Social Policy Officer, Cotabato City, Philippines

General

Description of assignment title: Social PolicyOfficer

Assignment country: Philippines

Duty stations: Cotabato City

Work location: On UN premises

Expected start date: 08/03/2026

Duration: 12 months(with possibility ofextension)Long-term benefits and allowances

Sustainable Development Goal: 1. No poverty

Host entity: UNICEF Philippines

Modality: Onsite

Type: National

Volunteer category: Specialist UCoS from Apr2026

Work schedule: Full-time

Number of Assignments: 1

Details

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Mission and objectives:

• UNICEF works to promote and protect the rights of every child,with a particular focus on those who are most vulnerable anddisadvantaged. We work with the government to improve national andregional policies, programmes and services for children andadolescents. Together with partners, we address common barriers tothe realization of their rights.

Context:

• The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights ofevery child, everywhere, in everything the organization does inprograms, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy,emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children andfamilies, translates this commitment to children's rights intoaction. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have anopportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential,without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that anychild has an unequal chance in life in its social, political,economic, civic and cultural dimensions, her or his rights areviolated. Equity accelerates progress towards realizing the humanrights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF,as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, whilealso supporting the equitable development of nations. (Visit:https://www.unicef.org/philippines/)

Task description:

• Under the supervision of the Social Policy Specialist, theSocial Policy Officer will support the implementation of socialpolicy and social protection initiatives, with a particular focuson governance for children and public finance at the regional andlocal levels. Key responsibilities include:
• 1. Support the implementation of social protection activitiesunder Project CARES: Child-sensitive, Adaptive, Resilient, andEquitable Social Protection Systems in close coordination with theMinistry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) and the SocialDevelopment Committee (SDCom) of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region inMuslim Mindanao (BARMM ).
• 2. Assist in the to review of technical documents, submissions,and reports from MSSD related to social protection programming,including summarizing key issues and providing consolidatedcomments.
• 3. Assist in ensuring effective coordination and engagementwith regional ministries, local government units, and developmentpartners on social protection, Public Financial Management (PFM),and governance for children.

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• 4. Provide close monitoring of the implementation status ofactivities under the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF), includingcoordination with key partner ministries such as Ministry of Health(MOH), Ministry of Finance, Budget and Management (MFBM), Ministryof the Interior and Local Government (MILG), Bangsamoro Planningand Development Authority (BPDA), and MSSD.
• 5. Contribute to the preparation of social sectors budget andexpenditure reviews, policy notes, and advocacy briefs to supportevidence‑based dialogues and reforms.
• 6. Assist the Mindanao Field Office (MFO ) team of key LocalGovernment Units (LGUs) in the development of social sectors budgetand expenditure analysis
• 7. Provide administrative and coordination support incapacity-building initiatives, including coaching and mentoring oftarget LGUs on the Four Legacies for Children, Child Rights-basedPublic Finance, and related governance reforms.
• 8. Maintain updated knowledge and documentation systems,including organization and regular updating of the MFO-SocialPolicy SharePoint repositories.
• Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UNVolunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promotevoluntary action through engagement with communities in the courseof their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part oftheir working time to some of the following suggestedactivities:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept ofvolunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications andtake active part in UNV activities (for instance, in events thatmark International Volunteer Day).
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local formsof volunteerism in the host country.
• Provide annual and end-of-assignment self-reports on UNVolunteer actions, results, and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submitthem for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases,etc.
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UNVolunteers.
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of onlinevolunteering or encourage relevant local individuals andorganizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenevertechnically possible.

Eligibility criteria

Age: 18 - 80

Required experience: 3 years

Nationality: Candidate must be a national, legal residentor hold refugee status in the country of assignment.

Assignment requirements

Relevant experience:

• 3 years

Languages:

• English, Level: Fluent, Required
• Filipino, Level: Fluent, Required

Required education level:

• Bachelor's degree in Economics, Public Administration,Governance, Social Sciences

Competencies and values:

• Competencies
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships
• Demonstrates Self-Awareness and Ethical Awareness
• Drive to Achieve Results for Impact
• Innovates and Embraces Change
• Manages Ambiguity and Complexity
• Thinks and Acts Strategically
• Works Collaboratively with Others
• UNICEF Core Values
• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability
• Sustainability

Skills and experience:

• Work Experience:
• • At least 3 years of relevant professional experience insocial protection, public financial management, and governance forchildren or another related area acquired at national and/orinternational level.
• • Experience working in BARMM or a similar fragile context isan advantage.
• Ability to work effectively and adapt in a challenging andmulticultural environment, with both national and internationalstaff.
• Demonstrated ability or experience in budget preparation,budget analysis, or public finance-related work for projects orgovernment entities. .
• Strong technical competence in drafting budget and policybriefs is required.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, includingdrafting, reporting, and presentation. Solid overall computerliteracy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications;experience navigating AI productivity and analysis tools;proficiency in Canva, Infogram, Adobe Creative Cloud or othergraphic design software; familiarity with database management; andknowledge of office technology and equipment.
• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimal supervision andmeet tight deadlines.
• Sound security awareness.
• Interest in or commitment to UNICEF's mandate, volunteerism,and the UN system.
• Fluency in a local dialect of BARMM is desirable.

Area(s) of expertise:

• Project management, programme development, strategy, Finance,accounting, Governance, elections

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