UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to Opportunity

How can you make a difference?

Under the general guidance of the supervisor, the incumbent is responsible for providing technical support to the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of all stages of social policy programing and related advocacy from strategic planning and formulation to delivery of concrete and sustainable results. This includes programmes aimed at improving (a) public policies to reduce child poverty; (b) social protection coverage and impact on children; (c) the transparency, adequacy, equity and efficiency of child-focused public investments and financial management; and (d) governance, decentralization and accountability measures to increase public participation and the quality, equity and coverage of social services. This encompasses both direct programme work with government and civil society partners as well as linkages and support to teams working on education, child protection, early childhood development and adolescent development and participation.

1. Public Financial Management and Fiscal Systems

Demonstrated knowledge of Türkiye’s public financial management architecture, including:
- Central government budget processes (Presidency of Strategy and Budget, Ministry of Treasury and Finance)
- Medium-Term Programme (MTP), Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and annual budget cycles
- Programme-based budgeting frameworks: designing indicators to assess budget performance, linking financial inputs to outputs and outcomes for children.
- Familiarity with the national public expenditure tracking and financial accountability systems
Familiarity with:
- Analysis of national and subnational budgets
- Local government financing (including municipalities and ILBANK)
- Intergovernmental fiscal transfer mechanisms: Knowledge of fiscal decentralization, understanding of national mechanisms and systems for transfers to local governments, experience undertaking analysis of efficiency and equity of investments across regions.

2. Budget Analysis and Public Financial Management

Proven ability to:
- Skills in budget analysis of allocation and execution data (including at least some sector specific analysis for health, education, social protection, WASH, nutrition, or early childhood development) and to produce high-quality budget briefs and policy notes

- Ability to assess equity, efficiency, and adequacy of public spending

- Familiarity with common public expenditure analysis tools, such as costing, cost effectiveness/cost benefit analysis, public expenditure reviews, benefit incidence analysis, budget analysis.
- Carry out fiscal space analysis with a focus on social sectors: financial modelling & costing, ability to develop costing models for policies and programmes, scenario analysis (e.g., scaling up social benefits), macro-fiscal projections (desirable).
Strong understanding of public financial management systems, including:
- Budget execution processes and challenges in Türkiye
Ability to assess spending efficiency and identify service delivery bottlenecks

3. Migration and Refugee Inclusion

Familiarity with Türkiye’s temporary protection framework and public service provision for refugees
Experience in:
- Inclusive budgeting approaches
- Donor-funded programmes (e.g. EU FRIT, World Bank)

4. Policy Engagement and Stakeholder Coordination

Demonstrated experience engaging with key government institutions, including:
- Ministry of Treasury and Finance
- Presidency of Strategy and Budget
- Relevant line ministries

Note: While this position was previously advertised, this is a new requisition and all previous applicants are welcome to apply again.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Job Description

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

Minimum requirements

- 1. 1. Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Economics, Public Administration, Political Science, Social Science, Public Policy, Fiscal Policy, Public Financial Management, International Relations and any other related fields.
      A Bachelor or equivalent (First Level University Degree)in a relevant area combined with 2 additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
    2. Work Experience: At least 5 years of relevant work experience in social policy, social protection, public finance, fiscal structures, local governance and any other related fields.
    3. Skills: Strong analytical and quantitative skills: Strong ability to work with quantitative data sets (household surveys, administrative data), proficiency in tools: Excel (advanced),, Ability to translate data into policy-relevant insights, skills in data visualization. Strategic communication, including the ability to simplify complex fiscal concepts: Translating technical findings into clear recommendations for a variety of audiences, including government counterparts and non-technical audiences. Diplomacy and political awareness in engaging with government counterparts. Excellent drafting and reporting skills.
    4. Language Requirements : English - Proficient/Fluent

Desirables
1. 1. Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language.
  2. Specialization in Social policy or social protection, Development economics with a focus on equity.
  3. Academic background from leading national or international universities.
  4. Networks with partners in government and academia.
  5. Knowledge of innovative financing mechanisms.
  6. Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts (emergency).

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

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

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 candidates 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.

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.

Visa residence requirements: i.e. UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.

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.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

Social Policy Specialist (NO-3), FT, #135057, Türkiye, Ankara - ECAR