CHILDREN’S RIGHTS AND SPORT SPECIALIST 

Duration: 10-12 months EML cover 

Salary: £49,000 per annum pro rata  

Job Level: 3 

Hours: Part Time, 21 hours per week. Other flexible arrangements will be considered 

Disclosure Level: Basic  

Reports to: Sports Programme Specialist 

Location: Working from home and at 1 Westfield Avenue, London E20 1HZ or Mansfield Traquair Centre, 15 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh EH3 6BB. Flexibility will be considered.  

At the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), we pull together to achieve the best possible results for children around the world. We believe in an inclusive workplace and in the power of fulfilled colleagues who share the same values and goals, enjoy their work, and are motivated to do their utmost for children.   

ABOUT THE TEAM 

 At UNICEF UK we are committed to the rights of every child, including working to ensure their rights are respected and promoted in, around, and through sport. The Children’s Rights and Sport Specialist plays a vital role in enabling the successful delivery of these goals by working closely with the Sports Programmes Specialist to lead specific projects and provide guidance, support and technical advice.  

The role sits within our multifaceted Advocacy, Programmes and Safeguarding Directorate (APS). The purpose of the APS directorate is to effectively protect, promote and uphold the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), by mobilising multiple stakeholders, influencing key decision makers and driving direct change, to effectively deliver positive outcomes and lasting impact for children in the UK and around the world.  

The role sits within the Child Rights and Sport, Safeguarding & Participation Team. This mission critical function is made up of a highly specialised team of technical experts who are focused on embedding UNICEF UK’s work on safeguarding, youth voice and child rights in sports. The work delivered by the team has organisational wide reach and is accountable for influencing decisions and shaping outcomes to help drive impactful, sustainable and systemic change for children, underpinned by our shared commitments and values.  

ABOUT THE ROLE 

The Children’s Rights and Sport Specialist is focused on promoting children’s rights in, around and through sport. This work is underpinned and guided by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and supported by the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the accompanying Children’s Rights and Business Principles. Given the breadth of the role, the deliverables often look different on different days. This requires the postholder to have the ability to navigate complex situations and prioritise effectively.   

As the Children’s Rights and Sport Specialist you will lead, shape, and implement key areas of children's rights and sport work, including the delivery of UK Sports Programmes, and UK advocacy to the sports sector, with a particular focus on Scotland, as well as providing strategic input into global initiatives related to children’s rights and sport, at the invitation of relevant colleagues across UNICEF. You will shape the planning and delivery of organisational campaigns and initiatives, ensuring alignment to UNICEF global programme priorities and UUK’s Children’s Rights and Sport Strategy. You will also represent UNICEF UK externally, acting as a spokesperson on children’s rights and sport, using technical knowledge, experience and skills to build high impact financial and non-financial partnerships with donors, partners, supporters and other key stakeholders.       

WHAT WE EXPECT YOU TO ACHIEVE 

• Manage and lead our work on children’s rights in Scottish Sport. This will include working in partnership with UNICEF UK, UNICEF Scotland, advocacy and communications colleagues, to meet with high impact senior external stakeholders and existing partners as an expert on children’s rights and sport, utilizing negotiation and diplomatic skills to influence major outcomes for UNICEF UK in relation to children’s rights in Scottish Sport.  

• Support the development of innovative new UK sport programmes bringing child rights education to the heart of coaching practice. 

• Maintain oversight of new developments within the children’s rights and sport space, ensuring UNICEF UK develops meaningful, evidence-led, appropriate responses to emerging issues.  

• Develop and oversee partnerships with research organisations to improve understanding of the issues and the evidence base for our work. 

• Manage and lead on all aspects of our work to champion the rights of children in the context of Mega Sporting Events, identifying opportunities for influence, and developing innovative approaches to support change. 

• Manage and lead on our engagement on children’s rights in esports, identifying opportunities to further embed children’s rights in the sector, representing our work on relevant platforms, and managing our relationships with key stakeholders. 

• Support the Sports Programmes Specialist in the delivery of the team plan, objectives and KPIs in collaboration with other teams within the organisation. 

• Skilfully manage multiple-stakeholder relationships across the wider global organisation, and with strategic partners, sharing child rights priorities and insights to leverage influence, income and impact for children.  

• Represent Unicef UK at conferences and events (within UNICEF globally and/or external) relating to children’s rights and sport as necessary, and provide strategic insights, contacts, and thought leadership on shaping initiatives for UNICEF UK in alignment with UNICEF globally. 

• Contribute to external events in support of UNICEF UK cross-organisational initiatives such as pitches, stewardship events, talks, seminars, one-to-one meetings and other external engagement opportunities. 

BEHAVIOURS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS 

Effective Behaviours 

Supporter driven and mission aligned:  

• Is committed to children and their rights and motivated to work towards achieving a better world for every child.      

• Passionate about delivering exceptional customer, candidate, supporter experience at all times 

Communicating and influencing 

• Conveys complex ideas in a compelling manner (both written and oral), showing insight and awareness of the person they are seeking to influence.    

• Speaks with fluency on a range of platforms and with senior stakeholders, on complex issues related to children’s rights and sport.  

• Displays professionalism and confidence in communications, with the ability to gain respect and influence outcomes.  

• Shapes messages adapted to different audiences. 

Teamwork and cooperation 

• Develops mutually beneficial relationships both within and outside the organisation. 

• Generates trust and credibility when working in a team. 

• Is reliable, diplomatic, discreet, and ethical.   

Efficiency and effectiveness 

• Balances multiple and conflicting priorities. 

• Uses good judgement so that problems are spotted in advance and solutions identified quickly.   

• Works proactively and creatively.  

• Evaluates work, learns from results and adjusts strategies to provide the best results for children. 

Results focused 

• Takes a solution focused approach to problem solving, to succeed in difficult circumstances. 

• Constantly searches for quicker and better ways to do things.  

• Pursues goals despite obstacles, driving self and others to achieve challenging results. 

Collaboration 

• Develops mutually beneficial relationships and generates trust and credibility through strong relationship building and conflict resolution skills.  

• Interfaces with external stakeholders/donors relevant to their area, building relationships. 

• Consults others and shares expertise, know-how and ideas with colleagues for best results. 

• Values diversity, respecting and drawing on colleagues’ different perspectives, skills, experience and knowledge 

Relevant experience 

• Substantial experience of working directly within the field of children’s rights and sport. Ideally this will include experience of working within the voluntary sector, civil society and/or the sports industry across both domestic and international contexts. 

• Experience of successfully building relationships with key audiences (media, partners, donors, parliamentarians, civil society organisations, etc.) enthusing them, gaining their commitment to the work of an organisation, and influencing key decisions. 

• Demonstrable experience of adhering to best practice in child protection and safeguarding, making decisions in the best interests of the child. 

• Experience of influencing and negotiating within large organisations either in the public, private or charity sectors with a large supporter base and multiple decision-making centres.   

• UN country programme experience or experience of working in an international human or child rights organisation would be an asset 

Specific knowledge and skills 

• Comprehensive specialist knowledge and understanding of the field of children’s rights and sport, including knowledge of current children’s rights and sport trends. 

• Comprehensive specialist knowledge and understanding of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and how they relate to the sport sector. 

• Relevant qualification at MA level would be an asset. For example, specialised knowledge or a qualification in children’s rights and business and the application of UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to the sports sector. 

• High levels of personal gravitas and presence to talk about UNICEF programmes and human/child rights, within fundraising, partnership and advocacy contexts.