UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. And we never give up.

For every child, an opportunity

China continues to grow economically and to expand its global role. With the world’s second largest child population, China had an estimated 271 million children in 2015, representing 20 per cent of the country’s total population and 13 per cent of the world’s children. In recent years, increasing commitment by the Government to equitable growth has generated tremendous progress in advancing the status of children. However, ongoing challenges exist, with the most vulnerable and impoverished children often unable to access quality public services and specialized programming.

The Social Policy team leads UNICEF’s work on child poverty, social protection, public financial management for children, and governance. It provides technical and policy development support to initiatives to ensure that children, particularly the most disadvantaged and excluded, benefit from equitable and inclusive poverty reduction and social protection systems. It supports the generation of evidence on multiple dimensions of child poverty and social exclusion, which will be developed for use in policy dialogue, advocacy and local planning in relevant sectors. The programme also contributes to the understanding of social sector budgets, providing evidence that will be used to advocate for increased investment in services that benefit children, and to promote effective, efficient and equitable finance for and governance of essential public services across all sectors.

This video highlights some of UNICEF’s work in China today.

How can you make a difference?

We are seeking a senior expert to lead our work on strengthening Public Financial Management for Children in China, and to lead PFM work across UNICEF China’s programmes. The incumbent will work with a wide range of colleagues and sections with focus to:

• Support UNICEF’s strategic thinking and engagement with government partners for advancing equity and quality of basic social services for all children through improved public finance and governance
• Provide policy analysis and advisory expertise to advance policy changes to government counterparts who lead the planning, financing and governance for essential social services for children
• Build convincing investment cases for children through research, and quantitative and qualitative assessments
• Explore ways fiscal policy can improve equity and adequate financing of health, education, child and social protection services for all children;
• Support the piloting of new central and sub-national government programmes for children, as well as influence public private partnerships on basic social services where they benefit children
• Identify institutional partners and entry points for UNICEF’s contribution to the policy making process
• Ensure the effective and efficient implementation of the Social Policy Programme work on planning, financing and governance for Basic Social Services for all
• Effectively manage and develop staff in the team and provide supervisees with clear directions and objectives that are based on organizational strategy and targets

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

• Advanced university degree in economics, finance, law, quantitative social sciences or another related area
• Minimum of five to eight years of progressive experience in public finance/economic policy, and governance in relation to public services and social development
• Expertise concerning public finance, economics, and governance; related experience in project management, research and policy analysis
• Proven record of promoting strategic partnerships with government and other partners
• Excellent analytical, research and teamwork skills
• Strong communication skills for knowledge dissemination and advocacy
• Advanced ability to use digital technology, communication tools and information networks
• Experience in research and/or impact evaluation using advanced statistical packages an important plus
• Fluency in English and Chinese

For every Child, you demonstrate…

• Respect for and adherence to UNICEF's core values of Commitment, Diversity and Inclusion, and Integrity
• A strong understanding of UNICEF's mission and vision
• Excellent ability to manage relationships with partners, including government ministries, youth coalitions, universities, intellectual leaders, UN organizations, NGOs and the private sector
• Good team-work capacity and ability to work independently
• Strong writing and communication skills and the aptitude to handle competing messages and priorities with multiple audiences

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. In our effort to obtain a gender-balanced workforce, we’re particularly looking at qualified male candidates to join the team.

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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.