Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
LANGUAGES
References
Timeline
Generic

Paola Franchi

Summary

Over 18 years of experience in program management, advocacy and coordination with a focus on Child Rights, Protection and Gender Based Violence in humanitarian and development settings, including as part of the Level 3 emergency in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, Libya, Colombia and Venezuela. MSc in Children Rights and MSc in International Development. Strong networking, interpersonal and communication skills; cultural awareness and sensitivity and ability to adapt to multicultural and challenging contexts and to work with people from a variety of cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Demonstrated capacity to achieve concrete results and work with politically sensitive and complex issues.

Results-oriented achiever with proven ability to exceed targets and drive success in fast-paced and complex environments. Combines strategic thinking with hands-on experience to deliver impactful solutions and enhance organizational performance.

Overview

18
18
years of professional experience

Work History

Chief Child Protection and Program Manager P4

UNICEF Colombia
09.2023 - Current
  • Successfully led the implementation of a portfolio exceeding USD $14 million, overseeing a multidisciplinary team comprising Child Protection, Education, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), Health, Nutrition, and Social Policy staff. Provided strategic guidance and effective program management through collaboration with government counterparts and other UN agencies. Offered technical supervision and strategic direction for the development of a new country development plan, emphasizing Child Protection system strengthening at the local level and focusing on the humanitarian-nexus response in contexts impacted by armed conflict and violence. Ensured oversight of the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanisms team, conducted regular field visits to assess progress, and provided strategic guidance. Managed donor relations and ensured timely reporting.

Chief Child Protection - Surge P5

UNICEF Lebanon
11.2024 - 02.2025
  • Provided technical support and leadership to the Child Protection response in Lebanon during the L3 emergency. Led the development of a scalable response plan, revising priorities with the team to focus efforts on the most vulnerable children. Delivered critical support to the Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) agenda, ensuring effective implementation and coordination of child protection interventions in the crisis context.

Coordinator Child Protection - Surge P5

UNICEF MENARO
02.2023 - 04.2023
  • Led the Child Protection Area of Responsibility for the Northwest Syria Hub in the aftermath of the earthquake. Developed a comprehensive operational response plan in collaboration with partners, enhanced the unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) and family tracing and reunification (FTR) response in coordination with headquarters, and formulated a mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) training plan with the Regional Office. Additionally, created contextualized guidelines for child protection mobile responses.

Child Protection Specialist - Stretch Assignment

UNICEF Head Quarters
10.2022 - 12.2022
  • Conducted a comprehensive analysis in collaboration with HQ, Regional, and Country Offices regarding the repatriation and reintegration of foreign children stranded in Northeast Syria across more than 50 countries. This analysis included policy considerations, social services, security and juvenile justice issues, media treatment, political and public opinion, and entry points for engagement. Identified programming gaps, including logistics, necessary for each Country Office to support the large-scale acceleration of repatriation and reintegration efforts. Contributed to the development of advocacy and communication content for UNICEF Representatives to effectively engage with authorities. Facilitated coordination among all relevant business units involved in the acceleration effort, ensuring a whole-of-organization approach that included the Syria Country Office, Regional and Country Offices, and HQ business units.

Chief Field Operation - P5

UNICEF Venezuela
03.2019 - 08.2021
  • Coordinated and supported the delivery of field-based programmatic and operational activities (humanitarian and development) with four field offices and the mobilization of support from programs and operations needed to deliver principled results for children, contributed to mobilize resources; provided support to the humanitarian architecture as per the Representative’ framework of accountabilities and coordinated the work of UNICEF clusters. Provided leadership to four Chief of Field Offices and ensured effective work planning and programme implementation and monitoring of results.

Rapid Response Team -Coordinator Child Protection

UNICEF EMOPS
01.2018 - 09.2019
  • Provided remote and in country support to Child Protction Area of Responsibility (CP AoR) in country coordinators for Middle-East and North Africa and South Asia regions, providing technical support on coordination of the Child Protection in Emergency response and programming. Deployed for 5 months to the Venezuela crisis, 5 months to the Libya crisis and 4 months to the Whole of Syria response to set up the coordination group, develop the Humanitarian Needs Overview and Response Plan and ensure implementation of the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action.

Chief Child Protection P4

UNICEF Venezuela
09.2019 - 03.2019
  • Managed a portfolio exceeding USD $10 million while coordinating a team of eight Child Protection staff. Assumed primary responsibility for the development, implementation, and monitoring of the sectoral Child Protection strategy and work plan, as well as for making technical decisions related to program implementation. Ensured effective program management in collaboration with over 20 national and international NGOs and government counterparts, providing technical support and capacity building focused on Child Protection humanitarian efforts in alignment with global and regional UNICEF strategies. Offered technical oversight and support to field staff through regular field visits to monitor program progress. Cultivated relationships with donors, ensured timely reporting, and developed innovative approaches to enhance the effectiveness of Child Protection programs.

Coordinator Child Protection

Save the Children
11.2016 - 07.2017
  • With 26 Child Protection Actors mapped out priority protection gaps (including geographic coverage and programmatic scope) and identified key resources and assets to address existing needs. Developed strategic documents such as Humanitarian Needs Overview and Humanitarian Response Plan in coordination with Protection cluster. Developed with partners key guidance note on key child protection concerns promoting standards and setting out related responsibilities.

Technical Advisor Child Protection

Save the Children
01.2016 - 10.2016
  • Managed a US$6M portfolio of Child protection programme for Iraq and North East Syria ensuring overall quality and compliance with Save the Children standards. Provided technical support to 5 field offices and addressed capacity building needs. Developed key strategic documents within the Child Protection Sub Cluster at the national level and in technical working groups such as MRM, Adolescent Girls and Case management and unaccompanied and separated children. Developed proposals for different donors such as OFDA, BPRM, ECHO, SIDA, UNICEF, UNHCR.

Program Manager Child Protection

Save the Children
01.2015 - 09.2015
  • Managed a US$2 million child protection programme for the mixed IDP and refugee emergency in 4 camps and 3 urban areas. Provided case management and specialized psychosocial support services to an estimated 10,000 vulnerable children including over 250 unaccompanied and separated. Led a team of 21 and built their capacity in the child protection in emergency. Represented Save the Children at the National Child Protection Sub-Cluster. Contributed to the development of inter-agency standard operating procedures (SOPs) on the Best Interest Determination (BID) and the Child Protection and served as a member of UNHCR’s BID panel.

Project Manager Child Protection

Save the Children
07.2013 - 11.2014
  • Managed a US$1.5M child protection programme in partnership with 5 national organisations. Provided technical support to the Ministry of Women and Social Welfare including through the development of a National Awareness Campaign for the prevention of and response to Child Marriage, Violence against children, Sexual abuse and Trafficking. Mainstreamed child protection in the national education systems and designed training modules on child protection laws, policies and services. Developed and implemented Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning plans.

Project Manager

INTERSOS
02.2013 - 06.2013
  • Developed, implemented and coordinated protection responses for the IDP crisis in Jonglei State (UNHCR and UNICEF funded projects). Supervised a team of 4 national staff in the case management, Gender Based Violence (GBV) and psychosocial support for vulnerable Internally Displaced and returnees. Advocated for the protection of children and conflict-affected populations and represented INTERSOS at the Protection Cluster and the Child Protection Working Group. Led an inter-agency need assessment to identify and address gaps in the child protection.

Consultant Sexual and Reproductive rights and GBV

Eni Foundation
08.2012 - 12.2012
  • Supported Eni Foundation in elaborating and developing a comprehensive package of interventions focused on Gender Based Violence and Sexual and Reproductive rights. Designed training modules and awareness raising activities and material on sexual and reproductive health and rights, HIV/AIDS, Gender Based Violence for local community and health community mobilizers jointly with Provincial Health Department.

Program Assistant

UNAIDS
03.2011 - 08.2011
  • Supported UNAIDS Country Coordinator and Partnership Advisor in the implementation of the UNAIDS Country Office Plan for 2011. Organized workshops/trainings sessions on HIV/AIDS, Sexual and Reproductive rights, Gender Based Violence and Psychosocial support for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) in collaboration with other UN agencies and Angolan Institutions and Ministries. Organized capacity building activities with national NGOs working on HIV/AIDS, Gender Based Violence and sexual and reproductive rights.

Development and Cooperation officer

Italian Embassy
01.2010 - 12.2010
  • Contributed as the focal point for Children’s Rights within the European Union Delegation Thematic Working Group on Human Rights to the development of the Human Rights Situational Analysis in Angola. Provided technical support and supervision to the United Nation Interregional Crime and Research Institute Juvenile justice programme “Strengthening the Rights of Children and Youth in Angola”. Provided supervision and coordination to Child protection projects implemented by Italian NGOs aimed at strengthening the child protection system, providing psychosocial support, rehabilitation and reintegration of vulnerable children and adolescents.

Country Rep

Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo (VIS)
10.2007 - 11.2009
  • Ensured overall projects’ supervision and coordination within all the sectors (Education, Health, Child Rights and Protection). Managed liaisons with different donors, key stakeholders and Government authorities at National and Provincial level. Supported in organizing capacity building activities and supervised international and national staff. Conducted extensive research on Child protection System and undertaken comprehensive needs assessments of vulnerable and marginalized children in the country to develop and submit project proposals to different donors.

Education

Master of Advanced Studies - Children's Rights

University of Fribourg And The Institut Universitaire Kurt Bösch
Sion - Switzerland
11.2012

MSc - International Development Cooperation

University of Pavia, Institute of Advanced Studies (IUSS)
Pavia - Italy
01.2007

University degree - Public Relations

IULM, Libera Università Di Lingue E Comunicazione
Milan - Italy
11.2003

Skills

  • Strategic planning
  • Team leadership and direction
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Flexible and adaptable
  • Partnership development
  • Stakeholder management
  • Influencing skills
  • Risk analysis and management

LANGUAGES

Italian (native), English (fluent), Portuguese (fluent), Spanish (fluent)
Arabic
Beginner (A1)

References

  • Tanya, Chapuisat, Representative UNICEF Colombia, tchapuisat@unicef.org, UNICEF
  • Ettie, Higgins, Deputy Representative Lebanon, ehiggins@unicef.org, UNICEF
  • Javier, Alvarez, Representative UNICEF Perú, jalvarez@unicef.org, UNICEF

Timeline

Chief Child Protection - Surge P5

UNICEF Lebanon
11.2024 - 02.2025

Chief Child Protection and Program Manager P4

UNICEF Colombia
09.2023 - Current

Coordinator Child Protection - Surge P5

UNICEF MENARO
02.2023 - 04.2023

Child Protection Specialist - Stretch Assignment

UNICEF Head Quarters
10.2022 - 12.2022

Chief Child Protection P4

UNICEF Venezuela
09.2019 - 03.2019

Chief Field Operation - P5

UNICEF Venezuela
03.2019 - 08.2021

Rapid Response Team -Coordinator Child Protection

UNICEF EMOPS
01.2018 - 09.2019

Coordinator Child Protection

Save the Children
11.2016 - 07.2017

Technical Advisor Child Protection

Save the Children
01.2016 - 10.2016

Program Manager Child Protection

Save the Children
01.2015 - 09.2015

Project Manager Child Protection

Save the Children
07.2013 - 11.2014

Project Manager

INTERSOS
02.2013 - 06.2013

Consultant Sexual and Reproductive rights and GBV

Eni Foundation
08.2012 - 12.2012

Program Assistant

UNAIDS
03.2011 - 08.2011

Development and Cooperation officer

Italian Embassy
01.2010 - 12.2010

Country Rep

Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo (VIS)
10.2007 - 11.2009

Master of Advanced Studies - Children's Rights

University of Fribourg And The Institut Universitaire Kurt Bösch

MSc - International Development Cooperation

University of Pavia, Institute of Advanced Studies (IUSS)

University degree - Public Relations

IULM, Libera Università Di Lingue E Comunicazione
Paola Franchi