Child Protection Specialist, Kigali, Rwanda– Job Ref. RW/UNICEF/0505/2637

Department/Office: Kigali, Rwanda

Categories: Child Protection

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.

For every child, the right to a Champion

How can you make a difference?

Are you passionate about safeguarding children and strengthening systems that protect their rights and well‑being?

We are seeking a highly motivated Child Protection Specialist to provide technical leadership in the design, implementation, and monitoring of high‑quality child protection programmes. The role plays a critical part in advancing prevention and response systems, ensuring that children, especially the most vulnerable, are protected from violence, abuse, exploitation, and neglect.

The Child Protection Specialist will work closely with government counterparts, UN agencies, civil society partners, and communities to strengthen national child protection systems, enhance accountability mechanisms, and promote family‑based care. The position requires strong technical expertise, sound judgment, and the ability to translate policy into effective, operational programming.

Purpose for the job:

The Child Protection Specialist reports to the Child Protection Specialist for guidance and general supervision. The Specialist supports the development and preparation of the Child Protection programme(s) and is responsible for the management, implementation, monitoring, reporting, and evaluation of the child protection programmes/projects within the country programme. The Specialist provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes. H/She facilitates the administration and achievement of concrete and sustainable contributions to national and international efforts to create a protective environment for children against all harm, and to protect their rights to survival, development and well-being as established under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, international treaties/frameworks and UN intergovernmental bodies.

The Specialist contributes to the achievement of results according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM), and UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance and accountability framework.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

•  Support to programme/project development and planning
•  Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results
•  Technical and operational support to programme implementation
•  Networking and partnership building
•  Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
•  Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) & Safeguarding

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Child Protection Specialist-NOC. IMIS#100613-Revised 2026.doc

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

Minimum requirements

• Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in International Development, Psychology, Sociology, Social Services, human rights, international law or another relevant social science field. and any other related fields.
• Work Experience: 5 years of relevant work experience in International Development, Human Rights, Child Protection, Programme Management, Programme Development, Monitoring, Reporting, Evaluation, Advocacy, Capacity Building, Partnership Building, Safeguarding, Geder based Violence. and any other related fields.
• Skills: Knowledge of Rwanda Child Protection System Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) & Safeguarding Experience in social development planning and management in child protection Partner capacity strengthening Government engagement.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required

Desirables

• Knowledge of Kinyarwanda and French is highly desirable, and knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
• Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset.
• Relevant experience in programme development in child protection related areas in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

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

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