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For every child, the right to hope 

UNICEF Ukraine

Join the Social Policy Team at UNICEF Ukraine!

How can you make a difference? 

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, 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.

Job organizational context:

Supervised by the Social Policy Specialist (NOC), with technical guidance from the Social Policy Specialist (P3, TA) and overall oversight by the Chief of Social Policy and Economic Analysis. To be based in Kyiv with periodic travel to regions.

Purpose for the job:

The Social Policy Officer (Public Finance for Children – PF4C) supports the implementation of UNICEF Ukraine’s agenda on equitable, transparent, and child-centred public finance and local governance. The incumbent provides technical assistance, analytical support, and coordination for national and subnational efforts to strengthen budget planning, public investment management, and fiscal decision-making that advance children’s and families’ well-being in both humanitarian and recovery contexts.

Ukraine is undergoing a complex fiscal and institutional transformation, including amid recovery from war, decentralization, and integration with the EU. Local governments play an increasing role in service delivery, while fiscal space remains constrained and public investment needs are unprecedented. Against this backdrop, UNICEF’s PF4C work aims to ensure that every hryvnia invested by the state contributes to inclusive human-capital development and the realization of child rights. the Social Policy Officer contributes directly to this goal by helping partners integrate equity, gender, and child-sensitivity principles into national and local budgeting and planning processes.

In coordination and collaboration with the direct supervisor, and members of the social policy team, the incumbent works closely with the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity, the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development, the Ministry of Economy, and other key ministries, as well as oblast and hromada administrations, parliamentarians, civil society, and development partners. S/he contributes to analytical products and evidence generation on social-sector financing, supports the preparation of child- and youth-focused budget analyses, facilitates capacity-building of government officials, and helps institutionalize PF4C tools and methodologies in cooperation with partners, training and research institutions.

The Officer ensures coherence of UNICEF’s PF4C and local governance initiatives with Ukraine’s Country Programme, national recovery, and EU integration priorities. The role focuses on strengthening transparency and accountability in public spending through budget analysis, identification of equity gaps in social-sector allocations, and evidence-based advocacy for child- and family-responsive financing. The Officer also facilitates capacity-building for local governments on results-based, programme-based, and medium-term planning and budgeting, public investment management, and child- and gender-responsive budgeting, while contributing to UNICEF’s policy dialogue with key ministries and Parliament to advance equitable and sustainable use of public resources for children and families.

By embedding child-centred and gender-responsive financing principles across Ukraine’s evolving public finance management system, the Social Policy Officer contributes to the broader objective of building resilient, inclusive, and people-centred governance. The incumbent’s technical and coordination support will help transform Ukraine’s recovery and decentralization processes into a foundation for sustainable human-capital development, ensuring that every child and family benefits from equitable, efficient, and accountable public resources.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Improving use of public financial resources for children

Conduct regular national and subnational budget analyses across education, health, social protection, youth, WASH sectors to identify trends, bottlenecks, and equity gaps, supporting evidence-based prioritization and efficient allocation of public funds for children and families. Develop practical tools and templates for programme-based, results-based, and medium-term budgeting, including costing methodologies and the accurate use of budget classifications for child- and gender-responsive expenditure tracking. Support improvement of PFM systems to track social sector spending and map public investments, while promoting transparency, accountability, and value for money in public spending. Prepare analytical briefs, policy notes, and presentations for the Ministry of Finance, Parliament and its Committees, line ministries, and local authorities to inform fiscal reforms and strengthen evidence-based advocacy for child- and family-responsive financing. Collaborate with government partners to strengthen institutional capacity in costing, reporting, and financial analysis of social protection and child-related budgets, ensuring data quality, consistency, and traceability of expenditures. Work with UNICEF’s communication and advocacy teams to ensure PF4C evidence, analytical products, and good practices are strategically communicated and used to influence policies, promote visibility, and strengthen UNICEF’s credibility as a trusted partner in public finance reform.

2. Strengthening capacity of local governments to plan, budget, consult on and monitor child-focused social services.

Provide technical assistance to oblast and hromada authorities to integrate PF4C principles into local strategies, budget proposals, and medium-term budget frameworks (MTBFs), ensuring participatory planning, consultation, and accountability processes that reflect the real needs of children and communities. Co-design and deliver capacity-building initiatives, including trainings, webinars, and peer-learning events (with UNICEF partners) on programme-based and results-oriented budgeting, public investment management, and gender-/child-responsive budgeting. Strengthen local fiscal capacity by supporting improved own-source revenue practices, expenditure planning, and financial management to expand fiscal space for social services benefiting children, youth, and vulnerable families. Enhance local data systems and monitoring by building government capacity for quality data collection, analysis, and use in social policy and budget decision-making, promoting evidence-based planning and accountability. Document, disseminate, and promote good practices to inform replication and national scale-up of PF4C methodologies, and facilitate collaboration with other UNICEF sections (Education, Health, Child Protection, Social Policy, WASH, ADAP others) to ensure coherence and cross-sectoral integration of local PF4C initiatives

3. Strengthened advocacy and partnerships for child-sensitive social policy

Support with building and maintaining strategic partnerships with the Government (including Parliament, line ministries, and local government associations), bilateral and multilateral donors, think tanks, civil society, and the private sector to embed PF4C priorities in sector strategies, MTEF processes, and recovery and EU integration agendas. Support with coordination joint activities and policy initiatives with other UN agencies, development partners, and technical networks under the UN Cooperation Framework, promoting coherent advocacy and knowledge exchange on equitable public finance and governance reforms. Monitor and analyse socio-economic trends and policy developments related to PF4C, fiscal transparency, and social sector financing to inform UNICEF’s evidence-based advocacy, programming, and public positions. Organize and contribute to high-level dialogues, policy forums, and learning events with government, Parliament, and local partners to strengthen a network of PF4C champions and promote the institutionalization of child-responsive public financial management practices. Ensure PF4C results and evidence are effectively communicated, collaborating with UNICEF Communication, Programme and Field Offices teams, making analysis, tools, and achievements visible internally and externally to enhance policy influence, accountability, and organizational visibility. Synthesize and disseminate findings, case studies, and stories on PF4C and child poverty to enhance UNICEF’s advocacy, visibility, and policy dialogue with government, parliament, and partners.

4. UNICEF Programme Management Support

Coordinates and monitors PF4C-related activities under UNICEF’s Country Programme, ensuring they are well planned, risk-informed, results-oriented, and aligned with national and subnational priorities. Supports work planning, budgeting, and reporting, including donor reports and internal PF4C dashboards; drafts TORs, and ensures quality of deliverables, reports, studies, contracts, and timely processing of FACE forms, DCTs, and partner documentation. Manages and coordinates technical assistance in areas of social protection, public finance, and governance, ensuring coherence of implementation across UNICEF sections and effective collaboration with external partners. Promotes cross-sectoral coordination and knowledge exchange with Education, Health, Child Protection, ADAP, Communication, WASH, Gender, SBC and Field Offices to align PF4C efforts with broader social policy, recovery, decentralization and EU integration priorities.

Impact of Results

The efficient and timely technical and analytical support provided by the Social Policy Officer (PF4C) enhances UNICEF’s capacity to influence public finance and governance reforms in Ukraine toward more equitable, transparent, and child-centered resource allocation. By supporting government institutions to integrate equity, gender, and child-sensitivity principles into fiscal policies and budget processes, the incumbent contributes to improving the efficiency, accountability, and impact of public spending for children and families. These achievements help create a more protective environment that ensures children’s survival, development, and well-being, while strengthening UNICEF’s credibility and visibility as a strategic partner in Ukraine’s recovery and EU integration agenda, and reinforcing the organization’s ability to promote social equality and inclusive human-capital development at national and local levels.

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

Minimum requirements:

Education:

University degree in one of the following fields is required: Economics, Public Policy, Public Finance Management, International Relations, Law, Political Science, or another relevant technical field.

Work Experience: 

Minimum of two years of relevant professional experience in public finance management, budgeting, public policy development and/or analysis, social sector analysis, programme management, government relations and advocacy, and/or governance. Demonstrated knowledge of Ukraine’s public finance, decentralization, and social sector reform context. Proven experience in evidence-generation, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement to promote equitable and efficient public spending.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English and Ukrainian is required.

Skills:

Strong analytical and presentation skills, with the ability to apply economic and budget analysis and synthesize large data sets into clear, user-friendly, and actionable insights, reports, and policy briefs. Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality written outputs and analytical materials within tight deadlines. Proactive and self-motivated, with the ability to work independently under minimum supervision, generate innovative ideas, and take responsibility for results and decisions.

Desirables:

Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.  Experience providing or managing technical assistance to government institutions - preferably the Ministry of Finance, Parliament, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Regional Development, local self-government bodies and authorities - is a strong asset. Familiarity with UNICEF or other international or UN organizations’ programming and coordination processes is an asset. Experience working in humanitarian, recovery, or development contexts will be considered as an advantage 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 

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 (, application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

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 (accessible to internal staff only).

The conditions of a temporary assignment 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.