Child Protection Specialist (CRVS & Birth Registration) at UNICEF Re-advertise

Location: Abuja, Nigeria

Organization: UNICEF

Position Level: NO3 (National Officer)

Application Deadline: January 7, 2026

Securing the Right to Identity: Why This Role Matters

For a child, a birth certificate is more than just a piece of paper; it is the “door opener” to a lifetime of rights, protecting them from exploitation and ensuring access to education and healthcare. In Nigeria, where millions of children still lack a legal identity, your work in Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) is a fundamental pillar of child protection. By strengthening the systems that record every birth, you are ensuring that no child remains “invisible” to the state and that every young Nigerian has a foundation for a secure and prosperous future.

Job Summary

The Child Protection Specialist (NO3) leads the strategic management, implementation, and scaling of the National Birth Registration and Legal Identity agenda. Reporting to the Child Protection Manager, you will provide high-level technical expertise to digitize, decentralize, and integrate birth registration into primary healthcare systems across Nigeria, ensuring sustainable results for the most vulnerable children.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Planning & Programme Development

• Situation Analysis: Lead the collection and analysis of comprehensive data on legal identity to guide UNICEF’s strategic advocacy and policy interventions in Nigeria.
• Programme Design: Formulate and update project proposals for universal birth registration, ensuring they align with national priorities, the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), and UNICEF’s global Strategic Plan.
• Methodological Alignment: Apply Results-Based Management (RBM) methodologies to set clear goals, benchmarks, and implementation plans for the CRVS sector.

Operational Management & Technical Support

• System Digitization: Provide technical guidance on the expansion of advanced digital CRVS platforms, facilitating interoperability between civil registration and the health sector.
• Monitoring & Evaluation: Conduct field visits and assessments to identify implementation bottlenecks, ensuring that the 11 million+ annual birth registration target is met with high-quality data.
• Policy Guidance: Act as a technical advisor to government counterparts and NGO partners, interpreting UNICEF policies and best practices to enhance local program delivery.

Partnership Building & Advocacy

• Inter-Agency Collaboration: Represent UNICEF in high-level discussions with the National Population Commission (NPC) and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to create a unified approach to legal identity.
• Resource Mobilization: Prepare compelling communication materials and strategic briefs to establish donor alliances and support fundraising for child protection initiatives.
• Multi-Sectoral Synergy: Ensure internal coordination between UNICEF’s health, education, and protection sections to integrate birth registration into broader child survival strategies.

Innovation & Capacity Building

• Institutional Strengthening: Organize training initiatives to enhance the competencies of government stakeholders in managing modern registration systems.
• Knowledge Sharing: Research and institutionalize international best practices in CRVS management, sharing lessons learned across the West and Central Africa region.

Candidate Requirements

• Academic Credentials: An Advanced University Degree (Master’s or higher) in International Development, Human Rights, Sociology, International Law, or a related social science field.
• Professional Experience: * A minimum of five years of professional experience in social development planning with a focus on child protection.
  • Hands-on experience in implementing birth registration or legal identity programmes is strictly required.
  • Previous experience within the UN system or an international NGO is a significant advantage.
  • Exposure to both development and emergency/humanitarian contexts is highly desirable.
• Linguistic Skills: Proficiency in English is required. Knowledge of a local Nigerian language or another official UN language is an asset.
• Core Competencies: Strong skills in policy drafting, partnership management, and Results-Based Management (RBM).

About the Organization

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, to defend their rights, and to help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. In Nigeria, we are committed to accelerating the realization of rights for every child, particularly those in the most disadvantaged communities. Our Civil Registration program is a visionary effort that has already digitized registration across 23 states, creating a transformative platform for data protection and identity. We believe that by investing in a child’s legal identity, we are investing in the stability and equitable development of the entire nation.

Benefits & Expectations

• Salary: Competitive (Based on the UN National Officer salary scale for Nigeria).
• Impact: Lead a program that registered over 11 million children in a single year, setting a global benchmark for digital registration.
• Culture: A diverse, intercultural environment that promotes gender equality and professional excellence.

Tips for Applicants

1. Showcase Digital Familiarity: Since Nigeria is moving toward a digital CRVS system, highlight any experience you have with digital data platforms or interoperable systems.
2. Focus on Inter-sectoral Work: Birth registration in Nigeria is now linked with healthcare. Provide examples of where you have worked across different sectors (e.g., Health and Protection) to achieve a goal.
3. Quantify Your Results: Use metrics in your CV to show the scale of programs you have managed (e.g., “Managed a project reaching X number of beneficiaries”).

How to Apply

Interested and qualified professionals should submit their application through the official UNICEF global careers portal:

Apply via UNICEF Vacancies Page

UNICEF is a smoke-free environment. Candidates must be committed to UNICEF’s zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse.