technical oversight for the implementation of child protection interventions, ensuring adherence to minimum standards, ethical principles, and data protection requirements.

• Oversee, in close collaboration with sectors leads the implementation of activities related to child and community development including health, nutrition, ECD, WASH, education, as well as emergency preparedness and responses.

• Ensure that monitoring, reporting, and documentation systems are maintained and updated accurately (including databases and case files), in line with UNICEF’s confidentiality and safeguarding standards.

Individual Child Protection Support

• Oversee the identification, registration, and follow-up of vulnerable children, ensuring appropriate assessment, case planning, referrals, and care.

• Lead and supervise the process of Best Interests Assessments (BIA) and participate in Best Interests Determination (BID) panels, ensuring documentation and coordination with UNHCR and relevant partners.

• Facilitate referrals to essential services (health, education, MHPSS, GBV, legal aid) in coordination with local authorities and partners.

• Ensure that staff receive regular case conferencing, coaching, and quality assurance support.

• Monitor and support appropriate care arrangements for unaccompanied and separated children, including alternative care and family tracing and reunification in collaboration with UNHCR, IOM, and the national child protection system.

Coordination, Partnership, and Representation

• Serve as the primary focal point for UNICEF’s operations and security at field level, ensuring regular coordination and communication with UNHCR, IOM, local authorities, and NGO partners.

• Participate actively in inter-agency coordination meetings, ensuring timely information sharing and follow-up on activities and joint interventions.

• Support the Chief of Child Protection, the sector leads and the Child Protection Officer in maintaining collaborative relationships with government and non-government partners, facilitating harmonised approaches to children on the move service delivery.

• Ensure consistent application of risk-informed, gender-responsive, and inclusive approaches across all interventions.

• Promote accountability to affected populations (AAP), accessibility to PSEA helplines, and community awareness of available child protection services.

Capacity Building, Supervision, and Staff Support

• Develop and monitor the team workplan, setting clear objectives, priorities, and performance indicators for field staff.

• Conduct regular supervision, coaching, and on-the-job capacity-building sessions for staff and partners, with particular attention to case management, PSEA, GBV risk mitigation, and psychosocial support.

• Identify learning needs and contribute to the design and delivery of training and mentoring activities for staff, partners, and community actors.

• Promote a safe, respectful, and supportive team environment that prioritises staff well-being and adherence to UNICEF’s core values and child safeguarding standards.

Monitoring, Reporting, and Knowledge Management

• Collect and compile data and information related to child protection activities, ensuring accuracy and timely submission of field reports and indicators.

• Contribute to situation reports, donor reports, and programme updates by documenting progress, challenges, and lessons learned.

• Participate in field monitoring visits and contribute to the identification of gaps, risks, and opportunities for programmatic improvement.

• Support the documentation and dissemination of good practices and innovative approaches in community-based child protection and case management.

Child Safeguarding and Accountability

• Ensure strict adherence to UNICEF’s child safeguarding policy and procedures in all aspects of programme implementation.

• Take proactive measures to prevent and respond to any safeguarding or PSEA concerns.

• Promote ethical conduct, confidentiality, and respect for the dignity and rights of every child and family engaged in UNICEF-supported activities.

• High School diploma or equivalent is required 

• For this position, a bachelor's degree in law; Social Sciences; Psychology, Community Dvpt/Social Work; Human Rights or related/relevant fields from a recognized academic institution is a strong asset and may substitute for 3 years of the required years of experience.

• 7 years of relevant experience for High School Diploma holders

• 4 years of relevant experience for bachelor's holders.  

• Previous work experience relevant to the function of child protection in a local context and having experience in the field of child protection prevention and response, broader protection, or social work involving the empowerment of women and girls, gender, child protection, mental health, counseling and working with survivors, humanitarian and development issues is required. 

• Skills and experience in interviewing and working with children and families will be an advantage.

• Experience working with children on the move will be an advantage.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 
• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities. 
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda. 
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.